Young firefighters celebrate skills and leadership at Knigge Project closing
The Knigge Project came to a close with a ceremony at Offenbach's Sheraton Hotel, celebrating 32 participants. The event marked the end of a busy two-week camping trip in Berchtesgaden, where young firefighters trained and explored the region. New committee members were also elected during the gathering.
The project began with 40 participants camping in the Berchtesgaden area. Activities included a visit to Lake Königssee, a hike through a gorge, and a day trip to Salzburg. Training sessions covered vehicle familiarisation, fire brigade basics, first aid, knot-tying, and fire extinguishing techniques. Career Firefighter Day was a highlight of the trip.
A joint team from Rembrücken and Heusenstamm youth fire brigades earned the German Youth Fire Brigade's performance badge in Dreieich. Key contributors included Amelie, Tim, Alexander, Lukas, Julian, Malte, Ivan, and Laurin. Their efforts helped secure the award.
At the closing ceremony, Tina Winkler received the Florian's Medal in Silver for her eight years of service on the committee. The event also saw the election of a new youth committee, with Amelie Beck, Alexander Born, Julien Schunk, Patrick Krömer, Julia Endlich, Steffi Rensch, Andreas Nadler, Danny Schmidt-Dengler, Thorsten Rücker, Falk Hornung, Yvonne Rückert, and Vanessa Kremin taking on roles. Anna-Lisa Appelmann was named secretary, Alexander Born became treasurer, and Chiara Ascione and Laurin Denker were chosen as youth spokespeople.
The Knigge Project was supported by Holzland Becker, which donated €750 to the youth fire brigade through the Ring the Club Till campaign in 2024. Meanwhile, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's fire service reported 631 youth fire brigades with 11,249 young members at a delegates' meeting in Parchim.
The project wrapped up with new leadership in place and participants recognised for their achievements. The training, awards, and financial support will help strengthen youth fire brigades in the coming year. The next steps for the committee include building on the skills and teamwork developed during the camping trip.
