Fulda District Honors 22 Fire and Disaster Volunteers for Decades of Service
Twenty-two volunteers in Fulda district were honoured last week for their long-term service in fire and disaster response. The awards recognised their dedication, with some contributing over three decades to public safety. District Administrator Bernd Woide and First Deputy Frederik Schmitt presented the medals at a special ceremony.
The volunteers received four types of awards for their years of commitment. Christian Bosold, Stefan Brähler, Tobias Giesick, Markus Kleinhenz, Jürgen Reinhardt, Harald Sorg, Joachim Walter, and Uwe Walter were given the Gold Fire Service Merit Badge. Their service as district trainers and instructors spanned 1993 to 2006.
Marco Kochwasser, Frank Möller, Stephan Otter, Thorsten Schnell, Jürgen Diehl, Benjamin Greve, Stefan Hildenbrand, Matthias Bleuel, and Michael Perplies earned the Silver Fire Service Merit Badge. They worked as district trainers and instructors between 2014 and 2015.
Benjamin Kapp, Bernd Schmidt, Markus Staubach, and Matthias Vogt received the Bronze Fire Service Merit Badge. They served as referees from 2008 to 2010. Marco Kochwasser and Ralf Will were awarded the Bronze Disaster Response Medal for their work in the Information and Communications Unit and Disaster Response Staff from 2012 to 2024.
Together, the group has contributed 355 years of service and 7,100 hours of volunteer training. Their roles often demand personal sacrifice, yet they remain unpaid and essential to emergency response.
The ceremony highlighted the critical work of volunteers in Fulda district. Their combined experience and training hours ensure preparedness for fires and disasters. The awards reflect the community’s reliance on their long-standing commitment.
