Hot containers: Refugees in Berlin suffer from unbearable heat

Veröffentlicht: 30. Juli 2023, 20:05 Uhr

Von: NAG Redaktion

Hitzewellen in Berlin: Bedenken über Hitze in Containerunterkünften für Flüchtlinge Eine Sozialarbeiterin eines Berliner Containerdorfs für Geflüchtete äußerte Bedenken über die extreme Hitze in den Wohncontainern während der Hitzewelle Mitte Juli. Die Innentemperaturen in den Containern stiegen auf etwa 40 Grad Celsius, während es draußen über 30 Grad hatte, berichtete die Sozialarbeiterin in einer E-Mail an den Berliner Flüchtlingsrat. Dies führte zu großen Sorgen, insbesondere um die Babys, kranke und ältere Menschen in den Unterkünften. Sie fragte, warum die Container über eine Heizung für den Winter, aber nicht über eine Kühlanlage für den Sommer verfügten. Die Bedenken der Sozialarbeiterin sind … — Heat waves in Berlin: Considering heat in container accommodation for refugees A social worker of a Berlin container village for refugees expressed concerns about the extreme heat in the residential containers during the heat wave in mid -July. The interior temperatures in the containers rose to about 40 degrees Celsius while it was over 30 degrees, the social worker reported in an email to the Berlin Refugee Council. This led to great concerns, especially about the babies, the sick and older people in the accommodations. She asked why the containers had heating for the winter, but not a cooling system for the summer. The concerns of the social worker are ... (Symbolbild/MB)

heat waves in Berlin: concerns about heat in container accommodation for refugees

A social worker of a Berlin container village for refugees expressed concerns about the extreme heat in the residential containers during the heat wave in mid -July. The interior temperatures in the containers rose to about 40 degrees Celsius while it was over 30 degrees, the social worker reported in an email to the Berlin Refugee Council. This led to great concerns, especially about the babies, the sick and older people in the accommodations. She asked why the containers had a heating for the winter, but not a cooling system for the summer.

The concerns of the social worker are not new. As early as summer 2018, the Berlin Alliance of advice centers, initiatives and self -help groups complained about the health risks that arise from the heat in the container settlements. Last year, 900 residential containers were dismantled, but due to the new influx of protection seekers from the Ukraine affair in February 2022, many container accommodations that have already been dismissed were activated. There are currently 20 such container villages in Berlin.

In view of the increasing temperatures in Berlin, the black-red Senate reacted and started an emergency program. At the 20 locations with residential containers, two common rooms are to be equipped with mobile cooling devices. The container village on Tempelhofer Feld is even said to receive seven cold points. In addition, the operators and residents receive permission to buy their own mobile air conditioning systems for their containers, whereby the operators are supposed to help with health -stressed residents.

In order to reduce the heat load in the containers, the windows on the sun -facing side should be darkened with foil. This leads to a temperature reduction by up to five degrees. In addition, flame -retardant fabrics are hung in front of the doors of the containers, so that they can remain open on hot days and a better pull is provided. The operators are also encouraged to sprinkle the paved areas with water in the evening in order to use the evaporation and further reduce the temperatures. In addition, paddling pools are to be provided in which the children can cool off.

However, these measures do not go far enough for the Steglitz-Zehlendorf welcome alliance. They demand that refugees in accommodation in the developed concepts of the Action Alliance for Heat Protection Berlin will not be forgotten. According to the alliance, the rooms in the three residential containers in Steglitz-Zehlendorf were hardly usable during the heat wave in mid-July during the day. The campaign alliance, consisting of the Senate Health Administration, the Berlin Medical Association and the German Alliance Climate Change and Health (smart), has developed heat protection plans for health institutions and districts. The Senate also took measures to better protect vulnerable groups like homeless people from heat waves.

The Berlin Refugee Council and the Welcome Alliance Steglitz-Zehlendorf criticize that refugees are not sufficiently taken into account when planning for future heat waves in the container accommodation. The direct sunlight on the metal containers leads to unbearable heat, according to the spokesman for the welcome alliance. According to Sascha Langenbach, spokesman for the state office for refugee matters, there have been no complaints about heat in the homes this year. The equipment of the locations with cooling systems is successful. However, since the Berlin housing market is swept empty, there is no other option than continuing the operation of the residential containers, the Senate said. A long -term stay in containers is usually rejected by the refugee helpers. They demand that at least vulnerable people as sufferers are accommodated in cooler accommodations in heat waves.

To help the residents of the three container villages in the district, the welcome alliance from the west of Berlin collects donations. So far, for example, they have been able to equip the container of a man with cancer with air conditioning. Donations of fans or parasols are also highly awaited.