On Monday 4 January 2016, Luxembourg's Minister of Interior, Dan Kersch, attended the signing of an inter-municipal cooperation agreement between Grevenmacher and Mertert concerning fire and rescue services.
The fire and rescue services of the two municipalities have united with effect from 1 January 2016 to create a single service with two units, one of which is located in Grevenmacher, the other in Mertert.
The new Mertert-Grevenmacher fire and rescue centre has its headquarters at the Mertert response centre and its secondary office in Grevenmacher, as per the framework of the reform of the emergency services.
Léon Gloden, deputy mayor of Grevenmacher, and Gust Stefanetti, Mayor of the municipality of Mertert, welcomed this new cooperation that will provide optimised resources to residents. "This is a landmark event," said Gust Stefanetti. They expressed their thanks to Jean Kayser, former head of the rescue service in Grevenmacher, and Mark Mitten, former commanding officer and chief at the Mertert-Wasserbillig centre, descreibed as initiators and linchpins of the merger.
The merger necessitated four new garages which were unveiled yesterday; this new structure houses the vehicles and equipment assigned to the Fire and Rescue Centre. The new head of designated centre, Patrick Holcher, briefly introduced the construction programme. The total costs, which amounted to about €250,000, were largely supported by the municipality, with €50,000 from the Mertert-Grevenmacher Fire and rescue centre.
In addition, the two local intervention centres were dedicated to the memory of the former chefs de corps, Paul Bicheler and Nic Schummer.
The Interior Minister, Dan Kersch, congratulated those responsible for having conducted the merger initiative and described it as commendable and farsighted. "It is in collaboration that your strength lies and I thank you very much for the courage for taking this decision."
Photos by CISGM
