Youth fire brigade warden Maike Weide

Maike Weide is the youth fire warden in Lüdinghausen. That means a lot of work - but it's a lot of fun as a team.

The sense of community is what Maike Weide loves so much about the fire department. She has been a member of the youth fire department since she was 13 years old. Now the 28-year-old is the first female youth fire warden in Lüdinghausen.

The new position has given Maike Weide many organizational tasks in particular. Together with deputy youth fire officer Mario Mentel, she draws up the rosters, takes care of sponsorship and is the contact person for the fire brigade management and parents. "I've grown into the fire department," says Weide. No wonder, as her father Günter Weide was the fire chief of the Lüdinghausen fire department for 18 years, and his dedication and passion over this long period of time had a strong influence on the department. But it's not just the family ties that inspire Maike Weide about her work in the fire brigade. "I have rarely experienced such a community as in the fire department," enthuses Weide. "We have to be able to rely on each other blindly here. Friendships are formed for life."

New recruits welcome

She advises all boys and girls who are interested in the fire department to simply try it out. Every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, there are service evenings where, for example, vehicle and equipment knowledge is taught or exercises are carried out. "But we also go climbing or swimming together to simply have fun," says Weide. At the moment, the youth fire department can't complain about a lack of new recruits. At the moment, there are many inquiries and some young people are attending the service evenings on a trial basis. They usually take part in three evenings and then decide whether they want to join the brigade.

Weide already has a lot to do with the preparations for the summer camp. At the end of June next year, the team will spend a week in Müden an der Örtze in the Lüneburg Heath. Another highlight next year is a special anniversary: the youth fire department in Lüdinghausen will be 50 years old. "We already have lots of ideas for celebrating this special day," says Weide. "But we're not revealing anything yet." In 2023, the youth fire department will face another organizational challenge. The Whitsun camp for the youth fire departments in the Coesfeld district will take place in Lüdinghausen. So there is still a lot to do.

In all of this, it is important to remember that Maike Weide performs her duties on a voluntary basis. She studied special education and is employed by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe in Münster. She took a week to think it over before agreeing to take on the job of youth fire warden. "I already knew that there was a lot of work ahead of me," says Weide. In the end, however, she simply had to say yes, because: "I really enjoy working with the young people and we are a strong team." Anja Kleykamp