30 years THW Stendal: Heroes in use against nature forces!

30 years THW Stendal: Heroes in use against nature forces!

Staffelde, Deutschland - The Technical Relief Agency (THW) Ortsverband Stendal will be 30 years old this year. Launched on August 1, 1995, the local association developed into a load -bearing pillar in the region. Local representative Norman Gelbke reviews the diverse missions that have shaped the THW Stendal. The operations for flood sites that have played a central role since the early years are particularly very popular. The first major effort was the devastating or flood in 1997, followed by the dramatic flood events on the Elbe 2002.

Another important event was the fire in a house in Staffelde in June 2012, which was accompanied by a gas explosion. Here the THW had to ensure the stability of the building with 13 helpers and in cooperation with the fire brigade and build a rescue platform. Unfortunately, a missing person could not be found alive. This dramatic commitment was just one of many that the THW has mastered in the past decades, including missions after a house explosion in Seehausen in August 2013. "The most spectacular year of action" went down in the history of the local association.

volunteer engagement

Currently, the THW Stendal has 12 young helpers and 29 active members, with the proportion of women, fortunately over 20%. Gelbke emphasizes the remarkable commitment of the volunteers and sees a positive future for the local association. In 2024, the THW Stendal provided 9,787 hours of service, especially in the recovery, rescue, emergency supply and water.

Cooperation with the Stendal volunteer fire brigade, which has existed since 2017, is particularly worth mentioning. Together they have successfully mastered several missions, such as the forest fire in Hohengöhren 2022 or at the storm damage in February 2022. The support of the district during Corona pandemic with auxiliary transports is also proof of the versatility of the THW. A fire at the toom hardware store at the end of March 2025 and a storm mission at the end of June 2025 is one of the latest missions. In addition, on April 17, a bakery at risk of collapse was secured after an accident with a police car by the THW workers.

Current challenges

The latest operations of the THW operations that have been in flood use since Christmas 2023 are particularly impressive. During this time, around 1,000 volunteers were active nationwide, especially in Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and North Rhine-Westphalia. They strengthen the soft dikes and dams with sandbags and pumps large amounts of water to prevent the floods. The THW specialist groups of water damage/pumps do remarkable work here and promote water in unexpected quantities-as in the Serengeti-Park, where they were able to pump up 109,000 liters of water per minute during an assignment Foundation Thw.

The THW Stendal has proven in the past three decades that it is not only competent, but also indispensable. With a successful look into the past and a committed commitment in the present, the local association will certainly have a good knack for the challenges that come to him in the future.