NRW companies recognized for supporting volunteer work in disaster control

Because they support volunteer work, selected companies in North Rhine-Westphalia have now received the NRW funding plaque for their support. A Lüdenscheid company is also there.

Lüdenscheid/Düsseldorf – “We are always released very quickly and easily here. I just wanted to have that acknowledged,” says Patrick Wietschke. So the 29-year-old from Lüdenscheid, who works as an electrical engineer in the central quality laboratory at Busch-Jaeger am Freisenberg, nominated his company for an award. It was awarded on Wednesday: The company was one of ten private NRW employers to receive a sponsorship plaque from Interior Minister Herbert Reul for willing support of the voluntary work of its employees in disaster control and fire service organizations. Patrick Wietschke has been active in the Technical Relief Organization (THW) in Lüdenscheid for five years. The training is intensive; Several times a year there are exercises and missions that last days or weeks. It is not self-evident that his employer releases him and around 80 other employees “from all blue light sectors” and waives statutory compensation for loss of time.

Minister recognizes volunteer work

This is also the opinion of the country’s Interior Minister, who thanked him for this support at a ceremony in the ministry in Düsseldorf. According to a statement from the ministry, in his speech he said, among other things: “Volunteers in the fire department and disaster control are the foundation of our society. So that things don’t crumble, the employer has to offer a stable foundation.” The award-winning employers set a good example and kept their employees’ backs “in the important voluntary work. I hope that many more companies in the country will follow in these footsteps.”

The sponsorship plaque was awarded for the 15th time. A jury selected the winners from 59 nominations. Patrick Wietschke and a small Busch-Jaeger delegation really enjoyed the evening. After the official part, the Interior Minister also mingled with the people in a good mood: “He was very approachable,” said the Lüdenscheider THW member happily about the conversation: “I was pleasantly surprised.”