By Axel Lier
Neighbors, passers-by, doctors, firefighters, police officers. All have in common that they saved lives. Now they have been honored at the Berlin fire brigade in Voltairestrasse in Berlin-Mitte.
They are real capital city heroes! These Berliners – whom the BZ honors here – were courageous, determined and helpful – in absolutely exceptional situations.
They became saviors for people who were threatened with death. The fire brigade honored them with the “Angel of the Big City” award.
Per Kleist, acting chief of the fire brigade: “Rushing to help others in life-threatening situations and standing by them deserves my highest recognition and my respect.”
Interior Senator Iris Spranger (61, SPD) is also impressed. “These helpers make us all proud!”
Senator for Internal Affairs Iris Spranger and Per Kleist Permanent Representative State Fire Director and Bärbel Mendt
Fire! Courageous subway driver brings passengers to safety
On September 30, 2022, Bärbel Mendt is controlling a subway line 6. When she enters the Seestraße station, she notices a fire in the area of the power rail on her platform – emergency braking!
On September 30, 2022, there was a fire in the area of the power rail at the Seestrasse underground station
She tries to smother the flames with a fire extinguisher, in vain. To avoid panic, she informs the passengers, clears the train and leads the people safely outside.
After consultation with the BVG control center, she then reverses the train into the tunnel. From there she is brought to safety by firefighters.
Firefighter Philipp Hultsch (23) helped after an accident that he accidentally passed
Man smashes side window, tries to save accident victims
On December 31, a motorist (51) had an accident shortly after crossing the Spindlersfeld Bridge. The car comes off to the right, gets wedged in the embankment and comes to rest on its roof. Philipp Hultsch, fireman at the Urban station (Kreuzberg), happens to drop by.
He smashes the side window and gets into the car. He tries to provide first aid to the trapped driver – until his colleagues cut open the roof. The 51-year-old is resuscitated – unfortunately in vain. He dies at the scene of the accident.
Myriam Kaiser and Timo Munz resuscitated a driver with cardiac arrest
cardiac arrest. Two off-duty doctors help drivers and push onlookers away
On May 16, 2022, Myriam Kaiser and Timo Munz ride their bikes past a crowd of onlookers standing around a car. The driver has a cardiac arrest, is unconscious.
Kaiser and Munz – an emergency doctor and a pediatrician – act immediately and start resuscitation on the street. When the fire brigade arrives, Myriam Kaiser helps with the intubation of the patient, Timo Munz keeps the onlookers away so that the firefighters can concentrate on helping at the scene.
Emergency doctor Constantin Jungk (32)
This emergency doctor is the first to help the victims after the rampage on Kudamm
On June 8, 2022, an amok driver (29) raced across the Kudamm, killing a teacher and injuring numerous students. Constantin Jungk is the Berlin fire brigade’s first emergency doctor at the crime scene.
In the chaos, he has to make numerous decisions to save lives and ensure that the victims receive professional care. In 50 minutes he coordinates the rescue of 30 victims, many of them seriously injured.
The trial of the driver, who is accused of murder, attempted murder and numerous assaults, began Tuesday.
Per Kleist, Permanent Deputy State Fire Director, and Sören Sundermeyer (l.)
Nurse saves ten foster patients from fire house
Suddenly an attic is on fire! On April 17, 2022, a three-story apartment building caught fire. The building also accommodates ten people in need of care in a shared apartment.
Sören Sundemeyer immediately recognizes the emergency, initiates rescue measures – the residents escape unharmed and survive.
“Sören Sundemeyer acted quickly and with concentration, he brought the people entrusted to him to safety before the fire brigade arrived,” says the laudatory speech. “By intervening, he prevented bad things from happening.”
Senator for Internal Affairs Iris Spranger, Daniela Ahrends (centre) and Per Kleist, Permanent Deputy State Fire Director
Stewardess resuscitates man who collapses with heart attack
On March 20, 2022, a man (54) in Kartland on Miraustrasse suddenly suffered cardiovascular arrest, triggered by ventricular fibrillation.
