As of: February 27, 2024, 9:02 a.m
By: Stephan Müller-Wendlandt
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Those honored and elected from the Feldafinger fire department (from left): Maximilian Gerber, Ruth Mickisch, Julia Herde, Florian Stiegler, Helmut Gollwitzer, Leander Mikschl, Alfred Harreiter, Moritz Schöner von Stillfried, Stuart Coates, Lukas Itin, Felix Hauser, Janina Schramm, Lou Will and Markus Mörtl.
© D. Rutt
After a turbulent time, the Feldafing fire department has found its way back to calmer waters.
Thanks to an ongoing mediation process, according to Commander Markus Mörtl, the troops have developed “awareness of our self-image”.
Feldafing
– The annual general meeting of the Feldafing Volunteer Fire Department at the weekend was not like any other.
Instead of facts and figures, the focus was on answers and comments to the question “What’s next for our fire department?”
The city council's decision two years ago against building a new fire station instead of the “council chambers” was the last straw.
Annoyance over safety deficiencies in the equipment shed, frustration with community politics and the Feldafingen people's apparent lack of empathy for their fire department erupted - there was a hail of resignations and threats of resignation.
The active force shrank below the minimum required strength.
There was a threat of the formation of a compulsory fire department.
The upheavals will continue in 2023.
Markus Mörtl and his deputy Janina Schramm have been in charge since October.
In the meantime, efforts were underway to “get the car out of the mud,” as Peter Engländer, business manager at the town hall, put it during the meeting.
Chairman Florian Stiegler reported on seven board meetings, countless visits to the town hall, conversations and telephone calls with the mayor and manager, as well as the involvement of the district fire inspection in conflict resolution.
The situation and the lack of staff led to the decision to commission mediation.
It started in July.
Mediator Margarete Hascher-Kück from Grafrath now drew a positive conclusion.
At the beginning there were five workshops to take stock with questions such as “What motivates us personally?
What is positive about the fire department?
What improvements are needed?” The results were discussed with the mayor and fire department members in the fall, and measures were suggested and implemented.
The mediator's first conclusion: The interface to the town hall fits, "The commander and community employees work well and actively together in their roles." The training is actively and competently controlled by the command.
The establishment of a working group via video conference to organize informative events strengthened cooperation.
A communication seminar should take place after the completion of the current training block for the new active members in the summer at the latest.
At the same time, the association commissioned a marketing agency to run a campaign to recruit members, the chairman reported.
The aim is to bring the fire brigade back into the awareness of citizens, to arouse curiosity about the fire brigade, and ultimately to “make the volunteer fire brigade a matter of the heart again”.
The acquisition of members has already been fruitful in the area of active participation, reported Commander Markus Mörtl.
The force grew from 14 when he took office to 22 as of December 31st.
He made it clear how important it is to further strengthen operational capability using an example that, according to the task profile, is the assessment basis for a commander in Bavaria: critical fire in a room on the second floor of a residential building with an interior attack and rescue of people via a ladder.
Eight minutes after the alarm was raised, a fire engine with a crew of nine had to be on site.
Another squadron with six forces had to arrive five minutes later.
The 71 missions last year - 30 of which were in November and December alone - were managed thanks to the support of neighboring armed forces.
“It was an extreme year in every respect,” said Mörtl.
“But we didn’t fall through when we were only 14 active.
That was because of your motivation.” Deputy mayor Matthias Schremser also spoke of a “motivated team”: “The fire department was in a phase of chaos, which they got under control incredibly quickly.” District fire chief Mathias Duensing emphasized: “It’s nice to see How the Feldafing fire department is developing, things are going back to normal.”
The new election proved that the awareness of the regained self-image is not an empty phrase.
All incumbents on the board as well as the new deputy chair Julia Herde were elected without opposition.
Florian Stiegler remains chairman, Maximilian Gerber remains treasurer and Ruth Mickisch remains secretary.
The auditors are Hermann Will and Michael Jirsa.