The youth fire department of fire station 2 of the Idar-Oberstein volunteer fire department recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The celebrations were attended by numerous visitors as well as other youth fire departments, so the courtyard and hall of the Tiefenstein fire station were a hive of activity. The various stations with crate climbing, vehicle exhibition and water sprayer were just as popular as the bouncy castle. The highlight of the event was an exercise by the youth fire department, in which the young firefighters were able to demonstrate their skills.
The history of the Tiefenstein youth fire department began in 1974 with an - in retrospect extremely good - idea from Hans Klein. He suggested preparing young people for active fire department in a separate group and then put the idea into practice. This was the birth of the Tiefenstein youth fire department, which has now celebrated its 50th anniversary. During this time, many comrades have been involved in the youth fire department, including as youth warden, from Hans Klein to Volker Lorenz and Rolf-Peter Veeck to the current youth warden Felix Schöneck. Rolf-Peter Veeck alone held this position for 29 years until he was replaced in 2024.
During the anniversary event, both Mayor Friedrich Marx and Chief of Guard Karl-Albert Schneider emphasized the great importance of the youth fire department. On the one hand, youth work is carried out here in the best sense of the word, but at the same time it also helps to train the next generation of volunteer firefighters. Almost all of the comrades who later become active members start their careers in the youth fire department and gain a lot of experience for their future in the fire department. Without these young recruits, the Idar-Oberstein volunteer fire department would not have the number of personnel it has today. In recognition of these achievements, Lord Mayor Frank Frühauf surprised those present with a donation of 1,000 euros for the entire Idar-Oberstein youth fire department. In addition, the Tiefenstein youth fire department has been actively supported by the Groh & Ripp company and the Merz bakery for many years, which was also acknowledged during the ceremony.
- The youth fire department of Fire Station 2 meets every Friday at 6 pm at Fire Station 2, Tiefensteiner Straße 216 in Idar-Oberstein. All interested children from the age of 10 are welcome to come along and have a look. The youth warden will be happy to answer any questions, either via the website www.feuerwehr-idar-oberstein.de or on Instagram at @jf_idaroberstein.