Table of Contents
A recent video posted by the Thannhausen Volunteer Fire Department in Germany has gone viral on Facebook, garnering over 289,000 views in just a few days. The 15-second clip, recorded from inside a fire engine, shows the department responding to an emergency in Burtenbach on December 18th.The unexpected popularity of the video has prompted discussion not only about the department’s work but also about the proper use of emergency vehicle sirens.
The video depicts the Thannhausen fire department responding to a call with its turntable ladder and emergency control vehicle. Stefan Pfitzmayr, who recorded the footage, explained that the department regularly shares updates about its missions on its website and social media channels. “We posted part of the mission trip to accompany the appropriate mission report,” he stated.
The Thannhausen fire department was surprised by the video’s reach. Markus Landherr, the department’s press officer, noted that the clip received over 2,900 likes and gained nearly 800 new followers for the department’s facebook page, with the numbers continuing to rise. “We are positively surprised and are of course happy about it, even if we can’t quite explain the hype,” Landherr said.
Debate Over Siren Use
The video also sparked a technical discussion among viewers regarding the use of the fire engine’s horn during the emergency response. Nearly 100 comments debated whether the horn should be activated continuously or intermittently during such trips.
Platoon leader Christoph Schonner clarified the department’s policy, explaining that the use of both blue lights and the siren is legally required to establish the right of way for emergency vehicles, especially at intersections or when overtaking othre traffic. “Since the three fire engines in the video are turning off a state highway and have to cross the oncoming lane, the horn is necessary in the published clip,” he explained.
Schonner also noted that the department often uses only flashing lights during nighttime calls to minimize disturbance to residents, but the siren is activated when navigating potentially hazardous situations, such as running a red light.
Highlighting Volunteer Firefighting
The Thannhausen fire department views the video’s success as an chance to raise awareness about the vital role of volunteer firefighters. Landherr emphasized,”Our goal is to show the public how diverse the activities in a volunteer fire department are. Many citizens are not aware that firefighters in the volunteer fire department perform their service unpaid and on a voluntary basis. When this is recognized in such a positive way, it is indeed a nice confirmation for us.”
Published: 2026/01/06 17:01:27