Elisabeth Ruske: The fire brigade's pioneer cleans up prejudices!

Elisabeth Ruske: The fire brigade's pioneer cleans up prejudices!

In Brandenburg, the role of women in the fire brigade becomes increasingly visible. A prime example of this is Elisabeth Ruske, who, at the age of 27, is not only the only woman in a leadership position in her fire brigade in Pritzwalk, but also a real model for the young generations. Already at the age of 11 she joined the youth fire brigade and went into active service at the age of 16. At the moment, the Pritzwalk local fire brigade only has three active women among around 50 men, which underlines the importance of Elisabeth's commitment all the more. According to rbb24 has studied Ruske security and security in Magdeburg Fire protection tester.

In the volunteer fire brigade, Elisabeth not only sees herself as a rescuer, but also fights against continuing prejudices. Women are often said that they are not strong enough or emotionally unstable. These stereotypes vehemently defend themselves such as Ruske and demonstrate that internal strength and competence in the fire brigade can be learned. In particular, their empathy in the care of injured and affected persons is invaluable, reports the Fire Brigade Vaterstetten .

challenges and success

"I often have the feeling of not being taken seriously, especially from civilians," Ruske describes her experiences. She shares these challenges with many other firefighters who often remain behind male colleagues. The proportion of women in active services and leadership roles is still low in Brandenburg, although the proportion of girls has increased in the youth fire brigade.

The commitment of Elisabeth Ruske, however, shows positive effects because it pleads to trust women more leadership roles. "The future in the fire brigade has to become more feminine," she says, and at the same time criticizes the standardized operational clothing, which is often not suitable for women. Your sporting training sessions, at least three times a week, also ensure that she stays fit for every bet.

A look over the borders

The commitment of women in the fire brigade is an issue worldwide. The "Women in Fire Brigade and Rescue Services" Commission, under the direction of Mira Leinonen from Finland, promotes women at an international level to enable them with the same opportunities in fire service. Members of this commission, as the deputy chairwoman Susanne Klatt from Germany, are committed to equality in the fire brigade series and show that women are valuable resources in the emergency services.

Elisabeth Ruske is an example of the change that many fire brigades are needed. Her missions, especially the most important, the fire of a construction center in Falkenhagen, show how important teamwork and mutual support are. The appeal to young women is clear: get involved in the fire brigades and enrich the community with your valuable personal commitment!