By Isabel Pfannkuche, Mary-Lou Künzel and Dirk Böttger
While pyro enthusiasts queued up for 13 hours for New Year’s fireworks on Thursday night, the Berlin fire brigade is preparing for the “most eventful night of the year”!
The sale of fireworks has been permitted again since Thursday at midnight. The first were already in the queue on Wednesday morning to get hold of the best firecrackers and rockets! Ronny (20) is among the more than 100 Berliners at the Pankow “fireworks showcase”.
Everywhere the Berliners were queuing to get hold of firecrackers and fireworks. Also at “Thomas Philipps” in Reinickendorf Photo: Ralf Gunther
Roman Krohn (37) from a car workshop in Mahlsdorf does not know whether his stock of fireworks can cover the demand Photo: Spreepicture
He says: “This New Year’s Eve I’ll spend around 4,000 euros on rockets and batteries.” Roman Krohn (37), who sells pyrotechnics in his car workshop in Mahlsdorf, fears that his fireworks won’t last until New Year’s Eve… The chairman of the Federal Association of Pyrotechnics Ingo Schubert: “It is becoming apparent that the demand is higher than ever.”
Almost 1500 emergency services ready
No wonder: because of the corona pandemic, firecracker sales have been banned for the past two years. If it were up to the Berlin fire brigade, it could stay that way! Because again and again there are serious injuries and fires caused by pyrotechnics. At the turn of the year 2019/2020, the fire brigade had to be deployed a total of 1523 times.
Niklas M. (19), Luca (18) and Markus (19) from Austria are really having a blast this year! “We spent almost 500 euros! The large package alone costs 299 euros. We can’t say exactly what that is either. The main thing is that it makes BOOM!” Photo: Ralf Gunther
Nicole E. (38) and Christoph E. (37) from Reinickendorf: “We actually got the fireworks for a confirmation next year. Only a little goes on New Year’s Eve” Photo: Ralf Gunther
That’s why the fire brigade tripled the number of emergency services for New Year’s Eve this year! Despite the high level of illness, 1,429 emergency services are on standby so that there are no long waiting times for emergency calls.
Martin Bender (39) from the rescue service’s deployment preparation says: “In Berlin, the emergency services come to their limits every day. Of course, there can also be occasional waiting times on New Year’s Eve.”
Julien T. (25), Pamela T. (35), Jerome T. (8) and Luca (10) from Reinickendorf: “We got a few little things for the children. Sparklers and the battery always look especially great” Photo: Ralf Gunther
50 body cams for paramedics
An innovation this New Year’s Eve: For the first time, paramedics are also wearing bodycams! This makes Berlin’s fire department the first in Germany. “Unfortunately, we are increasingly finding that fireworks are being used as a weapon against us,” said state fire chief Karsten Homrighausen.
On New Year’s Eve, 50 paramedics wear bodycams, especially in the inner districts. Before switching on, the paramedics must give notice Photo: Berlin fire department
Eleven locations are equipped with a total of 50 bodycams, especially the downtown guards. Press spokesman Thomas Kirstein (46): “They alone have a deterrent effect. But it is also quite conceivable that the body cams will be used – especially when there is an aggressive mood.”
In some places in Berlin, firecrackers are even completely forbidden: This applies to Alexanderplatz, around the Moabit correctional facility and in the area of the Steinmetzkiez in Schöneberg.
Dominik (36) from Reinickendorf: “I only bought colorful things, I don’t like loud firecrackers. I queued for a total of 2.5 hours. Because compared to other stores, it is cheap here. I paid 60 euros for rockets, Roman lights and sparklers” Photo: Ralf Gunther