In addition to many of the honorary officers to be appointed, also present were the Chairman of the Committee for Fire Services and Public Order Frank Miska and his deputy Otto Kracht, Head of the Fire Department and First City Councillor Eric Neiseke, City Fire Chief Detlev Söhler with other representatives of the City Command as well as the representative of the Salzgitter professional fire department Torsten Preuß.

The appointment was based on the unanimous decision of the Salzgitter City Council at its meeting on June 27.

At the appointment, Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel emphasized: "You, our comrades in the volunteer fire departments, are a very important part of our outstandingly well-functioning rescue and fire protection system in our city. Thanks to your work, our citizens can feel safe and protected. Last week's heavy rainfall once again showed how quickly you are on the scene when you are needed. You all do this voluntarily, in your free time, without pay, but with deep inner conviction. By selflessly being there for the people in our town, even risking your own health and lives in rescue operations, you are living an exemplary life of charity. Your comrades have great confidence in your leadership skills and your personality. You have all been elected local fire chief or deputy local fire chief at your member meetings. And: you have accepted this prominent and particularly responsible leadership role with great pleasure and deep inner conviction. In doing so, you have shown how much heart and soul, dedication, competence, responsibility and passion you put into your voluntary local fire department and the people in our town. I would like to thank you very much for this and am proud to be able to present you with your certificates of appointment today."

First of all, the deputy local fire chiefs were appointed. They were appointed for a term of six years:

• Fire Chief Torsten Jago as Deputy Fire Chief of the Ringelheim local fire department and
• Firefighter Fabian Naue as acting deputy fire chief of the Lobmachtersen local fire department.

This was followed by the appointment of the local fire chiefs, whose term of service as honorary officers is also six years:

• First Chief Fire Chief Olaf Kracht as local fire chief of the Bleckenstedt local fire department,
• First Chief Fire Chief Julian Vogler as local fire chief of the Ohlendorf local fire department,
• Senior fire chief Christian Walde as local fire chief of the Flachstöckheim local fire department,
• Fire Chief Christian Radewagen as local fire chief of the Reppner local fire department and
• Fire Chief Werner Strube as local fire chief of the Lobmachtersen local fire department

In a second appointment meeting yesterday, Tuesday, July 4, the head of the fire department and First City Councillor Eric Neiseke appointed the following firefighters as local fire chiefs and deputy local fire chiefs:

• Erster Hauptlöschmeister Timo Franke as deputy local fire chief of the Engerode local fire department,
• First Chief Fire Chief Hendrik Fürch as deputy local fire chief of the Bruchmachtersen local fire department,
• Chief Fire Chief Jan-Philipp Köchy as Deputy Fire Chief of the Beddingen local fire department and
• Fire Chief Carsten Sukopp as local fire chief of the Engerode local fire department,

The appointments of fire chief Denis Kaiser as deputy local fire chief of the Flachstöckheim local fire department and chief firefighter Alexander Felten as acting deputy local fire chief of the Bleckenstedt local fire department will be made up for in due course.