Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten

Have you ever wondered what it was like to fight fires with buckets? Right here at the Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten, such methods were once the norm. Before the official establishment of the Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten, fire protection in Nienstedten consisted of villagers gathering at the scene and doing their best. Each homeowner was required to keep a fire extinguisher, which was essentially a bucket. These buckets, filled from a fire pond, were passed hand-to-hand to fight the blaze. Around 1850, merchant John Parish, a wealthy villa owner on Elbchaussee, donated a hand pump to the community, greatly improving their fire-fighting capabilities. This makes him the first known supporter of fire protection in Nienstedten. The Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten was officially founded on August 5, 1886, following a public call by some Nienstedten residents. Twenty-six men from the community joined as active firefighters. Their first real emergency call came two years later, a fire in Teufelsbrück. The Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten successfully extinguished the fire after two hours. 1902 brought progress with a horse-drawn fire engine that held both equipment and firefighters. 1927 marked another turning point for the Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten. With the incorporation of Nienstedten into Greater Altona came a restructuring of command. This also brought motorization. A decommissioned police van, refitted by the brigade, became their first motorized vehicle. The Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten celebrated its 50th anniversary on June 28, 1936. Nienstedten, along with its fire brigade, became part of Hamburg in 1938. 1976 saw the end of sirens in Hamburg, replaced by “silent alerting”. In 1993, members of the Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten established a support association. In 2001, they formed the Nienstedten Youth Fire Brigade, fostering active youth involvement in the community. A new fire engine arrived in April 2002, catering to current firefighting needs. In 2008, thanks to a large donation, the support association purchased a small boat, named “Fortuna”, extending their capabilities to water rescues. The Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2011. The festivities included a ceremony at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and a public open house. A new team transport vehicle, a Volkswagen Caravelle, replaced the older model in 2019. The Freiwillige Feuerwehr Nienstedten has a rich history. From bucket brigades to modern fire engines, it has played a vital role in protecting the community.