Ochotnicza Straż Pożarna w Brudzewie (1914-2014) – sto lat działalności Bogu na chwałę, ludziom na ratunek
Voluntary Fire Bridge in Brudzew (1914-2014) – One Hundred Years of Activity for God’s Glory, to the Rescue of People

Summary/Abstract: In 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, there was a great fire in Brudzewo, which consumed most of the wooden buildings on the eastern side of the market square. This tragic event became an incentive to establish a Volunteer Fire Department in the settlement. In August this year, a Kalisz resident named Reczke appeared in Brudzewo and it was he who, with the cooperation of the inhabitants of the settlement, led to the creation of a Fire Department here, which was quickly transformed into the Volunteer Fire Department. He also became its first chief. The first documents regarding the registration of the Guard in Brudzewo, addressed to its president, Wacław Kurnatowski, date from September 3 and October 20, 1917. In 1918, the unit already had a four-wheeled hand water pump, two wooden barrels on wheels, one ladder, hooks, dampers and buckets. From 1918, firefighting equipment, and probably the wagon in which firefighters went to fires, were stored in a barn located on the Bruzewo market square. Therefore, the burning issue in such a situation was the construction of a real fire station. Its construction, together with the fire tower, was basically completed in 1925. The ceremony of consecrating it and the newly purchased banner took place on July 8, 1928. During the German occupation, in the years of World War II, the Germans created their own fire unit in Brudzew, in which they incorporated the former members of the former local unit. They also seized all fire-fighting equipment and musical instruments belonging to the fire brigade orchestra. After the Germans withdrew, the reconstruction of the fire brigade began very quickly. In order to quickly and effectively respond to fire, the first combat vehicle was purchased in 1947. The relatively rapid development of the Bruzewo unit in the second half of the 1950s meant that the existing fire station building became insufficient for its needs. By a joint decision of the Management Board and the team, it was decided to expand its headquarters and add an auditorium, and this idea was also accepted by the local authorities. Finally, the construction works were completed in the first half of 1968 and the hall was put into use then. Having this type of facility has significantly improved the operational capabilities of the Bruzewo Volunteer Fire Department, especially in the field of culture and education. The 1970s were spent by the local Volunteer Fire Department unit conducting its statutory activities based on its own staff and premises. At the beginning of the 1980s, the Volunteer Fire Department in Brudzewo had 56 regular members and 89 supporting members. Moreover, on March 16, 1981, a women’s section consisting of 8 people was established within the Volunteer Fire Department. There was a combat section within the Bruzewo unit, representing it during sports and firefighting competitions at the commune, district or voivodeship level, often taking high places. In 1997, the Brudzew Volunteer Fire Department was included in the National Rescue and Firefighting System. In 2014, the Brudzew Volunteer Fire Department, managed by the Management Board headed by the president, Daniel Kusz, had over a hundred members and had three cars and equipment necessary for fire-fighting, medical and road rescue.

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