Grabow city council: No increase in fire brigade compensation!

Grabow city council: No increase in fire brigade compensation!

In Grabow, a recent decision by the city council is causing a stir after the increase in expense allowance for the municipal fire department's officials was rejected with just one vote. This decision came in a heated debate and the result of nine votes to eight has heated up tempers. How NNN reported, the vote followed a meeting of the Council of Elders, which discussed the upcoming new regulations on June 27th. The reason for this revision is the new fire brigade compensation regulation, which the Ministry of the Interior reformed at the end of 2023.

The new regulation sets the maximum rates, but it is up to the municipalities how they adjust the expense allowances for their firefighters. In Grabow, only the community fire chief currently receives compensation of 170 euros and his deputy 85 euros. According to the proposals, which will be discussed at a meeting of the fire department board in May 2024, improved compensation for other officials is planned. These ideas include 70 euros for platoon drivers and the head of respiratory protection and 50 euros for the public information officer. The proposed new rates for the community leader and deputy would be 310 euros and 155 euros.

Dispute over fair remuneration

A debate arose among city representatives when Karl Kessner found the Council of Elders' proposal to be unfair because volunteer members without a position were not taken into account. Mayor Dirk Dobbertin, however, described the decision as a “good compromise”. It turns out that financial compensation for fire brigades in other cities is a major topic of discussion not only by politicians, but also by the population and fire brigade members. For example, how rbb24 reported, in Berlin the service and expense allowance for the volunteer fire brigade will be increased, which will increase the appreciation for volunteer work.

In Berlin, compensation will rise from 3.50 euros to 6.00 euros per hour, and the monthly salary for military leaders will also increase from 125 euros to 160 euros. Despite the different approaches to remunerating fire brigade personnel in different regions, the challenge for many communities remains to adequately reward volunteer members. Politicians are required to create fair conditions so that the dedicated firefighters are valued accordingly in their work.

A look at the regulations

The regulation on compensation for expenses results from Sections 10 and 11, which also determine the compensation for fire chiefs, fire chiefs and various fire brigade members. In temperate regions, compensation for military leaders can range between 39.41 euros and 156.76 euros. For district trainers and similar positions, a remuneration of 16.17 euros per training hour is offered. Such arrangements are intended to ensure that firefighters are appropriately rewarded for their time and efforts while maintaining safety in communities.

The discussion about compensation for the fire departments in Grabow makes it clear that there is often a lack of appropriate levels in politics. Future developments in expense compensation could be influential not only for Grabow, but also for other cities. It remains exciting to see whether the desired adjustments will actually be implemented soon.