New board in the Meißen district fire brigade association: A breath of fresh air for the future!

New board in the Meißen district fire brigade association: A breath of fresh air for the future!

On October 25, 2025, the delegates' meeting of the district fire brigade association took place in Meißen, an event that was very well received in the region. Of a total of 179 delegates, 112 were on site to discuss important topics and decisions. This meeting was the last under the leadership of Frank Ricklin and his board, which was passed with thanks and recognition after many years of dedicated work. Guests of honor such as District Administrator Ralf Hänsel and District Fire Chief Thomas Fischer also took the opportunity to express their appreciation for the work done. Particularly noteworthy is the awarding of the Medal of Merit from the Dresden City Fire Brigade Association, which Carsten Löwe, a representative of the association, presented to Frank Ricklin.

But that wasn't all that was on the agenda. A central topic was the adjustment of the youth regulations of the district youth fire brigade as well as changes to the financial guidelines of the district fire brigade association. In addition, a vote was taken on the appointment of new honorary members. Following the counting of votes, a new board was elected, which will now be responsible for the coming years. Florian Wehner is now at the helm as chairman, supported by deputies Michael Reiske, Marcel Reichel and Swen Mücke. Udo Geißler will act as treasurer, while Frank Ricklin, Maik Wahler and Karlheinz Heyne will take on the role of auditor.

The youth fire department in Meißen

An important aspect of fire service work in Meißen is the youth fire department, which focuses intensively on the training of children and young people. The activities are designed to not only impart technical skills to the young members, but also to teach important knowledge in the areas of accident prevention, fire prevention and first aid measures. One goal of the youth fire department is to integrate members from the age of 16 into the active force of the Meißen Volunteer Fire Department. This early involvement not only creates a solid foundation for later work in the fire department, but also prepares young people for emergencies in private and public life.

In winter, the focus is on theoretical training, which covers various important topics, such as the structure and organization of the youth fire brigade, firefighting and technical assistance. The practical training is then intensified in the warmer months, with the young people learning to lay hoses and couple suction hoses as well as practicing setting up a fire extinguishing route. The priority is to prepare the youth fire brigade members for competitions in the Meißen district. A special highlight is the joint camp with the Weinböhla and Niederau fire departments, which has been taking place in Oberau for 10 years now and offers an excellent opportunity for exchange and team building.

Educational offerings and developments

In addition to practical and theoretical training, there are also developments in the area of ​​educational work. The German Youth Fire Department (DJF) has launched a new educational program that is intended to replace the previous paper “helper”. This concept was presented at the delegate meeting in 2023 and aims to make work with young people even more effective. The content of the new program is available on a dedicated website so that both those responsible and participants can easily access it. Furthermore, the training program for the basic course “Youth Fire Brigade Work” is still available and corresponds to JuLeiCa training, which gives the young people additional valuable qualifications.

The numerous activities and the committed work of the rescue workers and the youth fire brigade in Meißen show how highly the awareness of safety and prevention is valued in society. With a strong new board and innovative programs, the future of the fire department in Meißen is well prepared.