Breitau Youth Fire Department: 50 years of team spirit and 20 years of children’s fire department!

Breitau Youth Fire Department: 50 years of team spirit and 20 years of children’s fire department!

A double anniversary is being celebrated in Breitau! The youth fire department looks back on a proud 50 years, while the children's fire department celebrates its 20th anniversary. These two departments, which are characterized by team spirit and commitment, not only offer children and young people a platform for exciting activities, but also valuable preparation for future challenges. This reports HNA.

12-year-old Laura, one of the 16 members of the youth fire department, raves about the varied offerings. Youth warden Jürgen Sinner emphasizes that the members not only learn the basics of firefighting, but are also introduced to first aid, operational tactics and other exciting challenges. “It’s just fun to be part of this community!” says Laura. There is also a special event coming up this year: a replacement tent camp, as the regular tent camps were canceled three times, will take place at the end of September.

Activities and highlights

The camp is crowned by the professional fire brigade day, during which the young people take responsibility for certain tasks. Who would have thought that training together – sometimes twice a week – could bring so much joy? Competitions are an integral part of the program, and Breitau has actively participated in them since 1976. What is particularly gratifying is the founding of our own girls' team in 1995, which is now one of the success stories.

In total, around 200 to 220 children and young people have been trained since 1975. Interestingly, 80 to 85 percent of the current operations department were previously active in the youth fire department. The beginnings of the youth fire department were not easy either: its founding in 1974 was controversial, but former fire chief Günter Rüppel was committed to it.

Leisure and community activities

The children's fire brigade, founded with 15 children, offers year-round activities, from first aid to equipment knowledge and group excursions. Commitment is also evident in community activities, such as dyeing Easter eggs or distributing cookies to older citizens. Even though the regulations are becoming increasingly strict, the commitment of these volunteers remains high.

After the celebrations on August 16th in the village community center, other exciting activities are on the program, including a lantern parade and a visit to the police. The big celebration begins with a forest run and the acceptance of the Youth Flame 2, followed by an award ceremony at 2 p.m. and a review with awards from 4 p.m. Your physical well-being is also taken care of - a perfect opportunity to talk to each other over coffee and cake.

The passion that the members of both the youth and children's fire departments exude is simply contagious. These anniversary celebrations not only honor past achievements, but also an incentive for future generations to get involved in the fire service and be there for this important community.