International Firemen Friendship! (or: How Mario and I became friends)

Few times a year I get Emails asking me for a badge, or a Power-Point Presentation or just general Information about Israel and fire fighting. I do my best to answer  requests.  Last year  I got an extraordinary massege:  "I am a German volunteer fire fighter, I collect fire fighter helmets, please send me a helmet"...  At first I didn't know how to react to this unusual request. I answered: "Unfortunately, we only have 2 helmets for our 20 man fire team, so I can't see how I can help?".  The next day I got a surprising answer  "If you have a need for helmets  I can help"?  A few days later, I received a big package containing 4 beautiful helmets!  We were so glad  we took a photograph with the new helmets and sent it to our new German friend,  Mario Metzner,  together with a very old fire helmet we didn't use anymore.   Mario Metzner, 32, married with one child, is a journalist by profession, and a volunteer fire fighter, in Chemnitz, Germany.  Mario is also a dedicated collector of firemen helmets.  He has 350 helmets from all over the world!   Humbly he says: "It's not a big collection, my friend has 550 helmets?"...  Ever since, we correspond regularly.  Mario has sent us  helmets and firefighting coats, along with many other gifts!   Surely I couldn't match his exceptional generosity, but I've sent him some Israeli helmets as a small contribution to his collection. When Chief Amnon Amir  (AIOSH District  Fire Chief)  heard about Mario's contribution, he urged us to invite Mario to Israel, and to be the guest of honor at a special fire drill which will be held at an Israeli air base.    I recall Mario wrote: "you must know you have a friend in Germany"  We know that for sure, and we appreciate it!

Mario Metzner withe some of his helmets

Izhak, Doron, Amir and Idit, on the weekly practice, wearing 4 new helmets, sent by Mario

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