Fire extinguisher accident in Grimmen: investigation stopped – what now?

Fire extinguisher accident in Grimmen: investigation stopped – what now?

In February, an incident occurred in Grimmen in the Vorpommern-Rügen district that caused quite a stir. For this purpose, the “Robert Koch” regional elementary school had to be evacuated because a fire extinguisher went off and its contents were distributed in the school hallway and on the floors below. The NDR reports that the police then initiated extensive investigations. But the Stralsund public prosecutor ultimately dropped the proceedings. The investigation revealed that the fire extinguisher did not have a locking pin and was therefore accidentally activated while moving furniture.

There was no evidence of any negative misbehavior on the part of the students, which was a relief for the teaching staff. However, ten students had to be taken to hospitals for treatment due to respiratory problems. One child broke his collarbone while leaving the building, which highlighted to the evacuated students the importance of safety precautions.

New specialist recommendations for evacuation

It is precisely in light of such incidents that carrying out evacuation exercises in schools and daycare centers becomes more important. A new technical recommendation has recently been published, which was developed by experts from the Joint Committee for Fire Safety Education and Fire Safety Education. This recommendation is supported by the German Fire Brigade Association (DFV) and the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb). The aim of these recommendations is to give children and staff the skills and confidence to respond quickly and safely to emergencies.

DFV Vice President Hermann Schreck puts it in a nutshell: Evacuation drills help those affected to act in an orderly manner in an emergency. They make it possible to improve the security-relevant aspects of existing evacuation plans and draw attention to possible weak points. Especially in educational institutions, these exercises should not be seen as a chore, but rather as an opportunity to strengthen self-confidence.

Contents and advantages of the specialist recommendation

The 49-page technical recommendation not only provides an overview of the necessary public law requirements, but also practical advice on planning and carrying out evacuation exercises. It contains checklists and templates that will benefit both teachers and administrative staff at schools and daycare centers. The recommendation is available free of charge online at feuerwehrverband.de and ensures that everyone involved is well prepared.

The need for such measures is underlined by the statement of Frieder Kircher, chairman of the committee: Even if dangerous situations such as fires or explosions rarely occur, good preparation is essential. After all, it not only protects students, but also contributes to general safety and well-being.