The flooding events in September in particular placed great demands on the emergency services and contributed to the total of 686,266 deployment hours in direct operations.
Fire service president Robert Mayer sums it up:
"The impressive 63,117 deployments in 2024 show once again that our fire services are on duty around the clock to ensure the safety of the people of Upper Austria. With more than 7.73 million volunteer hours, our members demonstrate exceptional commitment - whether in fires, technical operations or disaster relief. This performance record is a strong sign of the cohesion, professionalism and active camaraderie that characterise our fire service!"
Investing in the future
The state of Upper Austria provides targeted support for the fire services: 70 new vehicles worth 18 million euros were purchased and the C driving licence continues to be funded to ensure operational capability. The innovative DRILL-X drill extinguishing system, which fights fires in a targeted manner, was also introduced and will be rolled out across the country by 2025.
Focus on digitalisation and modern technology
The introduction of the AT-Alert warning system and a modern incident command system (ELS) will further improve communication and coordination. Another forward-looking project is the use of artificial intelligence in drone technologies to detect forest fires at an early stage and fight them more efficiently.
Increasing proportion of women - successful work with young talent
One particular highlight is the doubling of the proportion of women in the last ten years: Over 10,000 women and girls are now active in the Upper Austrian fire brigades, five of whom are even fire brigade commanders. The number of young firefighters continues to grow, with an increase of 562 young people compared to the previous year - an important sign for securing the future of the fire service.
Challenges posed by climate change
The flood operations in 2024 show that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense. Around 16,700 firefighters were on permanent duty in September, dealing with 1,830 operations and 36,500 working hours. The good cooperation with municipalities and companies, which released firefighters from their duties, was crucial here.
The fire service remains the backbone of safety
The fire brigade in Upper Austria is an essential part of the safety structure. Modern technology, targeted training and the tireless commitment of the volunteers guarantee a powerful fire service in the future too.
"Firefighting is more than just operations and technology - it's a way of life,"
emphasises Fire Brigade President Robert Mayer.
