Firefighter heroes in MV: Who will win the big readers' vote?

Firefighter heroes in MV: Who will win the big readers' vote?

The final vote for the popular OZ “Firefighter Hero of the Year” campaign starts on June 26, 2025. Until July 16th, readers have the opportunity to choose their favorite from a selection of four impressive regional winners who were previously nominated in participatory campaigns by the Ostsee-Zeitung. The four finalists exemplify the tireless efforts of numerous firefighters in the region and beyond.

The nominees are:

• Michael Homuth (54 Jahre): Als Wehrführer der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr Hornstorf seit 2017 hat sich Homuth seit 1985 dem Feuerwehrwesen verschrieben. Er arbeitet derzeit an der Vorbereitung der Feuerwehr auf die Herausforderungen, die mit der Entstehung eines neuen Gewerbegebiets einhergehen.
• Tim Nahrstedt (35 Jahre): Oberlöschmeister bei der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr Kühlungsborn. Seine Laufbahn begann im Alter von 13 Jahren in der Jugendfeuerwehr. Vor 15 Jahren wurde er während eines Einsatzes schwer verletzt, was seinen unermüdlichen Einsatz umso bewundernswerter macht.
• Anne Berner (38 Jahre): Mitglied der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr Kröslin seit 2019, trat sie ein, um mehr Zeit mit ihrem Ehemann, dem Wehrführer, zu verbringen. Bei einem Großbrand einer Tischlerei war sie für 21 Stunden im Einsatz und übernahm die Atemschutzüberwachung.
• Gregor Wedig (66 Jahre): Der ehemalige Wehrführer der Freiwilligen Feuerwehr Niepars, der über 17 Jahre gedient hat. Obwohl er sein Amt abgegeben hat, bleibt er aktiv bei Einsätzen und schätzt die positive Zusammenarbeit im Team und das Feedback, das er nach Einsätzen erhält.

Special awards and honors

In another example of commitment in the fire service industry, the German Fire Brigade Association (DFV) honored 30 people in Fulda on the same weekend for their special services to the fire service. The event impressively shows how valuable the commitment of firefighters in Germany is. Among those honored is Christian Eichhorn from Iserlohn, who was awarded the German Fire Brigade Cross of Honor in Gold. He was particularly committed to the digitalization of the fire department. Other award winners include Thorsten Elser, who supports the youth fire department, and Volker Harks, who is known for psychosocial support for emergency services.

“The awards demonstrate the high level of commitment and professionalism in the fire service,” says a spokesman for the DFV. Such honors are not only a form of recognition, but also help to highlight the importance of the fire service in society.

The structure of the German fire service

The fire service in Germany is well organized. The large number of volunteer fire departments is supported by legal frameworks in the respective federal states. Fire departments have been organized since the time of the ancient Romans, and the first fire departments emerged during the 19th century, often from gymnastics clubs. The first professional fire department was founded in Berlin in 1851. To date, the main distinction is between public volunteer fire departments and professional fire departments in larger cities, a structure that is regulated by state fire department laws, as an overview by Medinstrukt shows.

Municipalities set up public fire brigades consisting of volunteer firefighters, while in industrial areas company fire brigades have been established, which are of particular importance for fire protection in companies.

There is also an attractive incentive for the participants in the “Firefighter Hero of the Year” vote: a cruise with Arosa worth 5,000 euros will be raffled among the participants, which could increase the desire to vote even more.

If you would like to find out more about the remarkable commitment of the firefighters in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or take part in the vote, you can find further information in the Ostsee-Zeitung reports and the German Fire Brigade Association.