36 fire brigade youth achievement badges in gold: “Fire brigade youth matura” in the Linz-Land district

On November 9th, 2024, 35 young people from various fire departments in the Linz-Land district took part in this “Fire Brigade Youth Matura”. A young person from the Urfahr-Raum district (FF Dreiegg-Glashütten) also took part.

Welcome and opening
At 8 a.m. sharp, HBI dF Karlheinz Manzenreiter opened the acceptance of the performance badge in the Edramsberg – Wilhering fire station.
After the speech by Mayor Christina Mühlböck-Oppolzer (municipality of Wilhering), the young people started station operations.

Requirements
The Fire Brigade Youth Achievement Badge in Gold (FJLAG) is the highest level of the Fire Brigade Youth Achievement Badge and thus proof of a holistic, uniform fire service training for the fire brigade youth.

The performance test for the FJLAG is primarily about the correctness of carrying out the assigned tasks in accordance with the regulations for the squad member and the training regulations and NOT about speed. An assessment is only made on the basis of “passed or failed”. There is NO ranking!

In order to achieve this, a sufficient target time is set for the exercises and tasks. The main value of this performance test lies in the preparatory training. However, if these are exceeded, demerit points are awarded. Even if the exercises and tasks are not carried out correctly, the
Participants assigned demerit points.

The scope of the performance test consists of:
• three “fire operations” exercises
• two “technical deployment” exercises
• three tasks/exercises “first aid”
• four tasks simulation game “The group in action”
• a theoretical exam from the questionnaire

The performance test
At the various stations and tasks, the preceding firefighters were able to demonstrate their knowledge and what they had learned alone or in a group.
Whether at knots, securing the accident site, first aid, firefighting or equipment knowledge. All JFMs mastered the stations without any difficulties and were able to receive the coveted badge. Four participants sensationally achieved the maximum points; on average, each participant achieved over 80% of the points to be achieved.

Closing event
OBR Helmut Födermayr warmly congratulated the young people at the closing speech, at which the commanders of the Edramsberg fire department HBI Alexander Schramm and the three section commanders BR Klaus Gusenleitner, BR Günter Reichhard and BR Andreas Steiner were also present, spoke motivating words and wished them all the best additional fire service.

A special thank you goes to the HBI d. F. for youth work Karlheinz Manzenreiter with his OBI dF Peter Stieglbauer, OBI dF Roland Zoitl and OBI dF Ulrike Leitenbauer, the assessment team and the calculation committee under HBI Roland Auer Roland for the fair assessment and the youth workers of the Linz-Land district for the good preparation. Many thanks also to the comrades E-BI Peter Wolf and OFM Tobias Wolf from the FF Wilhering and their team for the preparation, which meant that this competition could be carried out perfectly again.

The district fire brigade command wishes all newly qualified “fire brigade youth graduates” a lot of joy, fun and success in their future careers in the fire brigade and always an accident-free service.

You can find more pictures in the Flickr albums of the BFKDO Linz-Land:
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBRduc

Text and photos: OBI d. F. Gerhard Haim

36x FJLA Gold in the Linz-Land district at the FF Edramsberg-Wilhering