For two weeks, the THW local association in Miesbach provided valuable support in the flood disaster area in the Ahr valley.
Now the troop is back.
Miesbach / Altenahr
- houses torn away, streets washed away, places destroyed.
The pictures from the flood disaster areas in western Germany alone leave you speechless.
They were also seen by the emergency services of the Miesbach branch of the Technical Relief Organization (THW).
On television, in the newspaper, on the Internet.
And yet they were shocked when they arrived in Altenahr (Rhineland-Palatinate) with their personnel carrier.
Meter-high piles of plywood, rubble and broken household items lined the partly single-lane gravel aisles that were once main roads.
“That was very depressing,” recalls train leader Mathias Huber, who coordinated the support mission of the THW Miesbach in the Ahrweiler district.
THW Miesbach spent two weeks cleaning up
As reported, the THW regional association of Bavaria asked for the squad to be sent for the extensive clean-up work.
The Miesbachers gladly fulfilled the task of replacing the Schwabach local association.
In the first week four helpers were on site, in the second six.
In the course of Wednesday everyone returned home safe, but also quite exhausted.
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Badly damaged: the bank along the Ahr.
© THW Miesbach
The Miesbachers were on their feet every day from 7.30 a.m. to 11 p.m., reports Huber.
“We were the first to come and the last to leave.” The team managed an information point that affected citizens could go to with their concerns.
For example, to have the statics of your house checked.
“We then passed this on to the responsible authorities,” explains Huber.
For example to an appraiser who was able to provide information on whether a building could still be saved.
But the helpers were also called upon to procure equipment.
So they organized excavators and wheel loaders to clean up a campsite that had been destroyed by the water.
“From a stream that is normally less than half a meter wide,” says Huber, shaking his head in disbelief.
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The train driver was impressed by the large number of private individuals who tackled the disaster area.
Some of them even came by buses to help with renovating and clearing out or simply to strengthen people with coffee and cake.
“The willingness to help is really great,” says Huber.
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Temporary solution: a scaffolding to secure a bridge.
© THW Miesbach
In week two of the mission, the troops took care of management tasks as “Fachzug Ahrtal West”, reports Schirrmeister Andreas Scholl, who was on site as sub-mission section manager during this period.
For example, the coordination of around 60 THW employees in areas such as clearing rivers, erecting temporary bridge railings and supporting the administration.
THW Miesbach receives praise for support
Not only Huber and Scholl draw a positive balance of the two weeks in the Ahr valley.
There was also praise for the Miesbachers on site.
The operational section management described them as a "reliable and very good platoon", reports Scholl.
Nevertheless, Huber mentions a small downer: “I would have liked to have stayed to finish my work.” In view of the extent of the destruction, however, there would have been no way there.
The on-site support is still ensured: "THW Hof has replaced us."
so-called
