Anniversary in Klagenfurt

Tower shot alerted the oldest fire department at the time

Car with turntable ladder in front of the Hasner School, which was also the fire station.

(Bild: Hauptwache Klagenfurt)

Gunshots from the parish tower sounded the alarm for Carinthia's first fire department. The main station celebrates its first 160 years on October 11. 

"Rescue - Extinguish - Protect - Rescue" are now the basic tasks of the Hauptwache volunteer fire department in Klagenfurt, which, together with nine other volunteer brigades and the professional fire department in the provincial capital, carries out numerous operations - 356 in the previous year. The Hauptwache has been in operation for 160 years, making it the oldest fire department in Carinthia!

Ferdinand Jergitsch founded the fire brigade in June 1864 because there were often fires back then and there was no fire protection, fire alarm systems or smoke detectors. "The first vehicle was stored in the old town hall on Alter Platz," says the current commander Franz Socher. The handful of firefighters were alerted by a shot from the parish tower. "We now have sirens, beepers and blue light text messages. But we keep up the tradition of firing from the tower: on October 9, we fire from there to mark October 10, and on December 31, the New Year," says fire chief Socher.

The main fire station with youth brigade today.

(Bild: Hauptwache Klagenfurt)

The main fire station moved from Alter Platz to Hasnerschule, and in 1981 to the grounds of the professional fire department, where there are now two independent fire brigades. "Today, our tasks include not only fires, but also technical assistance, flood protection and dealing with hazardous substances," says Socher.

Familiar faces among the comrades
That's why there are regular exercises and training courses - even for the celebrities. "No, we don't have any celebrity members, but comrades who are at drills and on duty," says Socher, who also has Paralympic skier Markus Salcher, cathedral priest Peter Allmaier and city councillor Sandra Wassermann in his ranks. "We are 68 people, nine of whom are women. Our youth fire department has 15 members," says Socher proudly.

The men of the Klagenfurt main fire station when it was founded in 1864.

(Bild: Hauptwache Klagenfurt)

Now they are celebrating their anniversary: On Friday, October 11, from 5.30 p.m. in Messehalle 2 in Klagenfurt - with the bands Toni & Alex and "Chaos".