Giessen-Mitte fire department impresses at the district decision and qualifies!

Giessen-Mitte fire department impresses at the district decision and qualifies!

The Gießen-Mitte volunteer fire department made a strong statement at this year's district decision of the fire service performance exercises in the picturesque Nösberts-Weidmoos. With their impressive third place, the team secured qualification for the state competition, which will take place on August 31st in Lorsch. For the Giessen Floriansjünger it is about nothing less than representing their city at the state level, where they will compete against strong competition, including Ebsdorfergrund-Dreihausen I and Nösberts-Weidmoos.

This district decision was an exciting event for all participants, as it was the first time that a risk scenario involving hazardous substances had to be managed. Instead of the usual fire-fighting attack, the task was to master a simulated accident with a gas-powered forklift truck in which toxic substances had escaped.

The competition in detail

The extensive process shows how precisely such exercises are carried out. In the theoretical part, the members of the fire department had to answer 15 technical questions from various fire service topics within ten minutes. In the practical part, the entire range of firefighting skills was required: from extinguishing a fire to cooling a gas bottle to rescuing and decontaminating an unconscious person, represented by a training dummy.

The top-class referees who supervised the exercises and checked the correct execution came from the Waldeck-Frankenberg district and the Nösberts-Weidmoos fire department. After the demanding implementation, there was not only applause for the participants, but also great praise for the organizers for the successful organization of the competition. Among the well-wishers were Giessen government vice-president Jan Schneider, fire director Dr. Sven Holland and many other guests of honor.

What is behind the fire service exercises?

The Hessian fire brigade performance exercises aim to consolidate and expand knowledge in theory and practice. Firefighting teams can take part in groups or relays of nine or six people to work on their performance. The practical part is based on the strict service regulations and accident prevention guidelines, which not only have to be learned in theory but also applied in practice. The tasks are designed in such a way that they are adapted to the current circumstances and can be completed by all fire departments in Hesse, even with smaller vehicles such as the TSF.

Participation in these competitions has become more attractive in recent years due to various reforms and revisions to the exercise content. Firefighters can demonstrate their skills in six different performance categories from bronze to gold - with the highest awards also including more demanding questions and subject areas.

During the exercises in the Limburg-Weilburg district, which traditionally take place in May, the teams can point to a tight schedule: from the arrival at 7 a.m. to the award ceremony at 1:30 p.m., the firefighters experience a challenging day. The organizational processes are carefully planned under the direction of deputy district fire inspector Thomas Schmidt and with the support of the FF Villmar and other helpers.

In summary, the achievements of the Giessen-Mitte Volunteer Fire Department once again show what teamwork, commitment and professional knowledge can achieve. It remains to be seen whether they will ultimately secure a place on the podium at the state finals, but the course for this has already been set with a solid third place at the district finals.

For further information on the fire brigade performance exercises, the detailed reports can be found at Gießener Anzeiger, District Fire Brigade Association and FFMKK.