The number of rescue missions has doubled in the last ten years, which clearly emphasises the importance of efficient alerting and coordination. Mountain rescue teams must respond quickly and precisely to emergencies in order to save lives. To meet these requirements, a new, modern alerting system was recently introduced, which significantly improves the efficiency and speed of operations.
Even faster and more efficient help in emergencies
The new mountain rescue alert system enables significantly faster and more efficient coordination of the emergency services. Thanks to a digital interface between the Red Cross and the mountain rescue service, the previous process of manually transferring information to the mountain rescue system is no longer necessary. This means that data can now be transmitted directly in real time, saving valuable minutes. Emergency calls under the number 140 are still received by the Red Cross control centre, but the data exchange is now fully automatic.
Klaus Kaiserseder, head of the control centre, explains the great advantage of the new system:
"The big benefit for the mountain rescue team is that all mountain rescuers involved in the operation receive the same information at the touch of a button on their mobile phones."
This information includes all the details of the operation and is available as soon as the emergency call is received.
Information and map directly on the mobile phone
Thanks to automation, the mountain rescue service can now respond to emergencies much more quickly. Michael Gruber, Regional Radio Officer for Mountain Rescue in Upper Austria, emphasises that the rescuers can be on their way just a few seconds after the emergency call.
"Ideally, the coordinates, including a map, are immediately available on our mobile phones - so that we know where the person in mountain distress is located," he explains.
This real-time information enables a targeted approach and avoids wasting time searching for the right route. Another advantage of the system is that the volunteers can report their availability immediately. This means that the incident commander knows in the shortest possible time how many emergency personnel are available. Previously, this exchange often took place via chat groups, which could lead to misunderstandings and gaps in information. The new system simplifies communication considerably and minimises sources of error.
Improvements in search operations
The new system also brings significant improvements to search operations in alpine terrain. Martin Trautwein, Deputy Regional Director Upper Austria, emphasises how important it is to know where the mountain rescuers are or have been.
"It is crucial to know where the mountain rescuers are or have been. The advantage now is that I can also see the locations of the emergency services in the app - via GPS - either via the mobile phone or soon also via their radios," says Trautwein.
This enables the incident commanders to better coordinate the search operations and ensure the safety of the mountain rescuers. Even if a rescuer is travelling in an area without a mobile phone network, the system saves their coordinates and route. As soon as they have reception again, the data is transmitted automatically. This means that no information is lost and the incident command centre is always kept up to date.
A role model for other federal states
The Upper Austrian Mountain Rescue Service is playing a pioneering role in the introduction of the new alerting system. It is one of the first provincial organisations to use this technology so extensively. It is to be expected that other federal states and the Federal Mountain Rescue Association will follow this example.
#It's amazing what is achieved in Austria based on voluntary work.