Firefighting as an elective subject: District plans reform for schools!

Firefighting as an elective subject: District plans reform for schools!

In the Vorpommern-Rügen district, the traditional fire service could soon receive a breath of fresh air. The district council factions of The Left, B90/The Greens and The Party are committed to introducing fire service as an elective subject in secondary schools. The need is great because the region has been struggling with a shortage of young people in the fire departments for years. A draft resolution is to be introduced at the district council meeting on July 21st in Grimmen Baltic Sea newspaper reported.

The concept is not new - the “Fire Department Makes School” program was launched in Brandenburg in 2019 and is now established at 22 secondary and comprehensive schools. Students in Years 9 and 10 have the opportunity to receive two hours of theoretical and practical lessons per week, thereby acquiring important skills. Graduates receive a certificate that entitles them to participate in volunteer fire brigade operations, such as Northern Courier describes.

Goals and challenges

The aim of the new initiative in Western Pomerania-Rügen is to familiarize students with fire and disaster protection at an early stage and to promote volunteer work in the fire department. Another aspect is to strengthen young people's safety awareness and their ability to act. In order to achieve this, the young people should learn knowledge of first aid, fire protection and technical assistance. The prerequisite for the introduction is close cooperation with the local fire departments, school authorities and school management as well as the clarification of exemptions and the remuneration of teachers.
The RBB24 draws attention to the fact that the project in Brandenburg is already having a snowball effect: there was support from the Ministry of the Interior and Education in order to expand the program and provide better financial support.

This initiative could be implemented as early as the 2026/27 school year, but there are still some hurdles to overcome. Particular difficulties lie in finding suitable trainers and offering lessons during regular working hours. The current workload of volunteer firefighters makes it necessary to find solutions so as not to affect their professional obligations.

Insights from Brandenburg

Brandenburg's approach to integrating firefighting lessons into school education has already shown initial success, but further developments are necessary to offer the offer across the board and to double the number of schools offering the subject. As CDU state parliament member Nicole Walter-Mundt notes, the interest of young people is unbroken and the community is asked to take action.

In summary, the initiative is promising and not only offers a way to recruit young talent for the fire departments, but also contributes to the education of students and the promotion of volunteer work. It remains to be hoped that the committees in the district will show the necessary commitment to put this valuable idea into practice.