Kolekcionar vatrogasnog znakovlja

Dobrovoljno vatrogasno društvo Vratišinec osnovano je 19. srpnja 1926. godine i bez prestanka djeluje i danas. Inicijator za osnivanje vatrogasne čete, odnosno društva, bio je mjesni učitelj Pelikan Antun, dok su ostali osnivači bili Hinko Kroder – župnik, Škvorc Roko, Škvorc Lovro, Novak Ivan, Lisjak Ivan, Munđar Mijo, Vugrinec Valent, Rihtarec Antun, Kukovec Andrija, Malekoci Antun, Vrančić Vinko, Leško Stjepan, Petković Mijo, Rihtarec Martin i Štefanić Đuro. Na osnivačkoj skupštini odabran je i prvi predsjednik društva Antun Pelikan, dok je prvi zapovjednik postao Roko Škvorc. Dobrovoljno vatrogasno društvo Vratišinec svoj prvi vatrogasni dom na staroj lokaciji, na uglu Školske ulice i Ulice dr. Vinka Žganca izgradilo je i primilo na uporabu već na 10-tu godišnjicu osnivanja, odnosno 1936. godine. Izgradnja vatrogasnog doma zahtijevala je puno odricanja i dobrovoljnog rada, ne samo članova društva već i velikog dijela tadašnjeg stanovništva Vratišinca. Naravno, da sam vatrogasni dom i članstvo nije dostatno za efikasni zaštitu od požara i za obavljanje svih ostalih zadaća, koje su naši članovi društva sa entuzijazmom i voljom obavljali, već je bila potreba bila za nabavkom tehničke opreme, te zaštitnih, radnih i svečanih odijela. Veći dio sve potrebne opreme društvo je nabavljalo prije svega dobrovoljnim prilozima mještana, organiziranjem vatrogasnih zabava (u to vrijeme jedan od glavnih zabavnih događaja u Vratišincu), kao i iz raznih sponzorstava ili donacija od pravnih i fizičkih osoba, te institucija države, od tadašnjih kotareva, SIZ-ova za vatrogastvo općine Čakovec, pa do samostalne Općine Vratišinec. Dvije godina po osnivanju, odnosno 1928. godine društvo je nabavilo ručnu vatrogasnu štrcaljku, koja je i danas ispravna. VATROGASNO ODLIKOVANJE DVD-a Vratišinec utemeljeno 1936.godine i dodijeljeno kao posebno priznanje u povodu 10. obljetnice. U povijesti hrvatskog vatrogastva nikada i nigdje nije zabilježeno. a poslije II. svjetskog rata gubi mu se trag sve do 2005. godine kada je pronađeno. U povodu 80. obljetnice – 2006. godine uspomenu na njega poklanja član Odbora za povijest Hrvatske vatrogasne zajednice Antun Novak, ing. v.v.č. I.klase.

The Volunteer Firefighting Association Vratišinec was founded on July 19, 1926, and has been active without interruption to this day. The initiator for establishing the firefighting unit, i.e. the association, was the local teacher Antun Pelikan, while the other founders were Hinko Kroder – parish priest, Roko Škvorc, Lovro Škvorc, Ivan Novak, Ivan Lisjak, Mijo Munđar, Valent Vugrinec, Antun Rihtarec, Andrija Kukovec, Antun Malekoci, Vinko Vrančić, Stjepan Leško, Mijo Petković, Martin Rihtarec, and Đuro Štefanić. At the founding assembly, the first president of the association, Antun Pelikan, was elected, while the first commander became Roko Škvorc.

The Volunteer Firefighting Association Vratišinec built and inaugurated its first fire station at the old location, at the corner of Školska Street and Dr. Vinko Žganec Street, on the 10th anniversary of its founding, in 1936. The construction of the fire station required much sacrifice and voluntary work, not only from the members of the association but also from a large part of the population of Vratišinec at that time. Of course, having a fire station and membership alone was not sufficient for efficient fire protection and for carrying out all the other duties that the members of the association performed with enthusiasm and dedication. There was also a need to acquire technical equipment, as well as protective, working, and ceremonial uniforms. Most of the necessary equipment was obtained primarily through voluntary contributions from the townspeople, by organizing firefighting festivities (at the time, one of the main social events in Vratišinec), as well as through various sponsorships and donations from legal entities, individuals, and state institutions — from the then districts, Firefighting Self-Financing Communities (SIZs) of the Čakovec municipality, and later from the independent Municipality of Vratišinec. Two years after its founding, in 1928, the association acquired a manual fire pump, which is still in working condition today.

FIREFIGHTING DECORATION

The Vratišinec Volunteer Firefighting Association Decoration was established in 1936 and awarded as a special recognition on the occasion of the association’s 10th anniversary. In the history of Croatian firefighting, such a recognition has never been recorded anywhere else. After World War II, its trace was lost until 2005, when it was rediscovered. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary in 2006, the memory of it was revived thanks to Antun Novak, Eng., Senior Fire Chief 1st Class, a member of the Committee for the History of the Croatian Firefighting Association, who presented it as a gift.