Kolekcionar vatrogasnog znakovlja
DAMIR MARENIĆ
DVD PETRINJA
Nakon podužih priprema i temeljitih predradnji u Petrinji je dobrovoljno vatrogasno društvo osnovano 29. kolovoza 1880. na “svečanoj glavnoj skupštini za konštituiranje društva, održanoj u gradskoj viećnici”. Tako ja zapisano u starim dokumentima, a kojima se podrobno opisuje poduži tijek priprema za osnivanje DVD. Potreba za dobro organiziranim gasiocima osjećala se u našem gradu godinama mnogo prije 1880. jer “pomišljalo se da se oživotvori obće korisna inštitucija, koja bi po svojoj svrsi dovstruko djelovala, čuvajući i braneći na ime dobra bližnjega od elementarnih nepogoda, kad bi ova zaprietila ili buknula, s jedne strane, a podizuć družtveni život duhom sloge i jedinstva, s druge strane”. Dok se ovo nije ostvarilo po Petrinji se primjenjivao tzv. vatrogasni red, s pisanim općenitim pravilnicima i zaduženim ljudima za gašenje požara. Bilo je to sve nedovoljno i nedostatno za punu spremnost i organiziranost u slučaju opasnosti. “U prevelikoj revnosti mnogi su se kod požara laćali posla koji im se svidio, a bez rukovođenja i stručnosti više se smetalo, stvarao nered i komešanje, nego što se stvarno pripomoglo u svladavanju vatre.” Gradsko zastupstvo, kao prezentant grada i gradske općine, 12. rujna 1872. godine donijelo je “rezoluciju” o izradi pravila vatrogasnog društva po kojima će se ustrojiti svekoliki rad i djelovanje. Godinu dana kasnije, 8. listopada 1873. prva pravila petrinjskog vatrogasnog društva potvrdila je nadležna krajiško-zemaljska uprava u Zagrebu, ali društvo ipak još tada nije utemeljeno. U ljeto godine 1874. općina je dobila u vlasništvo erarijalnu sušu, a II banska pukovnija poklonila je dvije bolje štrcaljke, uz nekoliko ostalih vatrogasnih predmeta, ali zbog stalnih promjena u gradskoj upravi i uslijed nedostatka novca, nikako se nije osnivalo društvo.
Povoljne okolnosti bile su u jesen 1879. kada je Građansko zastupstvo na sjednici 25. 10. 1879. predložilo u proračunu za 1880. godinu 2.500 forinti za kupnju dviju najnovijih štrcaljki i popravak dotadašnje stare i dotrajale opreme. Već početkom 1880. gradski načelnik Stjepan Pejaković priopćio je kako su prema listopadskom zaključku nabavljene vatrogasne štrcaljke, a poradilo se odmah na prikupljanju sredstava za nabavku poterbiti cijevi i „spreme za vučenje vode kroz schlauch”. Od tog vremena intenzivirani su svi poslovi za konačni ustroj društva. 4. kolovoza 1880. svekolikom punoljetnom pučanstvu Petrinje upućen je poziv „da bez razlike na stališta. Svi koji osjećaju volje i sposobnosti za oživotvorbu toli liepe i korisne svrhe, izvole potruditi se doći u gradsku vječnicu, na prethodnu skupštinu, u kojoj će nastojati čim prije oživotvoriti dobrovoljno vatrogasno društvo”. Mnogobrojni nazočni te nedelje imenovali su 13 članova „ustrojnog odbora”, a već u ponedeljak popodne na čelo tog odbora izabran je Miroslav Ebner, za perovođu Nikola Kos, a za blagajnika Dragutin Zernek. Tijekom kolovoza trajao je upis u društvo, a do 29. kolovoza 1880. kada je održana glavna konstituirajuća skupština, u društvu je već bilo upisano 36 utemeljitelja, 98 podupirajućih i 108 izvršavajućih članova. Na mnogobrojnoj posjećenoj glavnoj skupštini jednoglasno su za prve čelnike DVD Petrinja izabrani: vojvoda Miroslav Ebner, podvojvoda Niko Vujatović, za odbornike između izvršavajućih članova Adam Trivanović i Mijo Rastovac, a iz podupirajućih članova još su izabrani Bonifacio Cettolo i Glišo Matiević. 12. rujna održana je tzv. zavjetna skupština na kojoj su vatrogasci položili zakletvu slijedećeg sadržaja: „Obavezujemo se svojim poštenjem, kao članovi vatrogasnog zbora da ćemose držati društvenih pravila i zapovijedi pretpostavljenih poglavara točno slušati”.
