Interest in the youth fire department in Germany is growing and membership numbers have been rising for several years. "The children's fire department is booming, there are new groups being set up," said Federal Youth Director Christian Patzelt from the German Youth Fire Brigade Association. The youngest are approaching the topic in a playful way, and the starting age for the youth fire department is ten. "The offer is varied and attractive, also because, unlike soccer, there is no separation by age group."
According to association statistics, the number of children's members has tripled since 2020, from 28,325 to 90,092 last year. In the youth sector, the increase during this period was a good nine percent - from around 242,000 to over 266,800. Nationwide, the age range is predominantly six to ten years for children's groups and ten to 16 or 18 years for youth fire departments - and can vary depending on the federal state.
In some places, according to Patzelt, there is a lack of competition in the leisure sector. As a result, volunteer fire departments, which are essential for local authorities to avert danger, are also getting involved in youth work. When sports clubs merge due to a lack of members, distances are longer and leisure activities are fewer, the fire department is an alternative. "They exist in every larger town."
