The City Center fire district includes the city center, Heidstock, and Röchlinghöhe neighborhoods and is the largest of the seven Völklingen fire districts with a total of nearly 19,000 residents. It was founded in 1872 and is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. A chronicle published by the fire district provides detailed information about the unit and its historical development; it is available for a small fee during the festival days.
“Not only is Völklingen celebrating an anniversary this year, but so is our volunteer fire department. The 150th anniversary also means 150 years of safety for our citizens – it plays a central role in hazard prevention in our city. As mayor and head of the fire brigade, I would like to thank you for the tireless commitment at all hours of the day and night in the service of the citizens,” says Völklingen’s mayor Christiane Blatt.
Currently, the downtown fire district has 58 active firefighters. The youth fire brigade of the district consists of 11 members, and the honorary division comprises 24 members. The fire department in downtown responds to up to 250 operations of various kinds.
Christoph Ewen, who serves as the fire district leader of the fire brigade in the city center, is also visibly proud: “150 years of the Völklingen City Center Fire District. For me as the fire district leader, this means looking back on the past years with humility, reflecting on what the generations before us have created and honorably passed down to us. At the same time, it means taking on the responsibility to continue this legacy with honor, and to take responsibility for my firefighters, who volunteer daily in demanding operations and are ultimately there for all of us.”
Since 1976, for 46 years, the fire brigade district has maintained a close friendship with its partner fire department from Nieder-Waroldern in the state of Hesse, and initial contacts with the firefighter comrades from Völklingen’s partner city Forbach (France) were also established in the anniversary year.
The fire station of the central city district also houses the office of the fire department leadership and the workshop for the six full-time personnel. “Any city or municipality that has a tested, prudent, and successful fire department like ours can consider itself fortunate. I am proud to be the leader of this great
fire department,” says Fire Chief Herbert Broy, under whose leadership all seven fire districts operate.
For the city council and administration, it is always an important concern to ensure good technical equipment for the fire department. Recently, the city council also made the decision to build a new fire station for the fire district.
The firefighting equipment in the city center currently consists of an incident command vehicle (ELW 2), a personnel transport vehicle (MTW), a rescue fire engine (HLF 20/20), a fire engine (LF 20/16), a hose vehicle for disaster control (SW-KatS), a tanker fire engine (TLF 24/50), an aerial ladder platform (DLK 23-12), a rescue vehicle (RW 2), and a powder trailer with 250 kg of extinguishing powder and 4 units of 50 kg powder extinguishers.
The 150th anniversary is being celebrated properly: Blue Light Party on September 2, 2022
On Friday, September 2nd, from 6 PM the big "Blue Light Party" will take place at the Stadtmitte fire station on Danziger Straße, to which the public is warmly invited.
At around 9 p.m., a torchlight procession will take place from the Old Town Hall to the fire station of the fire district to celebrate with the event attendees already present there. The torchlight procession will be led, among others, by the downtown fire brigade and representatives of the partner fire department from Nieder-Waroldern (Hesse) and will be musically accompanied by the Völklingen marching band. Due to the torchlight procession, short-term traffic disruptions (road closures) are to be expected along the procession route Old Town Hall, Rathausstraße, Karl-Janssen-Straße, Moltkestraße, Danziger Straße.
Firefighter Oktoberfest on September 3, 2022
The celebrations conclude with the annual Oktoberfest of the City Center Fire Department. The nationally renowned band "Die Konsorten" ensures a lively Octoberfest atmosphere. The festivities begin on Saturday, September 3rd from 6 p.m. The keg tapping will take place around 7:30 p.m. by Thorsten Lang, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Building, and Sports of Saarland. Admission tickets are available for €6.50 at the fire station and at the box office.