18. rujna konstituiran je upravljajući odbor izabravši ta tajnika Nikolu Kosa, a za blagajnika Dragutina Zerneka. Isti dan umoljena je agentura Osiguravajućeg društva „Adriatic” za novčanu potporu od 100 forinti. Novom društvu odmah je stigla novčana potpora i ina pomoć, pa je na jesenskim sjednicama Gradskog vijeća Petrinje odobreno 300 forinti, odlučeno je o valjanom popravku vatrogasne suše uz pregradnju i uređenje stana za pazitelja gasilačkih sprava, a iz „Kotar šume” odobrena je besplatna građa za gradnju vatrogasdnog tornjaneophodnog za vježbe vatrogasaca. Toranj je gradio tesar Ivezić, Joso Parac imenovan je paziteljem gasilačkih sprava i društvenim podvornikom, a sklopljena je i pogodba o nabavciradničke zaštitne odjeće. Svečanu vatrogasnu odoru (paradnu uniformu) morao je svaki vatrogasac sam seb o vlastitom trošku napraviti, uz pridržavanje boje i tkanine. 2. siječnja 1881. započelo je vježbanje vatrogasaca, a 2. veljače 1881. „priređen je sjajan ples u prostorijah Narodne čitaonice”, prva takva vatrogasna zabava, koja je postala petrinjska atrakcija svake veljače i tradicija svih idućih desetljeća postojanja i djelovanja našeg društva. U proljeće 1881. godine na više sjednica čelništvo DVD donijete su financijsko-radne odluke, među kojima i zaključak kako će se svečani veliki i masovni vatrogasni zbor organizirati obavezno svake godine 4. svibnja, na dan Sv. Florijana, zaštitnika vatrogasaca, zatim na rođendan cara i kralja, te na Tijelovo i na Bogojavljanje. Novo društvo u prvim mjesecima svog postojanja učilo je i „prohodavalo”, krenulo se bez iskustva i stručnosti, pa je tako „g. Uric iz Gline pozvan na uvježbavanje vođa odsjeka i vodnike-predvodnike”, a svi vlasnici konja, jer je oprema bila na konjsku vuču, pozvani su i zamoljeni za pomoć u prijevozu. Utvrđena je i nagrada od jednog dukata za najbržu konjsku zapregu koja će stići na požarište, dok je druga posada pristigla na gašenje požara dobila jednu forintu. Dogovorena su i pravila glede sahrane članova društva, a odmah poslije utemeljenja DVD Petrinja poradilo se na osnivanju gradske vatrogasne glazbe.
After long preparations and thorough preliminary work, the voluntary firefighting company was founded in Petrinja on August 29, 1880, at the "ceremonial general assembly for the constitution of the company, held in the town hall". This is how it is written in old documents, which describe in detail the long course of preparations for the establishment of DVD. The need for well-organized firemen was felt in our city years before 1880, because "it was thought that a generally useful institution would be brought to life, which would do double duty according to its purpose, guarding and defending in the name of the good of the neighbor from natural disasters, when this threatened or flared up, on the one hand, and raised social life in the spirit of harmony and unity, on the other hand". Until this was realized according to Petrinja, the so-called fire brigade, with written general regulations and people in charge of extinguishing fires. It was all insufficient and insufficient for full preparedness and organization in case of danger. "In overzealousness, many people lied about the work they liked when there was a fire, and without leadership and expertise, it was more of a nuisance, creating disorder and commotion, than actually helping to control the fire." On September 12, 1872, the city council, as a representative of the city and the city municipality, passed a "resolution" on the creation of rules for the fire department, which will organize all work and activities. A year later, on October 8, 1873, the first rules of the Petrin firefighting company were confirmed by the competent regional and land administration in Zagreb, but the company was still not founded at that time. In the summer of 1874, the municipality took ownership of a fire extinguisher, and the 2nd Ban regiment gave two better fire extinguishers, along with several other firefighting items, but due to constant changes in the city administration and lack of money, the company was never founded.
