Probably the most important event in the career of a youth fire brigade member took place at the Weibelfeldschule in Dreieich-Sprendlingen, bringing together around 50 youth fire brigade girls and boys from the Offenbach district. The focus was on the successful completion of the German Youth Fire Brigade's performance certificate. The team spirit and camaraderie that took centre stage during the tests was particularly impressive. In addition to the team from Rodgau-Mitte, a team from the Rodgau-Süd district also took part alongside Dreieich, Obertshausen/Rodgau-Nord and Mühlheim. The "Leistungsspange" is the highest badge awarded by the German youth fire brigade and facilitates the transition to active fire service. The tests require speed, endurance, strength and dexterity. In addition to practical tasks, participants must also demonstrate their knowledge of firefighting techniques, politics and general knowledge. The Rodgau-Mitte youth fire brigade spent weeks preparing intensively for the test. Nine young people aged between 15 and 17 formed a team and trained for three to six months. Setting up a fire-fighting attack was particularly challenging, as everything had to be done exactly as prescribed. Clear commands, precise hand movements and the right co-operation were crucial. The shot put and the 1500 metre relay race were also among the challenges. The young people from Rodgau-Mitte successfully passed the performance level with great personal commitment and team spirit. The intensive preparation time paid off, and the young firefighters are now proud recipients of this award. Special thanks also go to the many supervisors around youth fire brigade officer Matthias Hopf, who spent a lot of time and energy motivating and training the team during the preparation period. In the presence of many parents and representatives from politics, district youth fire brigade chief Oliver Meyer, together with his team of judges from the Offenbach district and the German Youth Fire Brigade, was able to pin the coveted clasp on the uniforms of the proud graduates.
