Canceled: Celebration of the Jena-Mitte volunteer fire department on Sunday canceled

The celebration is canceled due to the forecast heavy rain.

The Jena-Mitte volunteer fire department is celebrating its 160th birthday on Sunday, 02.06.2024, with a colorful festival. A vehicle parade with new and old fire engines will start at 09:30 at the Seidel parking lot and end at the market. The program officially opens here at 11:00 am. At the same time, the 30th anniversary of the Jena-Mitte youth fire department will be celebrated on this day.

Visitors to the market will be able to marvel at a wide variety of fire engines up close until 5:00 pm. An emergency drill is planned at 11:45 a.m. and a dangerous goods drill at 3:00 p.m.

The Jena-Mitte volunteer fire department was officially founded on 22.02.1862. At that time, it was the first fire brigade in the city. However, with the subsequent incorporations, fire departments were added to the city area that have existed for even longer.

"Both the number of people and the number of vehicles had been drastically reduced during the GDR era," explains Jan O. Rundshagen, Chairman of the fire department association.

This trend was counteracted with the founding of the youth fire department in 1994. An active fire brigade was formed again in 2000. Since then, the vehicle fleet has also grown again - to five vehicles.

In 1992, the Jena Fire Brigade Association 1864 e.V. was founded with the aim of supporting the volunteer fire department in fulfilling its tasks, helping it with events and training and, in particular, influencing fire safety education and the promotion of young firefighters.

With around 40 firefighters, the Jena-Mitte volunteer fire department is one of the most heavily staffed in the city. It responds to around 100 call-outs per year. Its tasks cover all areas of the fire department. With its fire engine 20 disaster control vehicle (LF 20 Kats), the fire brigade ensures fire protection in the city center, in the Damenviertel, in Jena-Ost and in the Kernbergviertel alongside the professional fire department.