Kolekcionar vatrogasnog znakovlja

Dobrovoljno vatrogasno društvo Lepoglava kao Podružnica DVD-a iz Ivanca osnovana je 04. svibnja 1898. godine. Osnivači društva, prema najstarijim zapisima koje posjedujemo u našem društvu, su bili: Antun Kodytek, kao zapovjednik, Mirko Godinić, kao zamjenik zapovjednika, August Pavleković, Đuro Horvat, Ivan Godinić, Janko Hrandek, Stjepan Božak, Vinko Županić i Mijo Horvat kao izvršujući članovi. Društvo je u tom začetku brojilo tridesetak aktivnih članova i vrlo skromnu opremu koja se sastojala od jedne ručne vatrogasne šprice i nekoliko cijevi. Usprkos skromnoj opremi članovi društva su uspješno djelovali na nekoliko zgarišta kao i na onom najvećem u Lepoglavskoj Vesi. Aktivnost društva dobila je podršku od mještana koji su novčanim prilozima pomogli preuređenje šprice za konjsku vuču i nabavku šljemova, baklji za osvjetljavanje, cijevi i ostale potrebne opreme od kojih je nešto očuvano i do danas. Godine 1926. na čelo društva dolazi Stjepan Klas, kao vojvoda, a aktivnosti se ojačavaju na svim poljima djelovanja. Počinje organizirana obuka i vježbe vatrogasaca, te omasovljenje društva, odnosno prijem novih članova u društvo. 20. travnja 1929. godine društvo prestaje biti podružnica DVD-a Ivanec, te se u potpunosti osamostaljuje. Pojačanom i discipliniranom društvu bilo je neophodno vatrogasno spremište s obzirom da se u to vrijeme vatrogasna oprema čuvala po domaćinstvima članova društva, a nije ni postojalo mjesto za okupljanje članova. Na inicijativu vojvode Klas Stjepana odlučeno je da se pristupi gradnji spremišta. U drugoj polovici 1929. godine počinje gradnja spremišta te je trajala nepunih godinu dana. Spremište ne bi bilo izgrađeno da nije bilo pomoći svih mještana od kojih treba posebno istaknuti obitelji Barlek Valenta i obitelji Kodytek.

17. listopada 1937. godine društvo stiče na upotrebu zastavu koja i danas krasi prostorije vatrogasnog doma. Po završetku rata 1945. godine društvo kao ratni plijen prima na upotrebu motornu pumpu tipa Rosenbauer koja se održala u upotrebi sve do 1970. godine. Aktivnost društva, na starim temeljima koji su izgrađeni do 1946. godine dodatno se i nastavlja se kontinuirano do danas. Već 1949. godine društvo je omasovljeno tako da ima tri vatrogasna odijeljenja muških članova, jedno žensko odijeljenje i pionirsku ekipu, te tamburašku sekciju. Oprema se kontinuirano nabavlja i društvo je sve bolje opremljeno. U tom periodu nabavljeno je i prvo motorno vozilo marke „Krup”, električna sirena, te još jedna motorna pumpa s ostalom vatrogasnom opremom neophodnom za rad društva. Ponajviše zahvaljujući poduzetnim članovima društva uz pomoć Saveza dobrovoljnih vatrogasnih društava Narodne republike Hrvatske i Ministarstva unutarnjih poslova, vatrogasni odsjek 29. studenog 1954. godine Narodni odbor Općine Lepoglava dodjeljuje prvu vatrogasnu zastavu na području kotora Ivanec Dobrovoljnom vatrogasnom društvu Lepoglava kao najboljem vatrogasnom društvu. Kao što se vidi, društvo je bilo omasovljeno i opremljeno pa je postojeće spremište bilo premalo, pa se u skladu time javlja potreba za proširenjem i izgradnjom novog vatrogasnog doma, a prve inicijative javljaju se već 1954. godine. Međutim zbog nedostatka sredstava u taj zahvat se kreće tek 1958. godine. Veliku podršku i naročito stručnu pomoć, društvo dobiva od kazneno popravnog doma Lepoglava.

The Lepoglava Voluntary Fire Company as a Subsidiary of DVD from Ivanec was founded on May 4, 1898. The founders of the company, according to the oldest records we have in our company, were: Antun Kodytek, as commander, Mirko Godinić, as deputy commander, August Pavleković, Đuro Horvat, Ivan Godinić, Janko Hrandek, Stjepan Božak, Vinko Županić and Mijo Horvat as executive members. In that beginning, the company had about thirty active members and very modest equipment, which consisted of one manual fire extinguisher and a few pipes. Despite the modest equipment, members of the society successfully worked on several fires, as well as on the largest one in Lepoglavska Vesa. The activity of the society received support from the locals who, with monetary contributions, helped to renovate the syringe for horse traction and purchase helmets, torches for lighting, pipes and other necessary equipment, some of which have been preserved to this day. In 1926, Stjepan Klas came to the head of the company, as duke, and activities were strengthened in all fields of activity. Organized training and exercises of firefighters begin, as well as massing of the company, i.e. admission of new members to the company. On April 20, 1929, the company ceased to be a subsidiary of DVD Ivanec, and became completely independent. A reinforced and disciplined society needed a fire-fighting storehouse, considering that at that time fire-fighting equipment was kept in the households of the members of the society, and there was no place for members to gather. On the initiative of duke Klas Stjepan, it was decided to proceed with the construction of the warehouse. In the second half of 1929, the construction of the warehouse began and lasted less than a year. The storage facility would not have been built without the help of all the locals, of which the Barlek Valenta and Kodytek families should be highlighted.

On October 17, 1937, the company acquired a flag for use that still adorns the premises of the fire station. After the end of the war in 1945, the company received a Rosenbauer type motor pump as war booty, which remained in use until 1970. The activity of the company, based on the old foundations that were built until 1946, has been supplemented and continues continuously until today. Already in 1949, the society was massed so that it has three male fire departments, one female department and a pioneer team, and a tambourine section. Equipment is continuously acquired and the company is better equipped. In that period, the first motor vehicle of the brand "Krup", an electric siren, and another motor pump with other firefighting equipment necessary for the company's work were acquired. Mainly thanks to the enterprising members of the society, with the help of the Association of Voluntary Firefighting Societies of the People's Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of the Interior, on November 29, 1954, the fire department of the People's Committee of the Municipality of Lepoglava awarded the first firefighting flag in the area of Kotor Ivanec to the Voluntary Firefighting Society of Lepoglava as the best firefighting society. As you can see, the company was massed and equipped, so the existing warehouse was too small, so accordingly there was a need to expand and build a new fire station, and the first initiatives appeared as early as 1954. However, due to the lack of funds, this procedure was not started until 1958. Society receives great support and especially professional help from the Lepoglava Penitentiary.