Lufthansa flight attendant Daniela Ahrends happened to be celebrating a child’s birthday there and acted immediately: for 20 minutes she resuscitated the man and fought for his life. Firefighters took over the patient and treated him for another 40 minutes – until his circulation started again.
The man came to an intensive care unit at the Charité – and survived. He received five stents and has now made a full recovery.
Senator for Internal Affairs Iris Spranger, David Lemke (centre) and Per Kleist, Permanent Deputy State Fire Director
David Lemke prevents a person from being burned on the Alex
On March 16, 2022, David Lemke did not hesitate for a moment: A man doused himself with petrol on Alexanderplatz and set himself on fire.
David Lemke immediately grabs the fire extinguisher and fights the flames until the fire brigade arrives. The rescuers only remove the remaining clothing and take the man to the accident hospital in Marzahn. There his condition can be stabilized.
The victim survives. “David Lemke prevented a person from being burned. He deserves our recognition and respect,” the laudation said.
Nico Beyer (32) helped on the soccer field
Firefighter in an emergency on a soccer field
A moment of shock during the football game between SV Schmöckwitz and BFC Preußen: On May 22, a guest striker collided with the home team’s goalkeeper and lost consciousness.
Nico Beyer, who has been a professional firefighter at the Wannsee station for 22 days, storms across the square, brings the man into a stable side position and pulls his tongue out of his mouth.
His fire brigade and teammate Patrick Knoll also helps – until the rescuers take the man to the hospital. There, a shoulder joint blast and a severe concussion were diagnosed.
Boy breaks into the ice, man pulls him out of the water
On December 18, 2022, a boy (10) walked onto the thin surface of ice at the Spandau lock – and collapsed. Computer scientist Christopher Buntrock hears the screams and starts walking in jogging pants. He also informs neighbors: “There is a child in the water!”
Using a rowing boat, he approaches the ten-year-old and pulls him out of the icy water. “The quick reaction prevented the boy from staying longer in the water and he was able to avert health-endangering damage from him,” says the appraisal.
Marcel Müllner (20) with his proud friend Josephine Mehmert (18)
Fire brigade trainee helps injured person who falls on the city highway
Accident on Autobahn 111. On March 26, several friends walk across the bridge near the central fairground. It is still unclear why one of them fell onto the road.
The fire brigade trainee Marcel Müllner arrives at the scene of the accident at the same time as the officers of the 22nd squad. He supports the police as a first aider until his colleagues transported the man to the hospital.
“He recognized the situation with a trained eye and did not hesitate to take action immediately,” said the laudatory speech. “His actions were exemplary and professional.”
The police officers Lilly Zindler, Torsten Keller, Tobias Schmidt and Jan Christopher Dangschat saved the life of a pensioner in the supermarket Photo: Charles Yunck
Pensioner collapses in supermarket, cops save his life
On December 16, 2022, a customer (72) collapses in a supermarket – cardiovascular arrest! Customer Bert Günter Lehmann and branch employee Boris Trost begin resuscitation.
Then the police officers Lilly Zindler, Torsten Keller, Tobias Schmidt and Jan Christopher Dangschat from section 21 take over the rescue. Police Superintendent Zindler got a defibrillator from a nearby school. It was installed in a locked gymnasium. Together they can save the life of the pensioner.
Lutz Fiedler and Alexander Glaser brought an elderly woman to safety in an apartment fire Photo: Charles Yunck
Apartment on fire, neighbors bring elderly woman out of the house
An apartment is on fire in the early hours of November 7, 2022! Neighbors Lutz Fiedler and Alexander Glaser notice the fire and warn their neighbor. You help the elderly lady out of the house, take her to safety.
The alarmed firefighters are informed by the two Berliners about the situation in the house – so well that the fire can be fought immediately and does not spread. Only one room is damaged. After the extinguishing work, the pensioner can go back to her apartment on the ground floor.