Spectacular Exercise: Austria's High-Altitude Rescuers on the Vienna Ferris Wheel

When people find themselves in situations where conventional rescue tools like ladders or turntable ladders fail, specialized high-altitude rescue units of the professional fire brigades are deployed. To be prepared for these demanding operations, the Vienna professional fire brigade is organizing a nationwide training in Vienna from May 13 to 15, involving emergency personnel from 6 federal states.

Three-quarters of a year preparation time for the fire brigade training in Vienna

The training, which takes place every two years, this year gathers 26 trainers from the professional fire brigades of Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz, Salzburg, and Vienna. Preparations for the event, centered at the fire brigade training center in Floridsdorf, took place over eight months. For Vienna, it was the second time after 2023 to host this special training series.

As part of a three-day program, participants went through a diverse training and education concept. In addition to a station operation at the training center, exercises were held at selected urban locations that posed special challenges for the rescue teams.

Not for the faint-hearted: Training at the Vienna Ferris Wheel

A special highlight of the training took place on Wednesday morning in Vienna-Leopoldstadt: Under the eyes of surprised passersby, high-altitude rescuers climbed secured to the highest position of the Vienna Ferris Wheel in the Prater – to then rappel down from one of the gondolas in a controlled manner. With this exercise, the professional fire brigade set a visible sign of the importance of these specialized operations.

"This year, the focus is not only on technical training but especially on the exchange of different methods and experiences," says the Vienna professional fire brigade.

(APA/Red)

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