Kolekcionar vatrogasnog znakovlja
DAMIR MARENIĆ
DVD ŽUPANJA
Stari zapisi kazuju da je prije 130 godina u Županji osnovano Dobrovoljno vatrogasno društvo. Navodi se da je i prije osnutka DVD-a u Županji bilo požara, ali nije bilo organiziranog gašenja sve dok jednoga dana nije u tvornici tanina i bačava izbio požar. Tvornica je bila vlasništvo devetorice dioničara iz Engleske, zapošljavala je oko 400 radnika i radila je dok je bilo slavonskih hrastova. Nakon toga požara vlasnici tvornice odlučuju se za preventivu i dolaze na ideju o osnivanju udruženja za gašenje požara. Pri tome su se oslonili na domaće ljude, starosjedioce, u tada maloj Županji. Spominje se tako 1887 godina i požar u tvornici koji je progutao materijal namijenjen za preradu u tanin, te je nakon toga požara u zgradi na početku glavne ulice današnjeg Velikog kraja kućnog broja 5 u gostionici «K zlatnom grozdu «prije 130 godina donijeta odluka o osnivanju vatrogasnog društva. Na Osnivačkoj skupštini 16. lipnja 1887. kako stoji u knjizi «Zapisnik rada» položilo je upisninu 39 članova.
Za predsjednika Skupštine izabran je Josip Benaković, a posao perovođe, povjeren je Vatroslavu Babiću. Nakon što se zahvalio na izboru za predsjednika, Josip Benaković saopćio je sudionicima toga skupa da Frank Hepbourn, jedan od vlasnika tvornice iz svojih sredstava poklanja društvu 250 forinti. Tada je odlučeno da utemeljitelji uplaćuju 30, a podupirući članovi 6 forinti godišnje u korist novoosnovanog društva. Rečena prava su odobrena odlukom Kraljevske hrvatsko — slavonske zemaljske vlade u Zagrebu 17. rujna 1888. godine. Odborničke sjednice u tom vremenu odnosile su se na izbor članova koji moraju rukovoditi zabavom pod nazivom «Katarinski ples», te organizacijom pokladnog plesa s tombolom u gostionici «K zlatnom grozdu».
Nakon 195 dana od osnivanja Dobrovoljnog vatrogasnog društva u Županji prvi puta su članovi DVD-a došli u priliku da gase požar, izbio je 28. prosinca u 8 sati izjutra na štaglju zadruge Razmanović u Piškorevcima današnja ulica Braće Radić. Tridesetak vatrogasaca je s teškom mukom ugasila po prvi puta požar. Na prvoj glavnoj Skupštini 30. prosinca 1988. godine, između ostalog, odlučeno je da se za izostanak u gašenju požara kazni s jednom forintom, dok su dva člana isključena radi nedolaska na vježbe. 15. siječnja 1890. godine na sjednici Odbora prihvaćena je ponuda firme Knaut iz Beča za kupovinu štrcaljke uz cijenu od 540 forinti. Ta štrcaljka dan danas se čuva u spremištu DVD-a Županja. Godine 1894. kod 41 člana DVD-a Županja, prema zaduženju, nalazila se i ova oprema: 41 kaciga, pet sablji, četiri pojasa za sablju, deset zviždaljki, četiri uprtača, 36 pojaseva, 20 sjekirica, osam fenjera, četiri spužve, četiri limena roga, 11 penjačkih užadi i druga sitna oprema. više na stranici DVD-a Županja
Old records say that the Voluntary Fire Brigade was founded in Županja 130 years ago. It is stated that there was a fire in Županja even before the DVD was founded, but there was no organized extinguishing until one day a fire broke out in the tannin and barrel factory. The factory was owned by nine shareholders from England, employed about 400 workers and operated while there were Slavonian oaks. After that fire, the owners of the factory decide on prevention and come up with the idea of establishing an association for firefighting. In doing so, they relied on local people, the natives, in the then small county. The year 1887 also mentions a fire in the factory that swallowed the material intended for processing into tannin, and after that a fire in the building at the beginning of the main street of today's Veliki kraj of house number 5 in the inn "K zlatnom grozdu" 130 years ago a decision was made to establish fire company. At the Founding Assembly on June 16, 1887, as stated in the book "Minutes of Work", 39 members passed the registration fee. Josip Benaković was elected President of the Assembly, and Vatroslav Babić was entrusted with the job of leader. After thanking for the election for president, Josip Benaković told the participants that Frank Hepbourn, one of the owners of the factory, was donating 250 forints to the company from his own funds. It was then decided that the founders would pay 30 and the supporting members 6 forints a year in favor of the newly formed society. These rights were granted by a decision of the Royal Croatian-Slavonian Provincial Government in Zagreb on September 17, 1888. Board sessions at that time referred to the selection of members who must lead a party called "Catherine's Dance", and the organization of a carnival dance with a raffle in the inn "K zlatnom grozdu". After 195 days since the founding of the Voluntary Fire Brigade in Županja, for the first time members of the DVD had the opportunity to put out the fire, broke out on December 28 at 8 am at the barn of the Razmanović cooperative in Piškorevci today's Braće Radić Street. About thirty firefighters put out the fire with great difficulty for the first time. At the first General Assembly on December 30, 1988, among other things, it was decided that the absence for extinguishing the fire was punished with one forint, while two members were expelled for not attending the exercises. On January 15, 1890, at a meeting of the Committee, the offer of the company Knaut from Vienna to buy a syringe at a price of 540 forints was accepted. This syringe is now kept in the DVD storage in Županja. In 1894, 41 members of the DVD Županja, according to the assignment, also had the following equipment: 41 helmets, five sabers, four saber belts, ten whistles, four harnesses, 36 belts, 20 axes, eight lanterns, four sponges, four tin horns, 11 climbing ropes and other small equipment.