Fire Brigade Maria Neustift: Scharer hands over to Mayr after 17 years!

Fire Brigade Maria Neustift: Scharer hands over to Mayr after 17 years!

On June 2, 2025, Maria Neustift had a significant event: The general meeting of the volunteer fire brigade was all about changing management. Commandant Martin Scharrer, who headed the fire brigade for 17 years, took office and handed over the scepter to his successor Christian Mayr. This handover was recognized with a ceremonial meeting that was shaped by the warm thanks to Scharer.

In his farewell speech, Scharrer looked back on his term and emphasized the numerous modernizations that he implemented in the fire brigade. The intensification of youth work and the in -depth cooperation with other organizations also distinguished his era. Previously, the outgoing commander honored his father, Alois Scharrer, with the handover of a Florian statue. Deputy Alexander Kopf received the Florian medal 3rd degree for his support. The wife of the commander, Melanie, was also surprised with a bouquet of flowers, which underlined the family atmosphere of the evening.

The new commander and honors

The election of the new commander Christian Mayr was unanimously and was led by Vice Mayor Christian Hornbachner and district commander Wolfgang Mayr. In the municipality, the fire brigade is a supporting pillar of voluntary commitment, and this was also clear by the awarding of the golden honorary sign to Martin Scharer for his merits. A special moment was the appearance of the youth group and the "Löschzwerge", which performed a reputed version of the song "thank you" - a touching tribute to its former commander.

The volunteer fire brigades not only have a demonstrably important role in Maria Neustift, but also throughout Austria and Germany. According to current statistics, there are around 48,100 fire departments in Germany alone, which have a total of over one million members. The tasks are diverse: in addition to saving, extinguishing, deleting and mountains, the protection of the population is also one of the main tasks of these volunteer service providers. At the end of 2022, the fire brigade in Germany recorded over 229,000 missions in connection with fires and other emergencies - an impressive number that underlines the enormous importance of the fire brigades.

challenges and importance of volunteering

The challenges for the fire brigades are constantly growing. The number of false alarms rose to around 403,000 in 2022 alone. In addition, around 687 acts of violence against firefighters were recorded in Germany in 2023, which reinforced the dangers for volunteers. Much of the active members reported unsightly experiences in the form of insults or threats. Nevertheless, the commitment to the community and the voluntary activities remains highly valued. The commitment of the fire brigades is recognized by the citizens and is essential for security in the communities.

The Maria Neustift fire brigade has said goodbye to Martin Scharrer a commander who has achieved great things in recent years. Christian Mayr, who now takes over the helm, faces the exciting task to continue this tradition and continue to keep up the service. The fire brigade and its members earn all the support they can get so that they can continue to ensure the safety of the population in the future.