Bingen-City Fire Department strengthens management team: A new beginning for safety!

Bingen-City Fire Department strengthens management team: A new beginning for safety!

On July 8, 2025, Mayor Thomas Feser handed over the appointment certificates to the new volunteer managers of the Bingen-Stadt fire department. In a ceremonial ceremony, Feser emphasized the immense importance of volunteer work in the fire department for the community. Especially at a time when every hand is needed, the service of firefighters is invaluable. The newly elected leaders, Markus Sperling as chief and Marcel Baldenbach as deputy chief, were appointed on April 9th ​​and are now part of a strengthened team that is ready to take on the challenges of the future.

The management team of the Bingen-Stadt fire department is made up of experienced and committed members. In addition to Markus Sperling and Marcel Baldenbach, this includes Thomas Baldenbach (platoon leader) and group leaders Patrick Biesdorf, Christian Krämer, Stefan Polzer, Christian von Stramberg, Sebastian Tonollo, Ralf Welpe, Florian Schell and Klaus Kürschner. Fire Chief Sperling speaks of the strength and competence of the new management team, which has led the fire department through numerous operations and challenges so far.

Commitment and awards in disaster protection

Voluntary commitment is not only strong in the Bingen fire department, but is also highly valued throughout the district. At the 3rd Volunteer Day of the Mainz-Bingen district on June 7, 2025, fellow firefighters were honored for their tireless work in fire and disaster control. First district councilor Steffen Wolf, representing District Administrator Dorothea Schäfer, presented awards for long years of service, special merits or courageous behavior in the event of a disaster.

Particularly noteworthy are the awards given to Frank Polzer, who was awarded the Golden Disaster Protection Medal for his 30 years of work on the hazardous materials train. Jonas Runde also received the bronze disaster protection medal for his ten years of service. Patrick Biesdorf, Benedikt Nowacki and Dominik Schätzl were each honored with the silver medal for 20 years of commitment, while Thomas Baldenbach also received a silver medal for over 20 years as a district instructor in the area of ​​“boat captains”. These awards illustrate how important continuous training and specialization is within the fire service.

Further developments in disaster protection

A sub-unit of the Mainz-Bingen district's hazardous substances train is stationed in Bingen and specializes in dealing with hazardous substances. The firefighters in this unit are deployed in the event of dangers in the NBC area (nuclear, biological, chemical). In addition, Christian Berg was appointed S6, responsible for information and communication within the technical operations management, which coordinates the organizational cooperation of all those involved in major damage situations, such as storms or forest fires.

As the background to the awards shows, disaster protection decorations are not only awarded in Rhineland-Palatinate, but also in other federal states. These awards recognize many years of service and special achievements in the field of disaster control and range from simple medals to special honors for outstanding commitment. Wikipedia provides an overview of the different levels and criteria for these awards. The importance of such honors for firefighters should not be underestimated, as they strengthen motivation and cohesion within the emergency services.

Together with the newly appointed managers of the Bingen fire department, we are well positioned to continue meeting the challenges of disaster control in the future. The positive feedback from the community and the recognition of the firefighters' achievements are motivation enough to continue to provide safety and emergency assistance.