Help at the summit

More missions, fewer injuries for mountain rescuers

The local mountain rescue team carried out 756 missions last year. That's an impressive 10,000 working hours!

Rescuing a seriously injured man from an eight-metre deep sinkhole or rescuing a living ski tourer three hours after an avalanche - these are just two examples of the extreme challenges faced by mountain rescuers here in Lower Austria.

But they don't just rush to the aid of injured people. "We have also brought numerous uninjured people who were simply unable to go forwards or backwards safely back down to the valley," explains Matthias Cernusca, Regional Director of the Lower Austrian Mountain Rescue Service. These emergency calls make up a significant proportion of the total number of missions, accounting for almost a third of them. Many are simply not properly prepared. "Overconfidence or changing weather conditions are often the reason for the call-out," says Cernusca. He is particularly annoyed by the "fully comprehensive insurance mentality" of those people "who believe that if something happens, we will be rescued anyway". His appeal: "Better preparation for a mountain tour"

"Have the courage to turn back"
Deputy Regional Director Karl Weber is also quietly critical of this "fully comprehensive insurance mentality". "We're not angry about it and we're not asking for blame, but it would have been better if some missions had been avoidable," says Weber. After all, the mountain rescuers' top priority is not to put themselves in danger. His wish: "Sometimes to have the courage to simply turn back".

We are among the best in Austria in terms of the number of missions. Our balance sheet: more deployments, fewer injuries.

Matthias Cernusca, Landesleiter der Bergrettung NÖ

Many missions for blue and yellow mountain rescuers
The number of mountain rescue missions in Lower Austria even exceeds those in western Austria. "Lower Austria has a special attraction, especially for people from the city," explains Cernusca. Increasingly, many day-trippers are simply relying on their cell phones - whether for the weather forecast or the route.

Record number of volunteer rescuers
The current record number of new volunteer helpers is particularly pleasing. On Sunday, 60 new mountain rescuers will leave the Gemeindealpe in Mariazellerland with top training. They have successfully completed their basic training here and will support the Lower Austrian Mountain Rescue team with immediate effect.

Info: www.bergrettung-nw.at