“Water march!” – when the 22 girls and boys of the Waischenfeld children’s fire brigade practice in Upper Franconia, they can do it almost exactly like the grown-ups. Volunteers from the fire brigade built a miniature fire truck especially for the children’s group.
The equipment of the fire truck also includes toy chainsaws. This can be used to shred and remove trees that have fallen on the road.
(Photo: Nicolas Armer/dpa)
The car, two meters wide and one meter high, has almost all the functions of a real fire truck. The blue light flashes, the equipment is ready: hoses, radios, warning triangles, chainsaws, glowing vests, a bucket sprayer. The idea: Large hoses and other fire department equipment are “much too heavy and large” for the junior staff, as Daniel Brand, supervisor of the children’s fire brigade, said. That’s why in the fall of 2019 he researched how to make practicing more exciting for the children: “Then one thing led to another.”
Companies were asked if they could supply equipment of the right size – and of course assembled and welded it themselves. Each of the volunteers worked more than 600 hours before the car was finally finished – a miniature version of the LF20/16 fire engine.
Ten-year-old Lea from the Waischenfeld children’s fire brigade enjoys extinguishing the fire the most.
(Photo: Nicolas Armer/dpa)
Nine-year-old Elena thought the new vehicle was “very cool” when it was presented to her and her group for the first time. Since then, they have been practicing regularly, for example how to set up traffic safety or put out a small fire. “I like it all very much,” said Elena. Lea, who is one year older, was just as enthusiastic: “The extinguishing is the most fun.” The 22 “Löschzwerge” who meet regularly are six to twelve years old.
The German youth fire brigade speaks of more than 42,000 children attending group and practice hours from children’s fire brigades. According to the State Fire Brigade Association (LFV), there are now 905 children’s fire brigades with more than 13,000 girls and boys in Bavaria alone. There are currently many inquiries from fire brigades who also want to set up a children’s group, and interest is very high, said association spokeswoman Marina Wieluch.
Because: The volunteer fire brigades throughout Germany have to face demographic change. Active membership in the fire brigade is no longer a matter of course in the village either. In addition, the weirs compete with sports and music clubs, where even small children can find a hobby. Officially, however, only twelve-year-olds can join the fire service. The children’s fire brigades should be the bridge to the fire brigade youth. “In the children’s fire brigade, the children are introduced to the topic of fire brigades in a playful way,” explained Wieluch. An early enthusiasm for the topic is important for a later commitment to the volunteer fire brigade.