Suche
Operating exercise in Königsdorf: 29 people rescued after traffic accident!
On August 30, 2025, a comprehensive fire service exercise with 17 fire brigades took place in Königsdorf to train tunnel fire tactics.
Operating exercise in Königsdorf: 29 people rescued after traffic accident!
On August 30, 2025, a comprehensive exercise for 17 fire brigades took place in Königsdorf, Jennersdorf. This was organized to test and improve the operational capacity in the area of the underfloor route of the future S7. The exercise scenario included a medical emergency: a traffic accident in which a car was thrown onto the oncoming lane and caught fire. According to [Fireworld] (https://www.fireworld.at/2025/04/bgld- Estores-fuer-17-Feuerwehr-in-unterflurtrasse-der-kuenftigen-s-7-in-koenigsdorf/), the alarm was for the underfloor road via the monitoring center Plabutsch and that LSZ Burgenland.
A total of around 120 firefighters, 45 members of the Red Cross and 8 police officers took part in the exercise. Due to the perfect preparations, the emergency services managed to save 29 people, while some fled from the tunnel in panic and were found by search dogs and a drone of the Red Cross. The exercise was under the direction of HBI Ing. Thomas Braun, the tunnel speaker of the Jennersdorf district, was carried out and aimed to improve communication between the various operational organizations and ASFINAG, to fight fire and to cool the tunnel structure and to optimize the rescue of injuries.
Extended tactics for tunnel fires
At the same time, the expert group of the Salzburg State Fire Brigade Association revised the tactics in tunnel fires. In a new concept, which is mediated in two courses at the State Fire Brigade School, special attention is paid to the responsibilities of the respiratory protection teams. These are divided into the areas of exploring, deleting and searching and rescuing. During a joint exercise in the Helbersberg tunnel, the fire brigades were able to gain parish throwing and throwing practical experience, such as LFV-SBG.
The exercise included a theoretical introduction that took place in the fire station in parish throwing, followed by a practical demonstration in the tunnel. The participants were shown how to use marked escape routes and find water withdrawal points. It was particularly interesting that the exercises took place during a nightly tunnel lock, which gave the emergency services the opportunity to observe the processes in realistic conditions.
The challenges for tunnels
Despite the extensive preparations and the exercises carried out, there is perception in the fire world that emergency services are often limited in extreme tunnel fires. This assessment primarily affects major fires such as those in the Gotthard or Mont Blanc tunnel, where firefighters can usually only penetrate up to 20 meters into the fire area, as [https://www.tunnel-online.info/de/artikel/tunnel_fuer_fuer_Tenbrand-2019519.html). These conditions provide great challenges for the emergency services, which is why continuous training and exercise are of crucial importance.
Overall, the repeated implementation of such exercises and the constant adaptation of the operational tactics shows how important it is to be prepared for future requirements. This is not only guaranteed by the exchange and cooperation of various organizations, but also by innovative teaching methods and practical applications.