What goes through someone’s mind when they have to decide between life and death in a matter of seconds? Who do we trust when it really matters? And what can emergency responders learn from extreme athletes or political decision-makers? These are just some of the questions explored by PROTECTED, the new podcast from Magirus. Every two weeks, Stefan Gödde – known as the presenter of the ProSieben science magazine Galileo – talks to people from inside and outside the fire service and security industry about safety, responsibility and trust.
The first episode features Magirus CEO Fatmir Veselaj. He talks about his journey from restructuring expert to the top of the company, the challenges of transformation, and the courage to make tough decisions. The conversation covers leadership, trust, and team cohesion, as well as international growth, innovation, and his vision for the future of Magirus.
People at the centre. Safety in focus.
Anyone expecting a Magirus podcast to focus purely on technical discussions about turntable ladders or pumps will be in for a surprise. PROTECTED deliberately looks beyond the world of operational technology and equipment. At its heart are people who protect, rescue, take responsibility and have had extraordinary experiences. Their stories open up new perspectives on the big questions of our time: how do we deal with crises? What makes us more resilient as a society? What role do trust, courage and innovation play when it really matters?
That also means giving a voice to people you might not necessarily expect. Martin Schulz, former President of the European Parliament, provides perspective on the political situation. MEP Lena Düpont talks about European security policy. Firefighter and content creator Marie Trappen shares her experiences as a woman in the fire service and how to inspire young people to take up voluntary firefighting. Thomas Huber of the Huber-Buam talks about making the right decisions in extreme situations. Canoeing Olympic champion Jan Vandrey knows both worlds as an active firefighter: elite sport and emergency response. And thriller author Veit Etzold reveals how even industrial companies can captivate audiences with good storytelling.
A traditional company opens up new perspectives
For more than 160 years, Magirus has served those who protect our society. With PROTECTED, the company gives this commitment a personal voice and opens itself up to dialogue far beyond its own industry. The podcast is aimed at the more than 1.5 million volunteer and around 45,000 full-time firefighters in German-speaking countries, as well as at politics, business, and members of the public with an interest in safety and society.
‘We want to speak openly, listen, and show who we are and what we stand for. At Magirus, many people first think of red vehicles or turntable ladders. That is true, but there is more behind our work: people, responsibility and the big questions concerning all our safety. That is exactly what we want to talk about on PROTECTED – with guests who really have something to say,’ says Stephanie Loser, Head of Global Marketing & Communications at Magirus.
The medium is perfectly suited to this: more than half of Germans listen to podcasts, and for one in three regular listeners, they even rank among the most important sources of information on current affairs.
From Interschutz straight to your ears
PROTECTED is produced together with Podstars by OMR, one of the leading podcast companies in German-speaking countries. With more than 50 podcasts, including successful formats such as »OMR-Podcast«, »FUSSBALL MML« and »FAST & CURIOUS«, as well as numerous bespoke productions for partners such as Vodafone, Deichmann and Zalando, Podstars is a leader in podcast marketing. The first episodes were recorded at Interschutz 2026, the world’s leading trade fair for fire services, rescue, and civil protection in Hanover, in a mobile studio set up directly in the Magirus pavilion.
Host Stefan Gödde guides the conversations, making even complex topics easy to understand without trivialising them. In doing so, he creates space for personal insights and surprising perspectives. ‘We want to inform, but also entertain, surprise, and encourage reflection. Every episode offers a fresh look at what challenges, protects and holds our society together. Our listeners can look forward to many exciting conversations,’ says Stephanie Loser.
PROTECTED – Real stories. New perspectives. And the question of what really protects us.
The first episode with CEO Fatmir Veselaj is available from 22 October 2026. Further episodes will be released every two weeks on Thursdays on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and other podcast platforms.
