Petershausen - Despite 30 degrees of heat, 57 active members of the Petershausen fire brigade streamed into the multi-purpose hall on Wednesday evening to elect their commanders.
The election would have been scheduled for 2020, but due to the pandemic there was a delay.
Commander Stefan Schneider, who has been in office since 1996 and thus for 25 years, was confirmed with 52 votes.
In addition to the previous incumbent Jürgen Junghans, Werner Heckmeier and Stephan Mühe also applied as deputies.
After none of the candidates received 50 percent of the vote, the firefighters had to run a runoff between Heckmeier and Mühe.
So it was said: Fetch the ballot again, fill it out in an improvised voting booth made of gym mats, put it in the urn - the formalities of electing a commanders are strict.
Werner Heckmeier was elected with 33 votes, previously active as equipment manager and train driver at the Petershausener Wehr.
"It is rather unusual that there are three candidates, the Petershausen fire brigade is so committed," said Mayor Marcel Fath, who was the election supervisor.
District fire inspector Georg Reischl also praised the commitment in a greeting.
Commander Stefan Schneider expressed his personal thanks to Jürgen Junghans, who was second in command for 19 years, for the good cooperation as commander.
"But the cooperation will not stop, in the future it will be in a different position."
With the new turntable ladder, which, as is well known, will expand the Wehr's fleet in the future, “we are facing new operational challenges,” said Schneider.
The Petershausen fire brigade does not have to hide with the committed and active team.
The numerous participation in the election testify to this.
Cooperation is crucial in a voluntary aid organization like the fire brigade, emphasized Schneider.
“A commander without a crew is nothing.” PETRA SCHAFFLIK
