There were a total of 13,795, after 8,246 operations by the Burgenland fire brigades were recorded in 2023. The responsible regional councilor Heinrich Dorner (SPÖ) spoke on Wednesday of an "impressive" statistic, as the number of members also increased.

Burgenland with Over 300 Fire Brigades

In total, there are 314 fire brigades in Burgenland, of which 308 are volunteer fire brigades and six are company fire brigades. In 2023, they had an average of 23 operations per day, and in the previous year, it was 37 per day. The significant increase in the number of operations is attributed by state fire brigade commander Franz Kropf to the flood operations in June throughout the Oberwart district and assistance in Lower Austria.

In 2024, 18,239 members were recorded, of which 2,249 are in the youth fire brigade. "The development of membership numbers is positive and constantly increasing," Kropf expressed his delight. A contributing factor to this is the collaboration with schools as part of the "Together.Safely. Fire Brigade" project.

In the area of training, over 8,500 participants were recorded in face-to-face or online training sessions last year. For example, breathing apparatus training for prison officers is offered, and workshops for door openings or a course for stress management after operations are planned. The operation of an electric tank fire engine and one with a turntable ladder is also taught.

9.6 Million for Burgenland Fire Brigades

The fire brigades were supported with a "record sum" of 9.6 million euros in 2024. Investments were made in buildings, vehicles, or clothing. 6.4 million euros of this went into special procurements such as swap body vehicles, telescopic loaders, or power trailers. This is how the disaster protection concept is being implemented, according to Dorner. The regional councilor has not yet named a funding amount for 2025: "We will try to process all applications positively."

(APA/Red)

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