The volunteer fire department is divided into three fire departments, each with two firefighting groups. In addition, three special groups are maintained with the group for information and communication (IuK) and the group for dangerous substances and goods (GSG) as well as the diving group.
Structure of the fire departments or groups in the area of active fire department:
Group 1 is one of six groups of the Hilden Fire Department, which currently consists of 14 group members. From the 19-year-old member who is just attending the first basic training courses to the experienced comrade who has been a member of the fire department for more than 37 years, everything is there, including the most diverse professional groups and training levels. But the most important thing is that the group works together and can rely on each other in the field. To this end, they are always learning new things during regular training sessions and refreshing what they have learned, because what you don't practice over and over again, you forget over time.
Some of them are also active in the special groups of the Hilden fire department - divers, GSG, IuK - and as instructors in the youth fire department.
To make sure that the fun in the group is not neglected and that our families are also involved, we also meet outside of training sessions, e.g. in the summer for a barbecue or at the end of the year for a joint Christmas party. In addition, they go on a group tour together every 2 - 3 years.
They have already been to Hamburg, Hanover and Berlin, for example. Let's see where it goes next. If you would like to learn to help others in a great team, come along! The group is looking forward to you!
More than half of the members, 9 to be precise, live the blue-light milieu in a double sense.
Our ranks include 3 employees of the rescue service of various cities, 3 plant firefighters, one professional firefighter and one policeman. In addition, one member is active in the Rheinbahn accident relief train.
The other members enrich the group through their activities in various areas of the working world.
In our services, we rely on realistic presentation of various scenarios, in order to be prepared for all eventualities in the best possible way.
Of course, the theoretical basics are not neglected.
Regularly every 2 years, we go on a group tour together and thus promote the camaraderie among themselves. Likewise we meet in irregular distances with all members and their members, in order to maintain also the contacts to the partners/children.
If you have interest in the freiwilligen fire-brigade Hilden to engage, we would be pleased to be allowed to welcome you perhaps even in extinguishing group 2.
Group 3 lives from and with its members. All group members have both feet on the ground. So from the simple employee, over craftswoman up to the medical specialized personnel; from young to old everything is present.
It is important that no differences are made regarding the education or personal origin. Also in the employment one is only together strong!
To the promotion of the community they meet not only to the regular exercise services, but undertake also several leisure activities. Each service year begins with the traditional spring brunch with family members and continues with regular get-togethers and barbecue events. Every three years, they go on a big group tour, which has already taken them to Berlin or sailing in Holland.
Fire department 4, together with fire department 3, forms fire department 2 of the volunteer fire department. It consists of 17 volunteer and professional firefighters. It is from this mixture that it benefits in the planning and execution of the exercises specified in the duty roster, as well as in action. The basis of each exercise is the fire department regulations. Based on them, they design the exercises together, varied and interesting. However, they are not only concerned with firefighting work. They also involve their partners, families and honorary members in a wide range of leisure activities.
They traditionally start the year with a brunch at which the legendary scrambled eggs with ham are served and, for example, photo series of recent activities are shown. Later in the year they go on a wagon tour and every two years they go on a 3-day group tour with partners to further strengthen the group cohesion.
Rescue - Recovery - Protect - Extinguish - These terms are firmly associated with the activities of the fire department. However, this kind of description alone is not sufficient for an introduction of Group 5 of the fire department. The group consists of 14 active members who are united by a passion for this extraordinary hobby. In addition to the regular firefighting services, where firefighting knowledge is imparted and basic activities are trained, it is also important to undertake other activities together. Whether at the annual participation in the Hilden Christmas market or a cozy get-together after the training service - they want to promote the cohesion of the group. But they can also rely on each other in action and, thanks to good training from various courses, play to their different strengths. It is important that the community counts and that teamwork forms a decisive basis. It doesn't matter what training or profession you have. All are welcome to be a part of this cohesion!
With 18 members, Group 6 is one of the strongest groups in the Hilden Fire Department. As with all other groups, the focus is on basic activities such as rescuing, extinguishing, recovering and protecting. In order to be able to put this into practice, the group meets regularly for training sessions. The training sessions focus on the correct assembly of equipment, hoses and material in the event of a fire, and on the correct handling of the equipment. But with all the technical firefighting services, fun is not neglected. In the summer, the barbecue is often brought out and spontaneous events are organized. The group always looks forward to the group tour every two years. One can rightly say that the group has become a second family for many members. Whether it's help or an open word outside the fire department - people always help each other!
