150 years of the Chemnitz professional fire brigade: festive event, large vehicle parade and action week

In September 2016, the Chemnitz professional fire brigade celebrates its 150th anniversary - and the city of Chemnitz is celebrating this with a week of festivities. The celebrations will kick off this Friday at 5 pm at the Hotel Chemnitzer Hof. Guests will include Saxony's Minister of the Interior Markus Ulbig, Mayor Barbara Ludwig and numerous representatives from politics, business, authorities, associations and friendly fire brigades.

On Saturday, the people of Chemnitz can look forward to a parade of historic fire engines, which will move from "Sachsenallee" to the market between 2 and 4 pm. From next Monday until the weekend, everything in Sachsenallee will revolve around the fire brigade during an action week with themed days.

Parade with a large parade of vehicles

Exhibition week in the Sachsenallee

During the festival week from 12 to 17 September, the fire brigade is organising themed days in "Sachsenallee". The exhibition will be open daily from 10 am to 8 pm. Specialist firefighters and experts on the respective topics will be on hand to answer visitors' questions. You can experience cable rides with the height rescue service of the professional fire brigade and see an exhibition of fire engines in and in front of the shopping centre. The theme days in detail:

Monday, 12 September: Opening

• 11 a.m. Press tour and Q&A session with the professional fire brigade
• Exhibition of a GDR fire engine
  

Tuesday, 13 September: Fire protection

• Presentations on the topic of "Preventive fire protection"
• Fire extinguishing training in the outdoor area of Sachsenallee
• Information on the prevention and reporting of fires by companies and representatives of the professional fire brigade
  

Wednesday, 14 September: Health

• Exhibition of rescue service vehicles in front of Sachsenallee
• Presentations on first aid, resuscitation and the "Medical Task Force" of the City of Chemnitz on stage
• Handover of several vehicles and a boat to the civil protection units in front of Sachsenallee
  

Thursday, 15 September: Partners of the fire brigade

• Exhibition of vehicles from a GDR fire engine in front of Sachsenallee
• Exhibition of THW, police and water rescue vehicles
• Information and demonstrations by fire investigators and the police dog squadron
  

Friday, 16 September: Fire brigade in action

• Information stand on the "firefighter" job profile
• Exhibition of the fire-fighting platoon of a fire station of the professional fire brigade
• Fire brigade drills in Sachsenallee
• Demonstration of lifting a car using water power
  

Saturday, 17 September: Children's day

• Bouncy castle, craft street, an information stand of the city youth fire brigade association and the "Freddy Flink" info mobile
• 3D painting for children
• Face painting, can spraying, competition
• Youth fire brigade competitions and exercises
• From 6.00 pm campfire and brioche on the outdoor area of Sachsenallee
  

Background Chemnitz fire brigade

When it was founded around 1866, the Chemnitz professional fire brigade had only one fire station with duty hours from 6 pm to 6 am. Today, the professional fire brigade has around 300 firefighters in three fire stations. They are supported by 15 volunteer fire brigades. In recent years, the tasks of the fire brigade have become increasingly diverse. It is no longer just about putting out fires. The range of tasks includes rescue operations to provide technical assistance after accidents, in the event of natural disasters and to protect the environment.

Today, the Chemnitz professional fire brigade is more efficient than ever: firefighting operations are carried out using radio communication, powerful extinguishing technology and computerised fire engines.
The day-to-day work of today's 300 full-time fire service personnel presents ever more complex challenges. In Chemnitz, the third largest city in Saxony and the most industrialised region in central Germany, it is not just traffic accidents and fires that the emergency services have to deal with - chemical accidents, hazardous goods operations, flooding, animal rescues and rescue operations at height also dominate the fire service.

This is why the three fire stations of the Chemnitz professional fire brigade are supported by 15 volunteer fire brigades. Together, they guarantee optimum protection and, in an emergency
help within minutes. In 2015 alone, the emergency services dealt with around 19,000 call-outs, including firefighting, technical assistance and rescue operations.

Traffic information for Saturday: Restrictions during the vehicle parade

The parade will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and will run along Hilbersdorfer Straße - August-Bebel-Straße - Straße der Nationen - Neumarkt (see attached map). The parade will line up from 8 a.m. on Hilbersdorfer Straße at Sachsenallee. Hilbersdorfer Straße will be fully closed after the Skoda access road from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (including stopping restrictions on both sides). The parade will be operationally secured and accompanied by the Chemnitz Police Headquarters (North-East District). Depending on the route, there will be short-term closures and disruptions. Please note that the "West" access road on Hilbersdorfer Straße will be closed to shopping traffic on Sachsenallee and that the "East" access road must be used (Dresdner Straße).

Notes for the media:

The festive event at the Hotel "Chemnitzer Hof" on Friday, 9 September begins at 5 pm and is open to the press. For organisational reasons, please register informally by Thursday, 8 September at 12 noon by emailing pressestelle(at)stadt-chemnitz.de.

The exhibition in Sachsenallee will be opened on Monday, 12 September at 11 am by Mayor Sven Schulze and Bernd Marschner, head of the professional fire brigade, with a press tour. The media are also cordially invited to attend.