After a break of almost four years, due to the Corona Virus Pandemic, Tony Shevlin, Chief Fire Officer, Mayo County Council was delighted to welcome his friends and colleagues from Höchstadt Fire Brigade to Castlebar and County Mayo. After 23 years of partnership there have been some enforced changes so the delegation of Benjamin Obexer, Felix Wasel, Jochen Tohol and Stefan Effenberg meant that the visiting delegation comprised of some familiar faces and some new ones.
The visit from the 3rd to 10th July facilitated the development of new friendships, the rekindling of old and the overall nurturing of a partnership which has continued to go from strength to strength as the years progress.
Training and the exchange of experience again took up a lot of space during the week. There was an entertaining and engaging discussion on an array of equipment and tactics used so that each could benefit from the experience of the other.
Away from the training there was also an opportunity for engagement at a social level and a chance to meet our recently retired colleagues Seamus Murphy and Pete Mc Donnell.
The commander of the Höchstadt Fire Department said, “We at the Höchstadt Fire Department were delighted to be able to fulfil our promise made in 2019 to make a return visit.” For Jochen and I, it was our first visit to the Mayo County Fire Service, but we were received so kindly as if we had been part of it for years. Felix has been involved since the beginning of the partnership and was thrilled to see how the comrades always put together an extensive exciting program each time.
Tony Shevlin commented ‘It was great once again to work with our friends and colleagues from Höchstadt Fire Brigade and we look forward to many more years of this warm and rewarding partnership’.
Benjamin Obexer concurred and said that ‘what started as an initial exchange of experiences has developed into a deep friendship and, as the commander of the Höchstadt Fire Department, I will certainly continue. We are already planning the visit of our friends in Höchstadt next year’.
