Bridge swimming in Brandenburg: DLRG fights for young people and helpers!

Bridge swimming in Brandenburg: DLRG fights for young people and helpers!

The bridge swimming in Brandenburg an der Havel is canceled this year - a bitter blow for everyone who was looking forward to the event. As early as 2020 and 2021, the event had to be canceled due to the Corona pandemic. The reason for the current cancellation is the lack of personnel at the DLRG city association. Despite more than 30 years of experience in the organization of bridge swimming, the DLRG sees itself as a duty not to take the event this year for security reasons, such as MAZ-ONLINE.de

The event includes a 1000-meter route between the millennium bridge and the Luckenberger Brücke. Benedikt Michaelis, the chairman of the DLRG, expresses the hope that the bridge swimming can be put back on its feet next year, provided there are enough helpers. After the cancellation of this year's event, there were already positive feedback from various supporters, including the Johanniter.

Need for volunteers

The DLRG has around 180 members, around 60% of which are children and adolescents. The active core, which is responsible for operations and swimming training, remains small. These committed helpers are facing a variety of tasks, because the DLRG is also responsible for securing other events, such as the world dragon boat championship or the tree blossom festival. Michaelis recorded impressive 642 hours for missions and 480 hours for board work last year alone.

The aid organization attaches great importance to quality and security, because bridge swimming requires extensive preparation. The DLRG bears this responsibility completely on a voluntary basis. In order to meet the high standards, the DLRG is looking for new members. We are looking for lifeguards, paramedics, rescue boat drivers as well as acceptance helpers and other volunteers. Interested parties can contact sv-brandenburg.dlrg.de or by phone at 0171 317 9602 to offer your support, such as Meetingpoint-brandenburg.de reported.

a Germany -wide challenge

In 2024, the DLRG saved an impressive 1,446 lives nationwide. Over 54,800 volunteers were active, which is 6,000 more than in the previous year. The lifeguards turned up almost 2.6 million hours for their service. But despite this successful record, the warning of dangers in the water is unmistakable. Older people in particular are affected, as the DLRG states. Almost 60% of the drowned people were over 55 years old, and annually many people suffer cross -sectional paralysis due to improper jumps into the water.

It remains to be hoped that more people can be won over to the valuable work at the DLRG. This is the only way to continue bridge swimming next year and the safety of the participants will be guaranteed.