The I&C group currently consists of around 20 specially trained firefighters and provides command support to the incident commander at the scene of the incident. In the field, it mainly takes care of the communications and telecommunications operation in the ELW2 (command vehicle 2) and takes over the documentation of the scene and the situation at the scene.
The ELW 2 serves the Hilden Fire Department as the primary telecommunications operation center and is operated exclusively by the telecommunications officers. If required, the telecommunicators can also be deployed in other areas of telecommunication or support a command staff. In addition, the IuK group can assume reporting, pilot and/or messenger functions; a predominantly technical support function is also possible.
Due to its integration into the concepts of the Mettmann district in the context of supra-local assistance, the IuK group also operates in other cities according to schedule and can also be requested at any time by its own alerting group.
In addition to the duty schedule of the volunteer fire department, the IuK group meets once a month to practice the special tasks and structures. Furthermore, participation in all large-scale exercises of the Hilden Fire Department is planned. The I&C group is also regularly scheduled to participate in exercises planned by neighboring municipalities in order to be able to guarantee procedures and cooperation in the event of major incidents in the respective urban areas.
Today, many hazardous substances are transported via inner-city roads, highways and rail traffic, as well as manufactured or processed in the chemical industry and stored in warehouses.
The GSG Group (Dangerous Substances and Goods) is a special group that is specially trained to defend against nuclear, biological and chemical hazards in the field. This additional qualification is acquired in the district of Mettmann through a special training lasting several days. The members are trained on the special dangers and learn how to handle the special equipment.
In case of accidents and averages with these hazardous materials, the GSG group is alerted to take the initiating measures to limit the extent of damage, up to the complete averting of danger.
The group is composed of members of all groups and trains for emergencies every last Thursday of the month at 7 p.m., in addition to the regular services. It is always happy to welcome new members to the team, especially people who work in the fields of chemistry, physics or biology.
The diving group of the Hilden fire department was founded in 1964 and currently consists of 13 divers. In addition to some full-time firefighters of the fire departments, mainly volunteer firefighter divers are available for the operation.
The diving group is alerted by the district control center Mettmann and deployed in the district area. On special request from surrounding control centers, the diving group also travels to other areas, e.g. Düsseldorf, for support.
The main areas of responsibility are the rescue of people and animals from water or ice and the search and recovery of objects.
After almost two years of training, demanding skills are taught and the "trainees" are introduced to the tasks and special features of diving operations. Throughout the year, the search and work under water is regularly trained at open waters or also in the swimming pool.
In the cold months, mainly the theory is learned and refreshed.
The Hilden Youth Fire Department is a youth group of the Hilden Volunteer Fire Department. The young people are between 12 and 18 years old. In total, the Hilden youth fire department has 26 young people and 6 instructors.
On September 25, 1983, the Hilden Youth Fire Brigade was founded and since then it can boast of regular practice services, on Thursday evenings between 6 and 8 pm. In addition, there are also district-wide special services, such as: the district alarm exercise or district obstacle hike, in which all 10 youth fire departments of the cities, the district Mettmann can participate.
During the regularly held services, the young people are properly challenged in practical as well as theoretical parts, so that no one comes up short. As a rule, many theoretical basics are taught in the winter months so that this knowledge can be put into practice in the summer months.
But sports, games and group evenings are also offered to promote the
community.
In addition to these services, the young people can prepare for certain special awards that they can acquire during their time in the youth fire department.
Decided to join the youth fire department?
But don't know how to go about it?
Just send an email to, jugendfeuerwehr@hilden.de.
The Hilden Fire Department has an honorary department with approximately 30 members. After many years of service as an active member in the operational department of the fire department, members can be transferred to the honorary department when they reach the age of 60.
By participating in the most important events of the year, the honorary members have the opportunity to exchange ideas with old friends and to support the active duty department with their knowledge and experience. In addition, the honorary department organizes its own meetings and trips to maintain the camaraderie beyond the operational service.
