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On St. Nicholas Day, Firefighters Rappel to Cheer Pediatric Patients Across German Cities

Officials described the rooftop and ladder visits as a rare lift for young patients that also sharpened high‑angle rescue skills.

Overview

  • In Hanau, the high‑angle rescue unit descended about 18 meters in St. Nicholas and superhero costumes to deliver gifts to the children’s clinic.
  • Hanau’s operation involved eleven male specialists and one female specialist, with fire official Isabelle Hemsley calling the event a valuable readiness exercise.
  • In Saxony’s Bautzen, a St. Nicholas lowered from an aerial ladder to the pediatric balcony with an angel alongside and handed out plush toys and sweets, according to city spokesperson Josephine Brinkel.
  • Zwickau’s high‑ and low‑angle team participated for the first time at the Heinrich‑Braun‑Klinikum, bringing small gifts to roughly 50 children and teenagers, the hospital reported.
  • Hospitals including Chemnitz noted similar festive rope visits, which staff hailed as a welcome bright spot for patients, with no incidents reported.