Bad Hersfeld (dpa/lhe) - In Hesse, more people are to be recruited for voluntary fire and disaster protection. The Ministry of the Interior announced at the official start of the pilot phase on Wednesday in Bad Hersfeld that the "state offensive for recruiting young talent" would make existing measures and projects better known in the municipalities.
Volunteer fairs would be held and counseling sessions offered for local authorities. "With the new offer, we are creating a service that can bring real added value to our communities," said Interior Minister Peter Beuth (CDU).
In Hesse, according to the information, 70,000 people work on a voluntary basis as emergency services with around 2,430 fire brigades. There are around 37,000 children and young people in the junior departments, and after a decline in 2020, their number rose again slightly by three percent last year.
The state is making 43 million euros available to the fire departments this year, including 20 million euros for their vehicles and houses. By 2024, these expenses for fire protection are expected to increase to 45 million euros. In addition, the state pays an annual recognition bonus totaling 2.4 million euros to long-term emergency workers.
