DRF air rescue saves lives: large-scale exercise Magnitude 2024 in Mosbach

DRF air rescue saves lives: large-scale exercise Magnitude 2024 in Mosbach

Filderstadt (ots)

Shock scenario in the greater Karlsruhe area: An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 was simulated during the catastrophic exercise “Magnitude 2024”! The terrible consequences: 500 injured, 2,000 homeless and an uncertain number of victims. The DRF Luftrettung, as the only civilian provider on site, was ready to start a rescue operation from the inaccessible rubble with an H145 winch helicopter. Numerous aid organizations from all over Europe joined forces to meet this challenge, and DRF Luftrettung contributed its invaluable expertise in winch rescue.

Massive rescue operation in action!

A total of 525 emergency services went to work on the main training day in Mosbach. The spectacular rescue of injured people from the ruins of the simulated earthquake was trained at the Training Center Rescue and Help (TCRH). Aerial reconnaissance of the area was of utmost urgency. Rescuers from the Black Forest Mountain Rescue Service and the International Search and Rescue (ISAR) team were integrated into the helicopter's hovering flight. “We had to pay close attention to the devastating damage on a daily basis,” explains Florian Klinner, head of safety management at DRF Luftrettung.

The emergency services practiced rescuing people with the help of rescue dogs, which not only ran through the rubble but were also transported to the locations on board the helicopter. The red and white H145 helicopter fleet allows for flexible adjustments, meaning that numerous personnel could be efficiently transported for situation assessment in a single flight.

Political support and important insights!

At the same time, political leaders Thomas Strobl, Interior Minister of Baden-Württemberg, and EU Commissioner Janez Lenarcic made a pilgrimage to the training site in the afternoon. They praised the importance of such cross-border training scenarios for civil protection in Europe. “In an emergency, it is crucial that the emergency services act in perfect coordination across national borders,” emphasizes Klinner. The success of this exercise is clear evidence of DRF Luftrettung as a central institution in disaster relief.