FPÖ Petition for Volunteer Fire Brigades Launched

The FPÖ demanded more support from the government for volunteer fire departments and for volunteer work in general on Wednesday. The petition "Angesaugt.at - Less Bureaucracy. More Operational Power" can now be supported through signatures, according to Secretary General Christian Hafenecker and Volunteer Spokesperson Harald Thau at a press conference in Vienna.

FPÖ Criticizes

The volunteer fire departments need the best possible framework conditions. This includes, among other things, the extraction of firefighting water from natural bodies of water for exercises. According to the current Water Rights Act, a separate, temporary permit must be obtained in advance. "The fire departments are burdened with unnecessary bureaucracy, long waiting times, a massive restriction in the quality of training, and often also by costs," criticized Thau. A corresponding Freedom Party motion was recently postponed in the committee and thus shelved.

Further demands on the list of demands: Every new member must receive modern personal protective equipment. Additionally, the VAT on the purchase of additional protective equipment must be refunded. There is also a need for labor law protection for firefighters and compensation for those businesses that release their employees for operations. "We envision legally regulated, paid vacation days for training and release models," said Thau. There should also be funding for driver's license extensions, as most fire trucks are trucks.

(APA/Red)

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