German Firefighters Seek Refugee Integration to Address Staffing Challenges

Fire departments across Germany view involving refugees as a way to bolster their ranks while promoting diversity and inclusion.

Germany's fire departments are exploring the inclusion of refugees to address potential future shortages in emergency response personnel.
The president of the German Firefighters Association highlighted the value of integrating refugees, not only to increase numbers but also to diversify skills within the teams.
Currently, most refugees involved in firefighting are part of youth fire brigades, as integration of adults faces challenges due to cultural perceptions and language barriers.
Statistics on the number of firefighters with refugee or migration backgrounds are not collected to avoid fostering everyday racism, according to youth fire brigade leadership.
While overall membership in German fire departments remains strong, rural and economically weaker regions are experiencing difficulties in maintaining adequate staffing levels.