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Efficient forest fire fighting: Lower Austria's new operational plans
In Lower Austria, 250 forestry plans for efficient forest fire fighting were created. These plans improve the operational capabilities of the fire brigades and should be continuously updated.
Efficient forest fire fighting: Lower Austria's new operational plans
Around 250 special “forest plans for efficient forest fire fighting” have seen the light of day in Lower Austria. These plans are a significant step towards improving fire service response capability and are already being implemented in the Industrial District. According to information that became known on Saturday, an expansion to other parts of the country is planned.
A key aspect of these plans is the precise mapping of forestry routes. In close cooperation with the district forestry authorities and private property owners, the fire departments traveled to the area to collect all relevant data. Joself Huber, the Neunkirchen district fire brigade commander and also project manager, had previously acted as operations manager during a violent forest fire in Hirschwang in 2021.
Efficient preparation for fires
“Our goal is to act quickly and specifically in an emergency,” explains Huber. These plans help the emergency services to immediately identify which routes and vehicles are suitable for getting to the fire. Important factors here are the widths and heights for the passage of larger fire engines. In addition, potential water extraction points and storage areas are marked to ensure a smooth process.
Deputy Governor Stephan Pernkopf (ÖVP) emphasizes the importance of well-developed operational plans: “They are crucial for quickly containing fires.” The finished plans were distributed in the districts of Neunkirchen, Wiener Neustadt, Baden, Bruck an der Leitha and Mödling. In order to always stay up to date, regular exercises and inspections are planned.
In addition to the plans, financial resources are also available: around eleven million euros were invested in 37 special vehicles and over 50 containers with equipment to fight forest fires. These funds come from both the state and the state fire brigade association. The investments show the decisive approach to optimally equipping fire departments for possible forest fires.