20 years of emergency pastoral care: Lifesavers in the Altmarkkreis celebrate their anniversary!

20 years of emergency pastoral care: Lifesavers in the Altmarkkreis celebrate their anniversary!

On October 13, 2025, the emergency pastoral care and crisis intervention of the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel celebrated a big anniversary: ​​20 years of valuable work in the psychosocial support of people in need. In the festive atmosphere of the Berger Church, numerous support staff and citizens came together to honor this special event. The dedicated team of over 20 volunteers is led by Olaf Sturm, who emphasized the great importance of his team's work on this special day.

Volunteers are available around the clock, seven days a week to support those affected, relatives, witnesses and emergency services in critical situations such as traffic accidents, fires or deaths. The alarm is organized via the Altmark control center, which has also noticed a significant increase in operations in recent years. There were 20 missions in 2019, 30 in 2020 and 27 missions had to be coordinated in 2021. But the year 2025 shows a drastic increase with 87 documented operations by October - a clear sign of the need for psychosocial emergency care in the region.

A strong network

Over the years, emergency pastoral care has established itself as an indispensable part of crisis management. In their speeches, Superintendent Steffen Doms and District Administrator Steve Kanitz emphasized the importance of psychosocial support and the empathetic approach of the volunteers. This type of support is of great importance not only for those affected, but also for the emergency services themselves, who are confronted with suffering and death in extreme situations.

Emergency psychosocial care (PSNV) is provided by teams of trained professionals and volunteers who help, particularly in crisis situations. These employees from the areas of emergency services, disaster control, fire brigade and police not only offer quick help, but also lasting support through discussions and after-operation care, which aims to better process stressful experiences. “Crises can occur in different forms and require differentiated approaches to psychosocial support,” says a spokesman for Johanniter, who are also actively involved in this area.

Looking for committed helpers

In order to continue their valuable work, the organizations are constantly looking for new volunteers who are willing to help with crisis intervention and emergency pastoral care. Those interested should have openness, empathy and a good sense of the needs of others. In addition, a certain level of emotional resilience is required so that the volunteers can help effectively in various cities, from Berlin to Cologne.

Education and training for psychosocial emergency care follows strict guidelines to ensure that every helper has the necessary knowledge to be able to act competently in extreme situations. Prospective helpers must be prepared for comprehensive training that includes both theoretical and practical components and is led by experienced professionals.

The anniversary of emergency pastoral care in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel is not only a look back at 20 years of dedicated voluntary help, but also a call to everyone who would like to get involved in emergency pastoral care or psychosocial emergency care. As the organizations show, support in crisis situations is a shared responsibility that concerns each and every one of us.

For more information about getting involved in emergency pastoral care and opportunities to become active yourself, visit: az-online.de, johanniter.de and malteser.de.