Sonneberg invests in heritage: New equipment for the fire brigade ensures safety!

Sonneberg invests in heritage: New equipment for the fire brigade ensures safety!

There is news from Sonneberg that affects both the fire department and the entire community. The recent news is that the city of Sonneberg has received a private inheritance of 4,500 euros. The testator, a Sonneberger who died in November 2024, had named the city as heir in his will. This money will now be invested specifically in equipping the Sonneberg-Mitte volunteer fire department. Public order office manager Gerd Wollheim explains that, among other things, high-performance batteries for hand-held radios and special hoses with patented kink protection are being purchased. These new purchases are intended to increase the safety of firefighters and sustainably improve the quality of the equipment reported city officials.

But that's not all that happens in Sonneberg's fire department. On September 2, 2025, the groundbreaking ceremony took place for the new building of the Sonneberg-Ost fire department's fire department building, a project that is supported with 100,000 euros from the district. The total investment amounts to around 3.2 million euros, with around 2.7 million euros coming from the city of Sonneberg itself. Mayor Dr. Heiko Voigt, who accepted the grant from District Administrator Robert Sesselmann and District Fire Inspector Mathias Nüchterlein, emphasized the central role of the fire department for safety in Sonneberg. The old location could no longer meet the needs of the emergency services, and the new, famous building site in the Köppelsdorf district proved to be ideal because it is in close proximity to the B89 reports the Sonneberg district.

Investments for the future

The new tool shed will be built according to modern energy standards using cross-laminated timber construction and will have three parking spaces for emergency vehicles as well as a wash bay. This not only creates a practical solution for the emergency services, but also a photovoltaic system and a heat pump ensure energy-efficient operation with low maintenance costs. Fire chief René Gundermann emphasizes from the fire department how important these changes are for the effective cooperation of the various fire departments in the district. Finally, the Sonneberg-Ost fire department also takes on regional operations and plays an important role in disaster control according to the district's press release.

At a time when financial resources are often tight, investing in fire stations and equipment is essential. The legal framework stipulates that volunteer fire brigade members are entitled to safe fire stations. These must be set up and operated in accordance with the accident prevention regulations (UVV). However, some municipalities face challenges, often due to a lack of financial resources. On this basis, funding was made available to ensure that fire departments receive the support they need to meet legal requirements. This shows how important fire safety and ensuring the operational readiness of fire departments in rural areas is experts have found.