Aid to flood victims – “It felt like a film was torn” – District of Munich

The rapid response force of the Bavarian Red Cross in Deisenhofen was in action in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler in Rhineland-Palatinate last weekend. Even two weeks after the flooding, there is neither electricity nor clean water there. The volunteer helpers Gabriel Bücherl and Felix Strobel describe their experiences.

What were your first impressions when you came to Bad Neuenahr?

Books: You can already see the path of devastation that runs through the town from the motorway. The streets are dusty and there are still some sandbags in the front gardens. Although a lot has happened in the last two weeks, a lot is simply broken and covered in rubble. The defining image are the trucks that are constantly passing by, filled with rubble that they bring out of the city. We were shown around by the helpers we were supposed to relieve and provided with all the necessary information. Everyone looked very tired and concerned. I only noticed the full extent at night. Due to the lack of electricity and water supply, it is eerily quiet. When the sun goes down, all work must stop too. The complete darkness without street lights is weird. I immersed myself in the situation very quickly and completely lost my sense of time.

Strobel: The knowledge that after two weeks, despite all the help and the work that has already been done, it still looks like this is shocking.

How is people actually being helped?

Books: Much of the food supply is improvised. The groceries are picked up from contact points in the area. In theory there is a higher-level point of contact to which the need is reported, but in reality third-party help takes too long. There is a give and take between the aid organizations and they try to solve problems together. For example, the German armed forces bring the fuel for the power generators in tank trucks. You drive through the town regularly, if you need it, you can raise your hand.

Strobel: Between 1000 and 2500 meals are required every day, both breakfast and hot meals. Cooking takes place in field kitchens. People depend on a warm meal because they cannot be found anywhere else. Demand is particularly high on Saturday, as many external helpers arrive. Food is provided to some elderly people who are immobile and cannot get out of their homes without the elevators. There is also an issue point for everyday items at the local hospice, where the donations in kind are distributed. People get toilet paper, toothpaste, but also biscuits or rubber boots there. In many places the shops are still closed and normal shopping is not possible.

Buchl: I have to say that donations in kind are difficult. They need a lot of space for storage as well as a lot of helpers for sorting and therefore consume enormous resources. If there is no appeal for specific items, donations are much more sensible. In the ideal case, i.e. that there is money, you buy 1000 sleeping bags and hygiene sets and only have to distribute them. This enables faster help.

What was the mood like among those affected and the helpers?

Buchl: We didn’t have a lot of rest periods. There is always something to do and we had to persuade people to lie down. Our accommodation was an hour’s drive away. We, the team from Deisenhofen, have therefore decided to sleep on camp beds on site. We wanted to use the two hours’ drive to sleep. You also wear the same combat clothing for three days, it was all very demanding.

Open detailed view

Strobel: I talked to those affected over lunch, and it quickly becomes clear what fate they have experienced. Everyone knows that there is still a lot to be done, but they will not let themselves be beaten. There is a lot of uncertainty, most of which is what worries people about whether their house will be habitable again or has to be demolished. Still, I rarely saw anyone with a negative attitude or who had given up. The positive atmosphere was also motivating for me.

How do you process such an operation?

Buchl: You take a lot of impressions with you, you are happy about what you have achieved and at the same time you are happy to get away. We have the luxury of being able to leave the situation again when our assignment ends after 72 hours. Those affected do not have that. The fact that you can simply use the light switch and that the water from the tap is drinkable is suddenly no longer a matter of course. It was difficult for me to change roles in my own life. It felt like a film was torn. The three days in Bad Neuenahr were very intense, like in a bubble. And most of us went back to work on Tuesday.

Strobel: When we returned to Deisenhofen on Monday evening, we were greeted by comrades, talked about the operation and then arrived again. It’s always a good ending.