New Year's Eve: Bolstering Security for Firefighters and Enhancing Preventative Measures
In anticipation of New Year's Eve, authorities in Berlin are ramping up their preventative measures to curb potential outbreaks of violence. This includes hosting more preemptive events in troubled neighborhoods, conducting youth protection checks, and planning police escorts for fire department operations. The police and fire department aim to work more closely at night, analyzing risks together and keeping volunteer fire departments away from perilous locations. This information was shared in response to a CDU inquiry by the Senate.
Schools and youth facilities will hold discussions about the impending penalties for assaulting police officers and firefighters with fireworks. Public order offices will perform youth protection checks, while residents will be educated on lawful and respectful interactions with emergency responders. Mosques have also been contacted to disseminate prevention messages. Parents at schools have already received information about these measures.
To safeguard their personnel, the fire department recommends specific protective gear for New Year's Eve. Additional training is also available, while the emergency aftercare team for psychological support will be strengthened on this day. Furthermore, police officers will advise and train firefighters on appropriate conduct in hazardous situations, with these recommendations incorporated into the fire department's New Year's Eve guidelines. In precarious and potentially dangerous situations, firefighters will be accompanied by the police.
Last year, New Year's Eve saw police officers, firefighters, and paramedics confronted with obstruction and attacks with fireworks in several major cities, including Berlin. Consequently, Neukölln and other districts experienced violent riots. Former mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) anticipates similar incidents for this year, potentially exacerbated by ongoing conflicts, like the war in Israel, and its respective impact on some affected Arab communities, such as Neukölln and Mitte.
Despite these preventative measures, incidents of aggression against emergency responders have persisted during New Year's Eve, signifying the importance of continuous collaboration between the two forces. The heightened police presence serves as an escort for firefighters amidst potential instances of crime and violence.
Based on enrichment data, German authorities have implemented various strategies to safeguard emergency responders during New Year's Eve:
- Increased Police Presence: To deter incidents and respond to emergencies quickly, additional police officers will be deployed in potential hotspots and at mass gatherings.
- Bodycams and Dashcams: Firefighters and emergency personnel are being equipped with body-worn cameras and vehicles fitted with dashcams as a means to collect forensic evidence for future investigations.
- Police Escorts: Small-scale operations may be accompanied by police escorts when the situation warrants it, providing an additional layer of safety for emergency personnel in high-risk areas.
- Legal Changes: Parliament is considering tightening laws to enact harsher consequences for perpetrators who commit acts of aggression against emergency responders.
- Training and Support: Fire service officials stress the need for backing from the public and policymakers. This includes training emergency personnel on dealing with aggressive situations and equipping them with the necessary resources.
These measures aim to minimize the risk of violence and ensure the secure operation of emergency responders during New Year's Eve festivities, particularly in problematic neighborhoods.
[1] DPA [2] Enrichment Data
