Varaždin Firefighters Win Silver at World Firefighting Olympics
In addition to the sporting achievement, Deputy Mayor Miroslav Marković highlighted recent interventions that demonstrated the unit's readiness and composure.
In addition to the sporting achievement, Deputy Mayor Miroslav Marković highlighted recent interventions that demonstrated the unit's readiness and composure.
A ceremonial reception was held at the Varaždin City Council on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, for members of the Varaždin City Public Fire Brigade. The occasion was the silver medal they won at the world firefighting competition, the CTIF Firefighting Olympics in Eisenstadt, Austria, where they took second place in the Men's B category, which includes professional fire brigades with members over 30 years of age.
The event was organized by Miroslav Marković, who serves as Deputy Mayor of Varaždin and is also a member of the Croatian Parliament. Mayor Dr. Neven Bosilj congratulated the firefighters on their success immediately after the competition, and today's gathering was an opportunity to once again honor them, while highlighting their role in ensuring the safety of citizens.
The history of the Varaždin unit's participation in world CTIF competitions spans more than seven decades. It began in 1966 in Karlovac, and the competitive team has been active since that same year. Through rigorous national qualifications, they have qualified for a total of seven world Olympic showcases, achieving historic results along the way.
As noted by Božidar Horvat, Deputy Commander of the Varaždin City Fire Brigade, they secured their qualification for the world showcase by winning the professional B category at the national firefighters' competition, held last year in Novalja.
Marković, congratulating the firefighters, emphasized that the silver medal is a major international recognition, but also a confirmation of the level of knowledge, readiness, and training they demonstrate in their interventions.
"The silver won among the best firefighters in the world is a result that deserves our great respect. However, the true value of this team is best seen when the phone rings and someone needs help. Just a few days before this reception, our firefighters took part in extinguishing a large fire at a warehouse facility in Varaždin, an extremely demanding intervention accompanied by explosions, involving around fifty firefighters, which, thanks to a swift and coordinated response, ended without any injuries. In early August, they rescued a sixteen-year-old girl from a burning apartment on the tenth floor. In such situations, there is no second chance, no rehearsal, and no room for error; knowledge, training, mutual trust, and composure can literally mean the difference between life and death. That is precisely why the value of this medal goes beyond the competitive result, as it confirms that the citizens of Varaždin can count on top-tier professionals in their most difficult moments. This reception is an opportunity to congratulate them on the silver and, on behalf of all citizens of Varaždin, to thank them," said Marković.
Horvat, who is the Deputy Commander, expressed gratitude to the City of Varaždin for its ongoing support and emphasized that firefighting competitions are crucial for maintaining a high level of training, teamwork, and operational readiness. According to him, the Varaždin team of ten members, with their performance in Eisenstadt, once again proved their consistency in achieving top results.
