Easter Fire Wheels 2007

 

Looking down on Lügde

Every year on Easter Sunday our season begins with a big medical service for the Easter fire wheels in Lügde, a neighbouring city near Bad Pyrmont in Lower Saxony. This is a centuries-old tradition where six huge wooden wheels are set on fire and rolled down a hill one after the other. The highlight of the day, supported by shopping possibilities in the town, a fairground, concerts on the marketplace and a huge fireworks, this event attracts thousands of people each year from near and far. Here you will find more information on the history of Lügde and about the Easter fire wheels (in German).

Together with the police and the fire brigade of Lügde, our Blomberg Red Cross unit is responsible for security during this event, we provide medical services and support the official rescue service of the county of Lippe. The event has grown bigger and bigger over the years and so there is more and more to do.

We are supported by the THW Detmold with a vehicle for a relay station and 2/4 m radio.  Other volunteers come from neighbouring volunteer units in our county. For the first time, the Johanniter first-aid volunteers from Blomberg were present with an ambulance. Our service began at 5 p.m. at the Lügde fire department where every unit was informed about their posts and duties during a snack. At 6 p.m., all units were at their posts.

The posts for this year:

  • On the marketplace: 1 emergency ambulance and our staff transport vehicle

  • At the foot of the hill: 1 emergency ambulance and 1 patient transport ambulance

  • On the way up the hill: 1 transport vehicle as medical station and the THW technical vehicle

  • On top of the hill, next to the fire: 1 emergency ambulance

  • At the fire department: 1 ambulance as additional support for all posts

  • 3 volunteers at the fire department as “squad leaders” together with the fire brigade
And then we waited for the dark so the fire wheels could roll. That’s usually the time when our wheels roll too – we took several patients to the hospitals in neighbouring Bad Pyrmont. Mostly, however, we were asked questions about the history of the Easter fire wheels and about when they would start to roll.

When will they roll?

Turn your radio on

Hungry!

Checking the countryside

One round every hour

The fire wheels – all stuffed and ready to roll

On the way up the hill

Has it started yet?

Letting it go

A wheel from afar

Fireworks over Lügde

May we go down now?

The last volunteers finished their service at 3 a.m. We wish those unlucky guys all the best for a speedy recovery. We thank all our colleagues of the Johanniter Unfallhilfe Blomberg, the THW Detmold, the Lemgo Red Cross, the Lügde fire brigade, the county of Lippe, the police and the Easter wheel association (Osterdechenverein) for the good co-operation.