This morning at 5:00 a.m., a squadron of 141 firefighters set off for the disaster area in the Mansfeld-Südharz district. The firefighters from the specialist fire protection service come from the fire departments of the municipalities and localities of the entire Börde district and provide 12 hours of support in defending the dyke and sandbagging in the village of Oberröblingen.
The tense flood situation prompted District Administrator Martin Stichnoth to coordinate with the district's honorary officials, the department heads and Jens Sips, Head of the Office for Fire, Disaster Protection and Rescue Services, at the end of 2023 in order to be able to act accordingly in due course.
The already worsening flood risk in the district of Mansfeld-Südharz was also taken into account. As initial coordination had already taken place between district fire chief Matthias Schumann and his colleagues in Saxony-Anhalt, it was possible to quickly estimate the level of support that would be required from our district in the Börde district. He and the section heads Ralf Lange and Dirk Bischoff then carried out the preparatory measures, as a result of which the head of fire protection in the Börde district, Martin Kutscha, put together a team of 141 firefighters for 04/01/2014. The detailed deployment will be administered in the tried and tested manner by the Office for Fire and Disaster Protection.
District Administrator Martin Stichnoth: "Quick and uncomplicated assistance was my greatest concern." He is well aware from the flood disaster in 2013 how important it is to receive help quickly when it is needed. However, it is also important to ensure a coordinated process. "As far as that's concerned, I'm not worried about our comrades. We are sending professionals who are very well versed in the field of flood control," said the District Administrator. "Thank you for your willingness to help immediately. That's not an everyday occurrence these days. Please everyone come back safe and sound!"
As far as the flood situation is concerned, it is not yet possible to breathe a sigh of relief in the Börde district. The situation is currently manageable, but those responsible are keeping an eye on the water levels and the possible softening of the dykes. Although the forecast rain will not help to ease the situation permanently, we are optimistic that everything will go smoothly. The relevant experts in the city and municipal administrations and in the Börde district will continue to monitor the flood situation continuously and carefully.