Suche
Mein Konto
Hermagor Fire Department: Four district champions crowned in exciting competition!
On May 24, 2025, the fire brigade district performance competitions took place in Rattendorf near Hermagor. Winning groups qualify for the state championships.
Hermagor Fire Department: Four district champions crowned in exciting competition!
On May 24, 2025, the district performance competitions of the fire departments of the Hermagor district took place in Rattendorf, municipality of Hermagor. At the event, 25 groups competed in the Bronze A category. The championship ended with exciting competitions and the announcement of the 2025 district champions, organized by the region's volunteer fire departments.
The winners in the various categories are as follows:
– Category Bronze A: 5th group of the Tratten fire department (municipality of St. Stefan im Gailtal)
– Category Bronze B: 4th group of the Köstendorf fire department (municipality of St. Stefan im Gailtal)
– Category Silver A: 4th group of the Kühweg fire department (Municipality of Hermagor – Pressegger See)
– Team performance competition: FF Waidegg group (market town of Kirchbach)
All four groups have qualified for the state championships, which will take place on June 28, 2025 in Treffen, Villach-Land district.
Honor and recognition
The award ceremony was accompanied by music from the Alpenrose Waidegg traditional band. Political representatives, including National Council member Gabriel Obernosterer, state parliament member Luca Burgstaller, district captain Heinz Pansi and Mayor Leopold Astner, congratulated the successful groups. District fire brigade commander Herbert Zimmermann also expressed his thanks and congratulations to all competition groups.
Overall, the event was characterized by strong support from other mayors, local councilors and representatives of emergency services organizations, who recognized the tireless efforts of the volunteer fire departments.
Background on the fire service and its challenges
The importance of the volunteer fire brigades in Austria is unmistakable. In 2023, the fire departments recorded a total of 278,495 operations, which is 34,000 more than in the previous year. The main reason for this increase was storm operations in many federal states. Fire department president Robert Mayer emphasizes the challenges posed by weather extremes and the need for a strong membership structure and technical innovations to meet the increasing operational load.
Despite the high number of operations, the fire department recorded an increase in members to a total of 353,798 in 2023. The youth fire brigade is also growing and now has 36,302 members. What is particularly noteworthy is the increase in women in the fire departments, which has risen to 9.5% of the total team.
The district competitions in Hermagor are therefore not just a competition, but also an important platform to show the commitment and solidarity of the firefighters in the region and to set the course for future challenges.