Inclusion is common practice at the fire brigades in the district

Created: 09/25/2022, 09:00

By: Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss

Everyone is the same under the helmet: Inclusion is a top priority for the fire brigades in the district.

© Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss

Many rescue workers in the district have comrades with disabilities - and don't want to be without them anymore.

Inclusion is lived practice here.

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen

– The legislation is clear: According to Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people with disabilities may not be denied the right to education and participation in all social activities.

This also applies to the volunteer fire brigade.

But what does that look like in practice?

“The primary goal of the fire brigades is to help people.

And so it goes without saying that no one is excluded,” emphasizes the spokesman for the district fire inspection, Stefan Kießkalt.

Everyone is welcome in the firefighting family.

"You have to see from case to case what is possible due to the handicap and where the limits are," says the district fire chief.

Stefan Kießkalt, spokesman for the district fire inspection.

© Hermsdorf-Hiss

Example of respiratory protection: "Here, medical examinations have to be carried out to make sure that the physical strain can be managed." This is often not possible for people with disabilities.

You also need a lot of muscle power to operate equipment such as the hydraulic spreader.

"Nevertheless, on less time-critical missions, one or the other can be worked through together with the comrades," says Kießkalt.

"Together with the commanders, the cities or municipalities, it is determined how the comrades with disabilities can best be integrated based on their abilities."

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Because: The tasks in the fire brigade are diverse, not every force has to be used in the first row.

According to Kießkalt, "barrier measures" are possible instead, "or the support of the operations center, the handling of radio traffic and of course also the support in training".

Such as with the Lenggries volunteer fire brigade.

Here, for many years, a firefighter with limitations has been instructing his comrades in knots.

"He's absolutely reliable and hardworking," praises Commander Hans Willibald.

"If it weren't for him, we would be missing something.

He's just part of it, he has his place with us.

Without him we would not be us.”

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The Linden volunteer fire brigade has two comrades with a handicap.

According to commander Michael Gruber, they are an integral part of the team.

"I enjoy the camaraderie here," says one of the two men, who doesn't want his name to appear in the newspaper.

He started volunteering when he was 14.

Five years later he was involved in a serious traffic accident that left physical consequences.

But his iron will, the sports club and the fire brigade helped him to reorganize his life.

"Of course, there are some very physically demanding jobs in the fire department that I can no longer do," he says.

"But you can arrange it - and there is always something to do."

Hans Willibald, commander of the Lenggries volunteer fire brigade.

© Proehl

As for all public buildings, barrier-free access is also required for fire stations.

"But we haven't faced this question before," reports Kießkalt.

If a measure has to be taken, "after consultation with the city or municipality, a pragmatic solution is often found on our own," adds the spokesman for the district fire inspection.

Conclusion: There are already several volunteer fire brigades in the district that have one or more comrades with disabilities in their ranks - and they are just as recognized as a comrade without restrictions.

"Everyone gets involved and supports where they can," summarizes Kießkalt.

"That's what makes the firefighting family special.

And that’s why the fire department not only talks about inclusion, but also lives it.”

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