On his leisure time, he performs jobs in the Baltic Sea, yet he doesn't receive any compensation.
Volunteer Water Rescuer André Murgas Serves in Binz, Rügen for 30 Years
André Murgas, a dedicated volunteer water rescuer, has spent the past three decades serving the community of Binz on the island of Rügen. His commitment to the Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft (DLRG), the German Life Saving Society, has seen him rise through the ranks, from a trainee to a boat and watch leader.
Murgas joined the DLRG through his brother, who held the GDR record in 100m breaststroke in his age group. Inspired by his sibling's aquatic achievements, Murgas began his volunteer work at Tower 3 in 1995. Over the years, he has advanced to become a trainer and now serves at Tower 4.
The DLRG in Binz plays a crucial role during the tourist season, providing water rescue services, ensuring beach safety, training lifeguards, and educating the public about safe swimming and water activities in the Baltic Sea environment. The unique sea in Binzer Bay offers waves when there are none elsewhere and calm waters during storms, making the work of the water rescuers all the more challenging.
Murgas, who also has a police background, spends most of his time as a watch leader. He takes a week of special vacation and two weeks of annual leave each year to serve on Rügen. During his service, he and other volunteers receive reimbursement for accommodations, with the hotel costs covered by the tourism office.
The youth work in Binz has been intensified due to the difficulty in filling the required strength. Murgas hopes to find two or three successors from the youth to lead the station. He appreciates the strong focus on water rescue in the DLRG and sees it as an important part of his life.
In retirement, Murgas plans to write a book and return to a vacationer role in the outer tower for the last one or two years of his service. The DLRG offers psychosocial emergency care to help rescuers cope with traumatic experiences, which is crucial for volunteers like Murgas who have dedicated their lives to saving others.
Lifeguards from all over Germany come to ensure service in Binz during the summer. The Binzer Bay has 14 rescue towers, seven of which belong to the Binz watch area. Despite the challenges and the demanding nature of the work, Murgas's strong desire to help others continues to drive him to serve as a volunteer water rescuer for the DLRG in Binz on Rügen.
In his retirement, André Murgas aims to write a book about his experiences as a volunteer water rescuer, while still returning to a vacationer role in the outer tower for the last years of his service. Enhancing the youth work in Binz, Murgas hopes to find successors within the youth to lead the station, demonstrating his continued passion for outdoor-living and commitment to home-and-garden activities, including sports and lifestyle education.
