Before all the firefighters and invited guests met in the square in front of the Community Center in Ocice, a Holy Mass for the firefighters was held at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Color guard units also took part in it and then marched to the ceremony venue. The procession was closed by a rescue and firefighting vehicle, which has only recently become available to the firefighters. (Below is a video made by Stefańczyk Studio.)
In front of the Community Center, the ceremony commander, firefighter Łukasz Musiał, reported to firefighter Zbigniewowi Bożęckiemu, president of the District Branch of the Association of Volunteer Fire Brigades of the Republic of Poland in Bolesławiec, that the units were ready for the ceremony.
On behalf of the host, Zdzisław Piwowarski, president of the Ocice Volunteer Fire Service, the arriving guests were welcomed. They included, among others, Cezary Przybylski, Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship; firefighter Henryk Leśków, vice president of the Board of the Voivodeship Branch of the Association of Volunteer Fire Brigades of the Republic of Poland; Aleksander Marek Skorupa, president of the Voivodeship Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Wrocław; as well as local government officials, representatives of the District Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Bolesławiec, and sponsors.
Perhaps the most important part of the ceremony for the firefighters was the official handover of the keys to the rescue and firefighting vehicle by Marshal Cezary Przybylski and Bolesławiec Municipality Head Andrzej Dutkowski to firefighter Stanisław Purpur, chief of the Ocice Volunteer Fire Service, and firefighter Marcin Krzeszowiec, the unit’s driver. (In addition, the fallen firefighters were honored with a minute of silence.)
The anniversary was also an opportunity to present medals and expressions of thanks. The Gold Medal for Merit in Firefighting was awarded to: firefighter Eugeniusz Nowak, firefighter Stanisław Purpur, and firefighter Antoni Szuk. The Outstanding Firefighter Badge was awarded to firefighters Łukasz Biegacz, Przemysław Chmielowiec, Mateusz Kopała, and Marcin Krzeszowiec. Commemorative medals were also presented to all the invited guests who always support the firefighters in their difficult service.
The history of the Ocice Volunteer Fire Service was presented by President Zdzisław Piwowarski, while the invited guests handed him numerous letters of congratulations and small gifts. Chief Stanisław Purpur presented special thanks to Municipality Head Andrzej Dutkowski, thereby emphasizing that Bolesławiec Municipality continuously supports the Volunteer Fire Service.
The ceremony concluded with a commemorative photograph, after which the guests moved to the Community Center. More photos are available on the Facebook profile of the Volunteer Fire Service in Ocice.