Firefighters of Croatian roots in Chile are crying out for the heirs: ‘Young people have no interest in this’

Saturday night is in Punta Arenas, a city in southern Chile, but 31-year-old Pedro Mimiza is not on night out. When he comes out with his colleagues from the « 4th Croat Bomb Fire Company » means that it burns in a city with 145,000 inhabitants.

« It’s calm for now, but it’s never known, » Mimiza tells Hina next to a red truck with a Croatian coat of arms.

That « bomb », that is, a firefighter, is Croatian roots in night. With a colleague and a truck driver purchased in 2014. She looks at her cellphone. When they receive a call to help, they inform their colleagues through the Viper application.

Croata bomb is a voluntary fire company founded by Croatian emigrants upon arrival in that South American city of 1902. They arrived from the shores of Dalmatia in search of work, and soon these new cattlemen, traders and entrepreneurs formed a brigade to help neighbors. So they thanked them for their hospitality in that distant country.

The company received number 4 because before him Punta Arenas was founded by « Bomb Magallanes », « Bomb Chile » and « Aleman bomb » bomb.

The Croatian emigrants were collecting tools, reheating, and then bought the first Studbaker Studbaker vehicle from Zagreb.

There are 54 Volunteer firefighters in the company today, with three vehicles, and Mimiza is a secretary.

‘We do not extinguish the fire, but with the axes and the ladder …’

They had their latest intervention on March 2, when a house in southern Punta Arenas caught fire. The fire broke out because the clothing was probably on fire due to excessive heating.

Alvaro Fuentes, a 28-year-old who has been in the Croatian Brigade since 2019, received a call from home that day. He came to the scene, entered a fire truck with fifteen seats, dressed a fire suit and started helping people in a burning house.

« Unlike other firefighting companies, we do not extinguish fire, but with axes and ladder we help those who extinguish and pull out the injured, » explains this medical student. The Croata bomb also provides medical attention, and Fuentes will do just that after graduation.

Today it is no longer necessary for the firefighter to have Croatian roots.

« I joined because I wanted to help others, without looking for something in return, » Fuentes says. « Since I was close to a Croatian family, I wanted to be in the bomb of Croatia. »

« We have not had a single martyr or injured firefighter since its inception, » Mimiza notes.

He came to the Croat bomb for the first time at the age of 10 because he had always loved firefighters. At that time there was a school for children, and the firefighter became 16 years old, not 18 as they are today.

« The fire school took place on weekends and had to have good grades in elementary and high school so that he could take the course, » Mimiz recalls. Today, there is no longer a « children’s brigade » that threatens the future of this society.

« It is a big challenge to recruit young people. Among them is the interest in firefighting, so it is necessary to establish a brigade of young people again, » he notes.

Mimiza became a firefighter in 2003 when his grandfather, also a firefighter of Croatian roots, died.

« I was admitted next day. I continued my family tradition, » he says.

The Croata bomb has always had about the same number of members and is in charge of the entire Punta Arenas. The oldest member is 80 years old and « while your body allows » is coming out.

A month ago, 18-year-old Martina, the youngest member of the Croata bomb, joined the company. She is one of six women in the unit.

The Croata bomb receives money from the city and the state of Chile for firefighting, but that is not enough, so the « Damas Croatas » female group from the local Croatian club has donated $ 1,000. There is no established cooperation with Croatia and its firefighters.

Mimiza says they have kept the Croatian identity in that area of ​​the world over 123 years.

« People in Punta Arenas recognize us for our Croatian coat of arms, » ​​he notes. « Especially when we come to their aid. »