Storm deep meets Hattingen: Fire brigade fights against fallen trees!

On Monday, January 6, 2025, the German Weather Service warned of storm gusts and wind speeds between 70 and 100 km/h in the Ennepe-Ruhr district. The Hattingen fire brigade subsequently recorded around 35 missions due to the critical weather. The first missions started at 3:30 p.m. in Welper and the city center.

The volume of operations increased noticeably from 4 p.m., which resulted in the alerting of all voluntary units. The operations were dispatched via the operations center in Hattingen, which was increased in terms of personnel. The points of application were distributed across the entire urban area, especially in Elfringhausen, Blankenstein, Holthausen and the city center.

missions and challenges

A fallen tree on a commuter car park in the Bruchfeld was under the exemplary operations. In addition, loose facade parts and roof tiles had to be removed in several places. The access to the youth education center in Welper was temporarily closed. A weather cock in front of the Evangelical Church in Blankenstein threatened to rush, which resulted in a barrier of the area. According to the fire brigade spokesman Herkströter, the use of a turntable ladder was not possible due to the storm situation.

In some areas, such as Winz-Baak, Hügelland, Bredenscheid and Elfringhausen, there were further missions, for example to remove parts of the building envelope and fallen trees on overhead lines. Due to the dangerous conditions, supply companies also had to intervene to ensure safe working conditions for the emergency services. The highlight of the operations was between 4:00 p.m. and 4:10 p.m.

Currently it has been reported that all reported points of application were processed. The operational readiness of the tool sheds was lifted around 7 p.m. The next day, a few areas of application still required rework by city companies and supply companies. There were also operational reports in which there was no direct danger on private property, which is why the fire brigade did not work.