Mönchengladbach's Firefighters Tackle 64,000+ Emergencies in 2025
From Blazing Roofs on New Year's Eve to Storm Surges: Fire Brigade Faced 64,844 Callouts in 2025
The year 2025 saw Mönchengladbach's professional fire service respond to everything from a blazing attic on New Year's Eve to swans frozen in Bresges Park, and a major operation during Storm Walter on September 9—deploying over 300 personnel at once as the Niers River burst its banks. In total, firefighters were alerted 64,844 times, a slight drop of 288 calls compared to 2024. However, this does not indicate a downward trend in emergencies, stressed Silke Wehmhörner, the city's deputy mayor responsible for fire services, alongside Dirk Schattka, head of the fire department. "Climate change is here, and we must prepare for events like Storm Walter to happen again," Wehmhörner warned.
Firefighters were called to 2,384 fires (including false alarms) and 2,872 rescue operations (including animal rescues). The bulk of the workload fell to the emergency medical services, which handled 59,588 callouts.
"Highway accidents are particularly challenging," Fire Chief Schattka explained, noting the city's 120 kilometers of autobahn. Specialized response vehicles are stationed in Holt, near the highway, to ensure rapid deployment.
The professional fire service employs 421 firefighters (14 of them women), supported by 418 volunteers (29 women). The youth fire brigade has 131 members, while the children's fire brigade counts 14 young participants. Additionally, 23 trainees are preparing for careers as fire officers and emergency paramedics.
As part of fire protection planning, the department is increasingly focusing on crisis scenarios—such as 72-hour power outages. "We're making good progress, but there's still a long way to go," Wehmhörner said. A recent drill took place in a "protected space" in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. "This remains an ongoing priority," she added.
Under the city's Smart City initiative—a relatively new development—the fire service is collaborating with Mönchengladbach Airport to deploy remote-sensing drones operated by firefighters. These provide reliable situational assessments in the early stages of an operation. The introduction of a FIREApp, fed with real-time updates by all responders, is also designed to save critical time. Another innovation is the use of synthetic diesel in emergency vehicles, cutting emissions by around 90%.
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