Kolekcionar vatrogasnog znakovlja

Prema pisanom iskazu osnivača Josipa Jordana pojasnio je kako je došlo uopće na ideju o osnivanju dobrovoljnog vatrogasnog društva u Svetoj Nedelji. Kako kaže za sve je bila "kriva" predstava "Kameni svati " u Podsusedu gdje su ju gledali Josip Jordan , seljački sin iz Kerestinca i Ivan Jančinec, seljački sin iz Strmca . Toliko su bili oduševljeni predstavom da su odlučili nešto slično od društvenog rada stvoriti u svom mjestu, Svetoj Nedelji.  Ivan Jančinec je rekao kako ima poznanstva i prijatelje u Americi gdje je djelovao "Klub svetonedeljskih sinova" te bi preko njih pokušao prikupiti novčana sredstva. Josip Jordan bi bio zadužen za organizacijski dio te je pao dogovor da se ide u stvaranje ovog dogovora. To je bilo u jesen 1925. godine.  Nije samo vatrogastvo bila ideja ovog dvojca, nego su tu još bile ideje prvenstveno oko opismenjavanju nepismenog puka, organizaciji pjevačkog i tamburaškog zbora. Međutim smatrali su da bi se kroz osnivanje dobrovoljnog vatrogastva koje bi bilo prihvaćeno objeručke, jer požari u to vrijeme su bili katastrofalni kako za pojedinca pa tako i za cijelo selo, pokrenule i ostale aktivnosti opismenjavanje i kulturno umjetnički život žitelja Svete Nedelje i okolnih sela. 

Pored Josipa Jordana i Ivana Jančinca kao osnivači navode se još Petar Petravić, Pavao Stilinović, Mato Čačković, Dragutin Bašić i Valent Šikac. Nakon inicijativnog sastanka 20. lipnja 1926. godine osnovano je Dobrovoljno vatrogasno društvo Sveta Nedelja. 20.lipnja 1926.godine u Matičnu knjigu zavedeni su prvi članovi i Utemeljitelji: Josip Jordan iz Kerestinca (poljodjelac), Pavao Stilinović iz Svete Nedelje (općinski bilježnik), Mato Čačković iz Svete Nedelje, Matija Josipović iz Strmca (učitelj), Blaž Blažic iz Svete Nedelje, Petar Petravić iz Strmca, Ivan Jančinec iz Strmca, Stjepan Čačković iz Svete Nedelje, Franjo Klemenčić iz Kerestinca, Jakob Katanica iz Brezja, Valent Šikac iz Strmca, Dragutin Bašić. Za prvog predsjednika izabran je Pavao Stilinović, za zapovjednika Matija Josipović a Josip Jordan za tajnika i blagajnika. Kao i sva društva na početku su imali "porođajne muke" jer je trebalo članove osposobiti, a da bi se to uradilo trebalo je prvo društvo opremiti. Tako su u Samoboru 30.06.1927. predsjednik Stilinović i zapovjednik Josipović nazočili prezentaciji motorne štrcaljke tvornice Konrad Rosenbauer iz Linca u Austriji a koja je imala trgovinu u Zagrebu. Ova štrcaljka osim što je imala 8 KS i dva cilindra bila malena a samim time lagana za prenašanje     ( mogla se voziti u običnim kolima) i nije trebala puno ljudi za poslugu. Prezentaciju je vodio Stjepan Javor, trgovac i zastupnik firme . Tako se 1928. godine nabavila ručna štrcaljka i tlačne cijevi i svetonedeljski vatrogasci postali su efikasniji i mobilniji. Inače prva vježba održana je 01.srpnja 1926.godine , a do kraja te godine održano je još 15 vježbi sa 100% odazivom članova.

According to the written testimony of the founder, Josip Jordan, he explained how the idea of establishing a volunteer fire brigade in Sveta Nedelja first came about. As he recalled, it was all “because of” the play Kameni svati (“The Stone Wedding”) in Podsused, which he attended together with Ivan Jančinec, a farmer’s son from Strmec. Josip himself was a farmer’s son from Kerestinec. They were so impressed by the performance that they decided to create something similar in their own town—Sveta Nedelja—through community work.

Ivan Jančinec mentioned that he had acquaintances and friends in America, where the “Club of Sveta Nedelja Sons” was active, and that he could try to gather financial support through them. Josip Jordan was to take charge of the organizational part, and so the two agreed to move forward with this idea. This was in the autumn of 1925.

Their vision was not limited only to firefighting. They also had ideas about promoting literacy among the illiterate population, as well as organizing a choir and a tamburitza ensemble. However, they believed that founding a volunteer fire brigade would be the best starting point, since such an initiative would surely be embraced—given how devastating fires were at the time, both for individuals and for entire villages. Through firefighting, they hoped to also initiate literacy efforts and enrich the cultural and artistic life of the people of Sveta Nedelja and the surrounding villages.

In addition to Josip Jordan and Ivan Jančinec, the other founders were Petar Petravić, Pavao Stilinović, Mato Čačković, Dragutin Bašić, and Valent Šikac. Following the inaugural meeting held on June 20, 1926, the Volunteer Fire Brigade Sveta Nedelja was officially established. On that same day, the first members and founders were entered into the Register:

• Josip Jordan from Kerestinec (farmer),

• Pavao Stilinović from Sveta Nedelja (municipal clerk),

• Mato Čačković from Sveta Nedelja,

• Matija Josipović from Strmec (teacher),

• Blaž Blažić from Sveta Nedelja,

• Petar Petravić from Strmec,

• Ivan Jančinec from Strmec,

• Stjepan Čačković from Sveta Nedelja,

• Franjo Klemenčić from Kerestinec,

• Jakob Katanica from Brezje,

• Valent Šikac from Strmec,

• and Dragutin Bašić.

The first president elected was Pavao Stilinović, the commander was Matija Josipović, and Josip Jordan became secretary and treasurer.

Like every society in its beginnings, they faced “birth pangs,” as members needed to be trained, and for that, the society first had to be properly equipped. On June 30, 1927, President Stilinović and Commander Josipović attended in Samobor a demonstration of a motorized fire pump manufactured by Konrad Rosenbauer from Linz, Austria, whose trading office operated in Zagreb. This pump, in addition to having 8 horsepower and two cylinders, was compact and lightweight—it could be transported in ordinary carts and required only a few men to operate. The presentation was led by Stjepan Javor, a merchant and company representative.

In 1928, a manual fire pump and pressure hoses were purchased, making the firefighters of Sveta Nedelja more efficient and mobile. The first drill was held on July 1, 1926, and by the end of that year, an additional 15 drills had been conducted—with a 100% attendance rate by the members.