As of: January 25, 2024, 3:46 p.m
By: Bernhard Jepsen
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During the annual meeting, Johann Lindauer (3rd from left) and Erwin Pössinger (4th from left) were awarded the fire brigade badge of honor for 25 years of active membership.
Also in the picture: (from left) district fire chief Bernhard Schregle, district fire inspector Markus Deutschenbaur, Philipp Reichhart, Robert Pickert and Rüdiger Sobotta.
© Bernhard Jepsen
Peißenberg - “Fire brigade cannot be planned,” stated Philipp Reichhart at the annual meeting of the Peißenberg fire brigade association, to which over 100 firefighters came to the “Zur Post” inn.
The commander was alluding to the ever-broadening spectrum of operations - and above all to their unpredictability.
Storms such as the sudden onset of winter at the beginning of December kept the Floriansjüngers on their toes in 2023.
“We were in constant operation for 24 hours,” reported Reichhart.
Even though no major fires had to be extinguished last year, the fire brigade completed many “small” operations - such as an NBC hazardous materials operation.
This became necessary after a treasure hunter used a metal detector to locate a can with poisonous contents.
There were a total of 193 missions last year, which is a significant increase compared to the previous year's 114.
The statistics regarding the time distribution of the operations are interesting: According to this, the Peißenberg fire department usually had to be deployed at lunchtime during the week.
On the weekends, the main time window shifted to the evening hours.
What Reichhart criticized at the meeting was the bureaucratic effort.
Operations must be documented in detail afterwards.
“That costs us many hours of time,” complained Reichhart: “The bureaucracy is increasing all the time.” The same applies to the costs: a fireman’s jacket now costs around 800 euros.
“With pants, gloves, helmet and boots, a firefighter’s clothing now costs 2,000 euros,” says Reichhart.
The commander thanked his comrades for the “good atmosphere” and the “great togetherness” in the troops.
This lays the foundation for good fire brigade work - because: “Fire brigades only work in community.” The Peißenberg fire brigade currently has around 100 active members.
“That’s a little less than last year.
But this is a natural fluctuation.
We don’t have to worry too much,” explained secretary Michael Bauer.
Things are also looking quite good in the youth fire department with 19 members in the youth fire brigade.
Finally, Reichhart went into the renovation and expansion of the fire station on Ebertstrasse.
As is well known, the new construction of the outdoor facilities could not be completed before the onset of winter.
“It’s not a broken leg.
“But it’s a bit like chewing gum – like the entire project,” says Reichhart.
Various rescheduling would have taken a lot of time: “When everything is finished in 2027, I will make three signs of the cross.”
In addition to the “operational area”, there is also a social component to the fire brigade association - or as chairman Robert Pickert put it: “The fire brigade does not only live from operational and training service.” Last year’s agenda included, among other things, the charity Ice hockey game against a police selection and a camping evening.
Important income is also generated through participation in events such as the Winter Magic or the Station Glow.
This is needed, for example, to finance the 150th anniversary of the founding of the local fire department in 2025.
According to Pickert, the festival committee is already busy planning.
A contract will soon be signed with a festival host.
Pickert thanked his colleagues on the board for the “great cooperation”.
But: “It’s always the same 20 or 25 people who do something.
“That’s not meant to be offensive, just a hint,” Pickert appealed to the meeting participants.
“Come to us and bring ideas.
The tasks are not getting any less.”
“The fire department is not the substitute caretaker of our society”
When the Peißenberg Volunteer Fire Department goes out, it is now mainly for technical assistance purposes, such as in the event of accidents or storm damage.
In December, the fire department was commissioned by the district to clear the roof of the Peißenberg secondary school in the wake of the massive onset of winter.
An operation that was criticized in the market council by Walter Wurzinger (Free Voters) (we reported).
The argument went that shoveling snow was not the job of the fire department.
And District Fire Commissioner Rüdiger Sobotta sees it similarly.
“The fire department is not the substitute caretaker of our society,” emphasized Sobotta in his welcoming speech at the annual meeting.
There would be a general “hysteria” regarding the snow load on roofs.
Roofs that are structurally and statically correct would be able to withstand the masses of snow.
“Next time, ask for a structural engineer!” was Sobotta’s appeal to those responsible at the Peißenberg fire department: “Anyone who wants something from us should submit a report.” Commander Philipp Reichhart explained in turn that in the case of the secondary school, the fire department “doesn’t have much “There was nothing left” but to clear the roof: “We strictly rejected private inquiries.
But school was a different matter.”