After the flood disaster in western Germany, many are likely to ask themselves: Is my place actually adequately protected?
In Fürstenfeldbruck, a special disaster control plan takes effect in the event of flooding.
He has already passed his test.
Fürstenfeldbruck -
After the major floods in 1999 and 2002, the city council drew its lessons: A flood protection concept was drawn up - as an instruction for action in an emergency.
The city was arming itself materially.
A lot has also happened structurally to ensure that the endangered areas are no longer flooded.
This is where it gets critical
The streets directly on the Amper are particularly threatened: Ledererstrasse and Bullachstrasse as well as the area around the Aumühle and Lände.
The area at the Krebsenbach near the tulip field has also been flooded again and again during previous heavy rain events.
In the Puch district, cellars also had to be pumped out regularly because the floors could no longer absorb the masses.
Structural protection
In the meantime, the city has set up flood polders on the Krebsenbach - an area that serves as a retention area when the water can no longer run off.
“They weren't full to the brim,” reports Andreas Lohde, city councilor and civil protection officer (CSU).
In Puch, retention basins were built into which the water can run through a system of pipes.
Here, too, there have not been any floods again due to heavy rain.
Lohde reports that the city is also benefiting from the increase in the base of the Amper near Grafrath.
“The Grafrather Moor is filling up.” The tide comes more slowly to Bruck.
To protect the streets on the Amper, think about sheet piling.
But that would only be realized as part of the redesign of the Aumühlen and Lände districts.
Fabric for locks
So sandbags are still the first choice on the banks of the river.
The city has its own sandbag filling plant - including a trailer and wheel loader.
It's at the building yard.
In 2013, the technical relief organization delivered sandbags in the district.
The Beaver flood protection system can be set up even faster and with less effort.
A mobile hose dam is filled with water.
Due to the weight, the hoses offer stability.
"And you can save a large number of sandbags," says Lohde.
Since the fire brigade is needed in the critical corners of these disasters, citizens' pumps have also been purchased.
With these, those affected can get started in the basement.
The special alarm plan
In an emergency, it has to be done quickly.
The city has drawn up a special alarm plan based on the flood experience.
This precisely records which measures are taken at which water levels, explains Lohde.
A distinction is made between four alarm levels - the first at a water level of 120 centimeters, the last at 190. Even with four reporting levels, the emergency services are given exactly when the dike controls at the Amper begin, which streets are being observed and when the residents are to be warned .
“There are pre-formulated announcements and service instructions,” explains Lohde.
The acid test
The special alarm plan passed the test during the 2013 flood.
“We were able to act in a relatively organized manner,” summarizes Lohde.
The crisis team can work even better when the building yard has moved to its new area next to the fire brigade.
The city is well prepared for floods.
It looks different in heavy rain.
"If that happens in other corners, nobody can put their hand in the fire to prevent flooding."
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Disaster control officer Andreas Lohde (r.) In conversation with emergency services.
© Lohde
For this reason, it is still important to warn citizens in good time.
And not just through social media and apps.
Because if the radio mast is under water, Nina and Katwarn will no longer help.
The city has bought mobile sirens, but that's not enough for Lohde.
“That only works to a limited extent.
The two roof sirens in Aich and Puch can be heard all over the place. "
Therefore, the CSU wants to buy roof sirens again.
Lohde estimates that five to eight locations are necessary.
Experts should check where.
That costs money, but the Free State has released 90 million euros to improve the alert.
ÖDP calls for adapted land-use planning
The building areas at Krebsenbach Nord and Aumühle / Lände are classified as "HQextrem" in the official flood hazard maps.
This means that extreme floods can occur.
In order to be better prepared, the ÖDP demands principles for land-use planning in an application: Builders must prove how they protect the buildings against flooding and that they do not impair the flood resilience of the neighborhood.
The authorities responsible for disaster control should check in advance how to evacuate in an emergency.
In addition, the ÖDP demands that the most recent flood be used as the worst-case scenario in calculations.
And a hazard map is to be created for the urban area, which shows the influence of heavy rain on the groundwater level.
The series
After the flood disaster in western Germany, the daily newspaper sheds light on the current situation with flood protection in the individual municipalities. Also interesting: a
new sewage system provides relief