Fire brigade friendship: Wachtberg inspires at Fest in Laterns!

Fire brigade friendship: Wachtberg inspires at Fest in Laterns!

Laterns, Österreich - Last weekend, more precisely on July 20, 2025, the Wachtberg fire brigade was on a long trip to Laterns in Vorarlberg. The occasion? An atmospheric fire brigade festival, which included exciting competitions and the solemn consecration of new vehicles and pumps. An event that brought together not only the emergency services, but also the entire community.

Already on Friday, the first day of the festival, the Wachtberg fire brigade competed with two teams, consisting of four people, at the popular 4-Gaudi Cup. Skill and team spirit were required. The participants had to face exciting challenges, including setting up hanic, the tensile saw of a tree and funny competitions such as throwing boots through a hole wall. A skill course with the wheelbarrow and tandem skiing were also on the program. Not to forget, the quick dressing of firefighting clothing! At the end of the day, the Wachtberg 1 group was happy about the excellent third place.

highlight of the competition

Saturday was entirely dedicated to the sporting competition, because the Wachtberg fire brigade took part in the 40th wet deletion competitions of the districts of Dornbirn and Feldkirch. The Wachtberger were able to secure first place in the rating for guests, even if they were the only team to start in this category. This performance is particularly remarkable and shows the skills and preparation of the volunteer fire brigade.

The Sunday was festively shaped: a field fair with the blessing of the vehicles and pumps took place, and there was an impressive collision in the marquee. Each fire brigade was presented musically, which underlined the connection and coexistence of the different units. The Wachtberg fire brigade presented a special gift to the hosts: a large water scale with engraving and small water scales with bottle openers for every member of the local fire brigade. The friendship between the two fire brigades has been further consolidated since 1992.

The value of competitions

But the fun and the community are not everything - the sporting aspect also has its place at such festivals. In the background, important courses and competitions of the fire brigades run through. Thomas Reuter, head of the competition in the German Fire Brigade Association since March 2023, has also gained a lot of experience. He joined the Böblingen volunteer fire brigade in 1992 and has since participated in important competitions such as the international CTIF competitions. His expertise and extensive experience in the organization of fire brigade events are an essential part of the further development and cohesion in the fire brigade scene.

Overall, the weekend in Latern was more than just a competition - it was a festival of friendship, mutual learning and celebrating the fire brigade culture. So the Wachtberger not only pull with trophies, but also with fresh memories and newly linked friendships from Dannen.