Operations throughout the city are coordinated in the fire brigade control center Photo: Parvets
By Axel Lier
Why weren’t the rescuers from the fire brigade deployed at the death tunnel in Berlin-Mitte?
Since July 1, the troop has been forced out of service. Because the officials have to help out again and again in the overloaded rescue service, their important compulsory training suffers.
“Without exercises and training, the troops must not be sent into action,” says a firefighter.
The height rescuers of the Berlin fire brigade have special training for operations and rescues at great heights or depths Photo: Stephanie von Becker
The failure exemplifies the problem of the fire brigade: almost every day – including on Fridays – the emergency services have to be declared. There are days and nights when there are no longer any ambulances available for the control center in the capital!
The rescuers hardly ever put out fires anymore, but work harder and harder in the emergency services. Up to 1700 operations a day are not uncommon.
Interior Senator Iris Spranger (60, SPD), despite her vacation, formed a steering group at the beginning of the week to remedy the situation. The fire chiefs already had their own task force and were disempowered. “We have to get through the summer,” is the slogan from the Interior Senator’s office.
