In preparation for the flood situation expected at the weekend, the districts of Oder-Spree and Märkisch-Oderland and the city of Frankfurt (Oder) have coordinated their crisis teams, in which internal and external structures work together, involving not only fire and disaster control but also building and environmental authorities, police and THW. The flood warning center of the state of Brandenburg had already issued flood warnings on 16.09.2024.
The district of Oder-Spree provides daily information on the work of the Office for Fire, Civil and Disaster Protection at Current Flood Situation / Landkreis Oder-Spree (landkreis-oder-spree.de).
Residents' meetings on September 20 in Frankfurt (Oder)
On Friday, September 20, 2024, two residents' meetings will be held as part of the ongoing flood protection measures, where Frankfurters who are directly affected by the current flood situation can find out about current and further steps and ask questions.
District Administrator Frank Steffen and District Fire Chief Christian Weiß took a look at the situation on site in Ratzdorf on 17.09.2024. The water level was 3.25 meters at around 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday afternoon at the Ratzdorf gauge house when District Administrator Frank Steffen and District Fire Chief Christian Weiß got an on-site overview of the current flood situation. "We are all aware of the seriousness of the situation," summarized District Administrator Frank Steffen. "Nevertheless, I am calm. The Oder is flowing in its normal riverbed and has been diked. There are also large dyke areas. I have confidence in our resources: we are well equipped in terms of personnel and technology to deal with a possible situation."
District fire chief Christian Weiß is also confident: "It's a dynamic situation. If we declare a level three alert, the local authorities will be notified to introduce a dyke watch service. We currently have no indications that the dyke systems are in a desolate state. However, if damage does occur, we are immediately ready with sandbags." On Monday evening, Melanie Krogull, Head of the Office for Fire, Civil Protection and Disaster Control, convened the flood working group for Thursday, 19.09.2024, 5 pm. Similar to the work of a crisis team, a consultation is to take place there across all stakeholders in the district in preparation for the flood situation expected at the weekend.
In the district of Märkisch-Oderland, the forecasts are also being examined and analyzed in detail by the responsible authorities, as well as in the neighbouring countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. The district has a coordinated defense document for the Oder flood. This describes the instructions for action for the district administration, but also for affected municipalities and other partners involved. This plan is regularly updated and coordinated with all parties involved. The same applies to staff work in general. The necessary management structures are known and tested by all those involved.
Sandbags are continuously stored in the disaster control warehouse maintained by the district in case of possible flood events. The same applies to the disaster control warehouse of the state of Brandenburg, from which the disaster control authorities can request additional sandbags if necessary.
The final construction work on the dyke is currently being completed. The dyke is now fully secured along its 78 kilometers. The Oderbruch Water and Dyke Association (GEDO) is currently carrying out measures to prepare the dyke area for the deployment of the dyke runners. The local authorities are currently looking for citizens along the Oder who would like to volunteer as dyke runners to help with the flood risk situation. There is already a high level of willingness, but there is still a need for individual dyke runners to ensure a complete shift replacement. Dyke runners check the dykes in a defined section during floods. Interested parties can register with the offices of Lebus, Golzow, Barnim-Oderbruch, the municipality of Letschin and the town of Bad Freienwalde.
What is the role of a dyke runner and what requirements are necessary?
Dyke runners are out and about on the Oder dyke for 8-12 hours a day during floods from alert level III and check their assigned section. Any damage detected is marked and reported to the operations control center. The dyke runners do not remove damaged areas.
Interested parties should be physically able to cope with longer walks. Knowledge of the dykes and structural features of the structures as well as all information relating to the dyke patrols will be provided by experts. The two associated training courses will take place on Wednesday, 18.09.2024 at 6 p.m. in the Kulturhaus Küstrin-Kietz and on Thursday, 19.09.2024 at 6 p.m. in the Hohenwutzen village community center.
In Frankfurt (Oder), the fire department began building a mobile sheet pile wall on 17.09.2024 to reinforce the existing protection provided by the quay wall in the area between Ziegenwerder and Holzmarkt (near the Friedensglocke). Sandbags are also being used. The technical relief organization will provide support from Thursday. At yesterday's press conference on the flood situation, Mayor René Wilke informed the public that parking in the areas of the Oderpromenade will be restricted for the construction work.
In order to deal with the imminent flooding in a forward-looking manner, the crisis team convened on Tuesday decided to relocate two polling stations for the election to the 8th Brandenburg state parliament next Sunday, September 22, 2024 at short notice. Both polling station 12 in the Frankfurter Wasser- und Abwassergesellschaft mbH building at Buschmühlenweg 171 and polling station 9 in Building 2 of the City and Regional Library at Collegienstraße 10 will be relocated. Both polling stations will be relocated to the city hall of Frankfurt (Oder), Marktplatz 1.
The city informs that from yesterday until further notice, sandbags and gravel can be obtained daily from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Stadion der Freundschaft, Buschmühlenweg 172 in Frankfurt (Oder). These free materials are used to protect houses in the city area particularly threatened by flooding. According to current forecasts, the main areas concerned are Buschmühlenweg and Fischerstraße. Further locations where sandbags and gravel are available will be set up on September 18, 2024.
Due to the expected flood situation along the Oder, a large number of dyke runners will be deployed on the Oder dyke from alert level 3. According to the current forecast, this level is expected from Sunday, September 22, 2024.
In Frankfurt (Oder), too, at least 20 to 30 volunteers are currently being sought to support the professional fire department and the volunteer fire departments, which are performing other tasks as part of their alert readiness, so that 24-hour cover can be provided. The dyke runners will be instructed accordingly by the Office for Fire, Disaster Control and Rescue Services. If you are interested and require further information, please contact Sven Müller (phone 0335 565-3734 | Sven.Mueller@frankfurt-oder.de).
On 19.09.2024, the next meeting of the crisis team will take place in the city with the first binding forecasts from the Oder tributaries.
Information on the current water levels can be found on the water level portal of the Brandenburg State Office for the Environment (LfU).
Flood protection: Hotline set up
From Thursday, September 19, 2024 until further notice, people potentially affected by the coming floods can call 0335 565-3705 for advice and assistance every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
A wide range of questions and concerns are currently being brought to the various departments of the city administration of Frankfurt (Oder). In order to be able to guarantee competent answers to these, this central telephone number has now been activated in the Office for Fire, Civil Protection and Rescue Services. It is managed in cooperation with the German Red Cross.
Citizens of the city of Frankfurt (Oder) can call here for general and individual information in connection with the upcoming floods and, if necessary, request practical help. In particular, older people and people with limited mobility and chronic illnesses who live in the endangered area of the city can receive practical support with self-protection measures and health risks.