They are in action 365 days a year, on call 24 hours a day and always prepared to push themselves to the limit. Firefighters provide indispensable services worldwide, bravely confronting flames, rescuing accident victims and saving lives – sometimes risking their own health. Now for the first time there is a competition to reward the selfless dedication of firefighters all over the world: following its successful launch in Germany in 2012, IVECO MAGIRUS is now looking for the best international firefighting team. The winners can look forward to a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York to visit probably the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), probably the most famous fire service in the world. The prize includes flights, accommodations and an exciting, action-packed programme for a team of ten.
The winning team will be welcomed by their FDNY counterparts and given an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the largest city fire service in the world. The firefighters will be able to watch their colleagues at work, visit the training academy “The Rock” along with some of the Big Apple’s finest fire stations, complete with siren demonstrations and a chance to talk shop. The agenda also includes a tour of the world’s most advanced fireboat “Marine 1” and the highlights of New York City.
Recognition for selfless service
“Many firefighters see their work not as a profession but as a calling. They pay a high price for their commitment – countless hours of the day and night spent on duty, tough working conditions and high risk. Yet they don’t always get the recognition they deserve”, says Antonio Benedetti, Managing Director of the competition organizer IVECO MAGIRUS. And that is where the international Conrad Dietrich Magirus Award comes in.
The competition is open to all fire services – whether voluntary, professional or company based – from 193 countries around the world. Teams can enter until 8 September 2013 at www.world-of-firefighters.com, providing details of an extraordinary feat since 30 September 2012. This could be a particularly risky or technically challenging operation, an unusually complex strategy or a noteworthy social contribution. A brief account should be submitted, summarising the course of events and tactics deployed. Photographs to illustrate the intervention should be included. Teams will be judged on the planning and execution of the missions and the performance of the firefighting team, irrespective of the equipment used.
Finalists chosen by international jury
Entries will be assessed and shortlisted by a high-calibre international jury of experts with an extensive knowledge of firefighting in various countries. The jury includes: Michel Bour, General Secretary of the international association of fire and rescue services CTIF, Mathias Seyfert, editor-in-chief of the Austrian Federal Fire Brigade Association’s official magazine Die Österreichische Feuerwehr, Carlo Zaglia, editor-in-chief of the French magazines Soldats du feu and Véhicules d’incendie, Ann-Marie Knegt, editor of the English trade magazine Local Authority Plant and Vehicles and deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine Fire and Rescue, and Tristan Reitz, head of sales for North and East Europe at IVECO MAGIRUS, the event organizer.
After the jury has shortlisted entries, fire service fans worldwide can vote for their favourite in an online poll. Cast your vote at www.world-of-firefighters.com from September 23 to October 14, 2013. The top three teams will then be invited to the award ceremony in Germany on 22 November 2013. They will enjoy a spectacular night of festivities in Ulm, the headquarters of IVECO MAGIRUS Brandschutztechnik GmbH, including an overnight stay at the Maritim Hotel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a51a9vdtyKg
Dedicated to a firefighting pioneer
The award is dedicated to Conrad Dietrich Magirus, one of the world’s greatest firefighters. Few people have influenced the history of modern firefighting as much as this pioneer, who founded one of Germany’s first voluntary fire services in Ulm in 1846 and went on to set up the company Magirus. With technological inventions, including the much acclaimed “Ulm ladder”, he revolutionised firefighting techniques well beyond the 19th century and contributed to an enormous improvement in fire and emergency services in Germany and throughout Europe. To this day, he remains a role model and inspiration for firefighters all over the world.
About IVECO MAGIRUS
The IVECO MAGIRUS Group develops and produces a globally unique
range of vehicles and equipment for fire and emergency services. IVECO MAGIRUS ranks among the world’s largest and most technologically advanced providers in the industry, with an international sales and service network reflecting its client structure. The time-honoured MAGIRUS brand is the unrivalled global market leader for turntable ladders.
