(the so-called Berlin Küche), the cinema, swimming pool and a petrol depot. Others have been and are being renovated and rebuilt, altering their function completely. In October 2011 the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced a reorganisation/reduction of the German Armed Forces. As a result, Army Aviation Training Centre C will be closed and Army Aviation Liaison and Reconnaissance Squadron 100, Army Aviation Maintenance Squadron 100 and Army Aviation Squadron 109 will be disbanded. The Medical Services Squadron will be expanded into a regional medical centre. A battalion of aspirant non-commissioned officers will be based at Celle, and a centre for airborne operations will be established. However, the number of military personnel stationed at Celle Air Base will be significantly reduced from 1080 to 400. Disaster relief In accordance with the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany statutory tasks within the borders of Germany are exclusively reserved for the German police. Only in case of an officially declared civil state of emergency is the German Army is permitted to act within the borders of Germany. Up until now there have been seven cases in which soldiers of Celle Air Base participated in such internal missions. During the North Sea flood of 1962 evacuation and supply flights particularly in Hamburg and its surrounding areas were performed using the Sikorsky H-34 of the Heeresfliegertransportstaffel 823 (Army Aviation Transport Squadron 823). In 1975 during the catastrophic wildfire on the Lüneburg Heath the Heeresfliegerregiment 10 used its Bell UH-1D helicopters with "Smokeys", water-filled containers hung under the helicopters, for fighting the conflagration. The ground forces of the air base, particularly the airfield fire fighters, also came to the assistance of the emergency services. In the winter of 1978/1979 severe weather conditions resulted in a disastrous blizzard affecting the whole of northern Germany. Air traffic control at Celle Air Base in particular distinguished itself by providing around the clock radar assistance for the numerous rescue missions flown. During the huge flooding of the river Oder in 1997 and the river Elbe in 2002 and 2006 several soldiers and equipment from Celle Air Base assisted in securing the dikes although at the air base itself normal business continued. During the Eschede train disaster on 3 June 1998 Celle Air Base was given the task of coordinating the German Army's massive rescue and salvage operation by land and air. Two of the wrecked railway carriages,