A burning passion
voluntary fire department Günselsdorf

At the end of October, there was a major incident at the HERZ central warehouse in Günselsdorf. After a fire broke out, several people were reported missing. As several charging stations for forklift trucks are installed in the warehouse, the team also assumed that there was contamination from hydrofluoric acid. For firefighting in the area of the battery charging station, the hazardous materials unit was deployed. Outside, the fire was fought by the volunteer fire department using jet nozzles and a turntable ladder. Due to the size of the HERZ warehouse, the Günselsdorf fire brigade, the entire subsection I and the neighboring fire departments were alerted. A total of 18 vehicles and 99 people were deployed. But don't worry: the whole thing was only staged as part of a fire drill.

In 1988 Günselsdorf belonged to the large municipality of Steinfelden. This consisted of 4 municipalities: Blumau-Neurißhof, Günselsdorf, Tattendorf and Teesdorf, which today form the subsection of the volunteer fire department. In many cases, volunteer fire departments developed in response to the need to protect communities from fires. In 1873, for example, a major fire in Günselsdorf, in which 4 houses burned down, led to the founding of the Günselsdorf volunteer fire department. Today, however, the fire department's areas of operation are not limited to the original reason for fighting fires, but have become more diverse. With industrialization, increased traffic and advanced technology, the fire department is now also the right contact for traffic accidents, pollutant operations, stuck elevators or even rescue operations for cats in trees.

Major operation at the HERZ warehouse

Extensive fire department exercises are carried out in each village on an annual basis. These are used by new recruits to practice and by veterans to refresh their knowledge of the location or object. During such exercises, it is relatively easy to remember the local conditions and water extraction points. "Only those who are well trained can help properly during operations," says Alfred Artmäuer, Mayor of Günselsdorf since 2008. This year, the large-scale operation took place at the HERZ central warehouse. HERZ has had its central warehouse in Günselsdorf since July 2020. The warehouse with a total area of 5,000 m² was built on an area of 14,000 m² within six months to ensure the rapid availability of articles. The Günselsdorf volunteer fire department was already involved in the preliminary discussions to provide support with the legal requirements and fire safety measures.

The fire department youth for a safe future

The young firefighters also took part in the exercise to see the drills and learn about the operations, but also to take away the children's fear of fire. You can join the youth fire department from the age of 10. The activities are introduced to the children in a playful way. If they are still interested, they can join the active volunteer fire department at the age of 15. "The youth fire department is not only exciting, but also educational. The children learn order and discipline and are not the kind of children who will be vandalizing the community later on," says Mayor Artmäuer.

The importance of the volunteer
fire department for the community

The volunteer fire department also plays an important role in the harmonious coexistence of the community. Many events are held in the new house of the Günselsdorf volunteer fire department. "The Günselsdorf volunteer fire department is very important for our community, not only because it is there for the population in the event of a disaster or fire, but also because it is a very prominent hub for cultural and social coexistence. Events such as the raising of the maypole or various anniversaries and festivals have become an integral part of social life and the community spirit of the municipality," emphasizes Mayor Artmäuer. The municipality bears almost all of the running costs for the fire department. In recent years, vehicles worth € 950,000 have been purchased for the Günselsdorf volunteer fire department.

HERZ News:What challenges do you face as a volunteer firefighter?

Franz Zöchling: After 40 years in the volunteer fire department, I can say that the requirements are becoming more and more specialized and diverse in terms of technology and different scenarios. You have to make decisions about what to do within seconds. However, we are living in a time that is moving towards "lone wolves", as we have seen during the pandemic. Fortunately, the "I-society" is not very strong in the fire department, where the "WE" is very important. There's no other way around it. In this profession, you have to rely on your comrades; it doesn't work with group formations or individual actions. However, a lot of work needs to be done with the next generation to promote this understanding. That is the challenge.

HERZ News: So the young firefighters are also taught the "WE", among other things?

Franz Zöchling: We try to make everything playful and convey the "WE" to the children as best we can. It's all about the community. For example, the province of Lower Austria organizes an annual youth camp on the first weekend in July. The focus is on group competitions to strengthen teamwork and performance awards with a prize-giving ceremony to give the whole thing a special touch.

HERZ News: Do the children decide to join the youth fire department themselves or does it come from their parents?

Franz Zöchling: It mainly comes from the children. If the parents are already in the volunteer fire department, then they clearly grow into it. In my case, it was the same and my son is also in the volunteer fire department. The friendship groups are also very important. We have a lot of young people from Teesdorf and Tattendorf because the bonds of friendship are very strong.

HERZ News: Passion plays a very important role in your work, doesn't it?

Franz Zöchling: Of course. If you are a member of the volunteer fire department and really live it, then you are always ready for action. We are also called from home when the alarm is raised and are then on site within minutes. There's no reason why we shouldn't be called out. That's where the passion comes in. It's more difficult during the day because many people are at work. You have to clarify with your employer in advance whether you can also go on a call-out during working hours. As the volunteer fire department is also deployed in disaster relief operations, you may be on duty for a few days.

HERZ News: Is there any legal relief for companies to provide an incentive?

Franz Zöchling: There are compensation payments for companies for disaster relief operations. The question is whether this is a sufficient incentive. Anything that is ordered by law is a delicate matter. We have a dense network of volunteer firefighters. As it is based on volunteers, it works very well; if you had to pay for everything, it wouldn't be possible.

HERZ News:In your opinion, do people really know what to do in the event of a fire?

Franz Zöchling: No, I don't think so. The problem is that people underestimate the fumes. Panic is also involved, especially if it happens at night: It's dark, the fire is advanced, the power is out and the smoke is extremely thick - how are you supposed to get out of the house in this situation? You panic and usually take a deeper and faster breath. This then has the opposite effect, because you breathe in the smoke fumes. Unfortunately, one breath can be too much.

HERZ News: Are the citizens sufficiently trained or informed for this?

Franz Zöchling: It is relatively difficult to educate citizens. Take car accidents, for example: There are regulations, but who sticks to them? The basic requirements should be adhered to. It's the same with fires: the attic must not be full of garbage, the building regulations must be adhered to and so on. However, plans and reality are two different things. If the plan has been approved by the building authority and complies with the guidelines, but the citizen changes something afterwards, it is in the gray area. Nevertheless, you should not be afraid to call the emergency services if something happens. The volunteer fire department is there for everyone, so it's better to call too much than too little.g.

HERZ News: Finally, I would like to thank you very much for the valuable insights into your work for the community. I would also like to say a big thank you to the entire team of the volunteer fire department, who are always on hand with their full commitment when things are on fire in the truest sense of the word.