ADVERTISING
A creative campaign aims to spark interest in volunteering
Groß-Gerau volunteer fire department is taking a new approach to recruiting new members . They are using a print on pizza boxes to promote volunteer work in the fire department and highlight the importance of volunteer firefighters to the town.
The first boxes were unveiled on Thursday at the Pizza Bar Lounge Da Nico . They bear the slogan "Hungry for true greatness? Then become an everyday hero with us! Your volunteer fire department of the district town of Groß-Gerau." A QR code takes interested parties directly to the fire department's participation page. More pizzerias are expected to join the campaign.
There is no professional fire brigade in Groß-Gerau
Behind this unusual advertising idea lies a serious issue. Despite the large fire station on Nordring, firefighting in Groß-Gerau is carried out entirely by volunteers. The emergency responders from Groß-Gerau, Dornheim, Wallerstädten, and Berkach perform their duties in their free time.
Mayor Jörg Rüddenklau emphasizes the importance of volunteer work and encourages people to join the fire department. He himself served as a volunteer fire chief in Groß-Gerau for ten years and knows the demands from personal experience.
Staffing levels and range of operations
According to Deputy Fire Chief Carsten Kortwig, the Groß-Gerau fire departments currently have nearly 170 active members across all districts. This number is sufficient, but an additional personnel buffer would be desirable. People aged 17 to 65 can join the operational unit; approximately one-fifth of the firefighters are women.
Mayor Rüddenklau would also welcome greater participation from people from different cultural backgrounds, as this could help during operations, especially in dealing with those affected.
319 deployments in 2025
In 2025, the volunteer fire departments in Groß-Gerau responded to a total of 319 incidents. This was in addition to numerous hours of training and drills. Their range of operations extended from fires and technical assistance to traffic accidents and animal rescues. Facilities such as the district hospital, large industrial plants, and their responsibility for highways presented particular challenges.
Support from the catering industry
The campaign is supported by restaurateur Denni Morciano , owner of the Pizza Bar Lounge Da Nico. To kick things off, 2,000 pizza boxes will be printed with the Da Nico logo, while another 2,000 boxes will feature neutral advertising for the fire department. Other restaurants have already confirmed their participation.
(Gross-Gerau-Red/PSGG)
Featured image: The Groß-Gerau volunteer fire department is recruiting members on pizza boxes. The picture shows (from left) Mayor Jörg Rüddenklau, Robert Schichtl, Deputy Fire Chief Carsten Kortwig, Denni Morciano from the Pizza Bar Lounge "Da Nico", Hans Wiederhold, and Frank Senßfelder. Photo: City of Groß-Gerau/Jörg Monzheimer