Favorable circumstances were in the autumn of 1879, when the Citizens' Assembly, at its session on 25 October 1879, proposed 2,500 forints in the budget for the year 1880 for the purchase of the two newest syringes and the repair of the previously old and dilapidated equipment. Already at the beginning of 1880, the mayor of the city, Stjepan Pejaković, announced that according to the October conclusion, fire extinguishers had been purchased, and work was immediately started on collecting funds for the purchase of hose pipes and "preparations for drawing water through the schlauch". From that time, all the work for the final organization of the company was intensified. On August 4, 1880, the entire adult population of Petrinja was sent an invitation "to vote without distinction. Everyone who feels the will and ability to revive these beautiful and useful purposes, please make an effort to come to the city hall, to the previous assembly, where they will try to revive the voluntary fire brigade as soon as possible". The numerous people present that week appointed 13 members of the "organizational committee", and already on Monday afternoon Miroslav Ebner was elected as the head of that committee, Nikola Kos as the pilot, and Dragutin Zernek as the treasurer. Registration in the society continued during August, and by August 29, 1880, when the main constituent assembly was held, 36 founders, 98 supporting and 108 executive members were already registered in the society. At the widely attended general assembly, the following were unanimously elected as the first leaders of DVD Petrinja: duke Miroslav Ebner, vice duke Niko Vujatović, Adam Trivanović and Mijo Rastovac as councilors between the executive members, and Bonifacio Cettolo and Glišo Matiević were also elected from the supporting members. On September 12, the so-called the oath assembly where the firefighters took an oath with the following content: "We pledge our honesty, as members of the fire brigade, to adhere to social rules and to obey the orders of superiors exactly".
On September 18, the managing committee was constituted, electing Nikola Kos as secretary and Dragutin Zernek as treasurer. On the same day, the agency of the "Adriatic" Insurance Company was asked for financial support of HUF 100. The new company immediately received financial support and other help, so at the autumn sessions of the Petrinja City Council, 300 forints were approved, it was decided to properly repair the fire extinguisher along with the remodeling and decoration of the apartment for the keeper of the fire apparatus, and free materials were approved from the "Kotar šume" for the construction of a fire tower necessary for fire fighters' exercises. The tower was built by the carpenter Ivezić, Joso Parac was appointed caretaker of the fire extinguishers and social steward, and a contract was concluded for the supply of workers' protective clothing. Each firefighter had to make the ceremonial fireman's uniform (parade uniform) himself at his own expense, observing the color and fabric. On January 2, 1881, firemen's training began, and on February 2, 1881, "a great dance was organized in the premises of the National Reading Room", the first such firemen's party, which became an attraction of Petrinja every February and a tradition for all the following decades of our society's existence and activity. In the spring of 1881, at several meetings of the leadership of the DVD, financial and work decisions were made, among which was the conclusion that a large and massive fire brigade will be organized every year on May 4, on the day of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, then on the birthday of the emperor and the king, and on Corpus Christi and Epiphany. In the first months of its existence, the new company was learning and "walking", it started without experience and expertise, so "Mr. Uric from Glina was invited to the training of section leaders and sergeants-leaders", and all horse owners, because the equipment was horse-drawn, were invited and asked for help with transportation. A reward of one ducat was established for the fastest horse-drawn carriage that would arrive at the fire scene, while the second crew that arrived to extinguish the fire received one forint. The rules regarding the funeral of members of the society were also agreed upon, and immediately after the establishment of DVD Petrinja, work was done on the establishment of the town's fire brigade band.