Youth firefighters and firefighters won the “Startklar Initiative”

PLOECKING. The Plöcking Volunteer Fire Department’s “Fire Brigade Youth and Fire Dwarfs” project narrowly prevailed in the final of the “Startklar” initiative against the nature project of the ÖNJ local group Lembach and the village renewal association Herzhaftes Höf. With financial support from Sparkasse Mühlviertel-West (SMW) in the amount of 10,000 euros, the “Firefighting Youth and Fire Dwarfs” project can strengthen the promotion of young talent at FF Plöcking.

According to the Startklar jury’s evaluation, it was a head-to-head race between the three finalists of the “Startklar” initiative. “The live presentations thrilled us all and convinced us both in terms of content and implementation,” says Christian Terink, CEO of SMW. In the end, it was the online voting that gave “Fire Brigade Youth and Fire Dwarfs” victory and enabled the construction of a youth room.

“The project counteracts the problem of young talent in the volunteer fire brigade. Children from the age of six are introduced to the fire service and enable them to get their first taste of the fire service. The youth fire brigade (from 8 years old) is already offered training and further education for active fire service and the technical “In addition, children and young people are given social contact in larger groups outside of school and can get to know what it’s like to work in a non-profit organization,” says Markus Gruber, commander of the FF Plöcking.

Price for “Micho 365

In addition to the “Startklar” project, the SMW awarded a special prize worth 2,000 euros for a health promotion project. The project “Michö 365 – entry area for (ice) bathing” was successful here. With the financial support of SMW, the design of the entry area at the Große Mühl in Ulrichsberg is made possible.