In his speech, District Administrator Allgaier took the guests at the reception back to the events of14. July 2021: At that time, the German Weather Service warned of extreme storms with heavy rainfall in large parts of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. The water level in Altenahr rose hourly, and shortly after 11 p.m. a disaster alert was issued in the district of Ahrweiler and a partial evacuation was called for. At this point, the water level in Altenahr was already over seven meters. Houses within a radius of 250 meters to the left and right of the Ahr were flooded. The situation was chaotic and life-threatening for many of those affected. People sought shelter from the masses of water on their roofs.
The first helpers set off the morning after the night of the disaster
The state of Rhineland-Palatinate asked for help from the other federal states. From the district of Ludwigsburg, a total of four ambulances, two flood trains with five civil protection vehicles each and 17 members of the psychosocial emergency care team were deployed to the Ahr valley. "When the flood train left Bietigheim-Bissingen, I was there at short notice to say goodbye to the members of the fire department. I remember well how focused they were, how professionally and quickly they made their preparations, and the naturalness with which they provided assistance in these hours and days of great need," reported the District Administrator.
Many fire departments from all over the district took part in the operation
In addition to the Red Cross and the psychosocial emergency services, the fire departments from Bietigheim-Bissingen, Vaihingen, Marbach, Ludwigsburg, Oberstenfeld, Remseck and Tamm are also in the Ahr valley. The last of the helpers finish their deployment more than a month after the catastrophic night of flooding. "They looked after those affected and helpers, pumped out houses, cleaned up, made safe, cleared streams to prevent further flooding and lent a hand where local people needed a helping hand," continued the district administrator. Together with District Fire Chief Adrian Wibel, he presented the 75 emergency services from the Ludwigsburg district with the Rhineland-Palatinate Flood Relief Medal.
It was important to be there for each other in the crisis, to be the helping hand, the savior in need, to lend a hand, to stand by. "That's exactly what you did," said District Administrator Allgaier, expressing his personal recognition and appreciation for the helpers.
