Firefighters’ Day in Belarus: a parade of modern and classic fire vehicles, demonstrations and games

Those who come to our rescue in emergency situations showed the skills in Minsk’s downtown on 22 July in the run-up to Firefighters’ Day.

The celebration started with a solemn memorial ceremony at the Victory Monument. The most spectacular and probably the most anticipated show was a parade. Accompanied by a wind band, young rescuers and veterans of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry walked from the Belarusian circus to Victory Square. Some of them were dressed in throwback uniforms, some were wearing modern uniforms. The parade helped the viewers learn more about the history of Belarus’ emergency service.

A column of emergency vehicles included rare vehicles, for instance, horse-drawn fire trucks of the 19th and 20th centuries, the equipment of the 1930s-1960s, and also cutting-edge vehicles of the Emergencies Ministry, including a unique 90m-high lifting platform.

The parade was followed by a large-scale entertaining program in the Gorky Park: a dispaly of vehicles and equipment, contests, performances and workshops by rescuers, a true-to-life show to rescue people from water, and many other events.

Dozens of events also took place in regional capitals. By the way, next year Belarusian firefighters and rescuers will mark the 165th anniversary of Belarus' emergency service. The first fire department was established in Minsk on 25 July 1853 by the city authorities. Back then, it included one chief firefighter, two senior officers, and forty-eight junior firefighters.