Safely up the mountain

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Emergency call 140: Christoph Kainz (left), Christian Hofer, Matthias Cernusca, Thomas Hauser and Sonja Lixl.(Bild: Doris Seebacher)

The hiking season has already begun and brings with it an increased number of mountain rescue missions. The number of avoidable missions should now be reduced with targeted prevention. 

A glance out of the window: Hooray, the sun is shining! Into the car, out into the countryside and up the mountain! In shorts, without rain protection and with inadequate footwear and food. What sounds like a fantastic day trip under a bright blue sky can quickly turn into a nasty adventure in the mountains with horrible weather. Unfortunately, the Lower Austrian Mountain Rescue Service is confronted with this problem all too often.

Many missions due to a lack of equipment
"A third of missions could be avoided if people were better prepared for their hike beforehand," says Christoph Kainz, President of the Lower Austrian Civil Protection Association. 

Never before in history has there been such a good range of equipment as today. And yet we have more deployments due to uninjured people than ever before.

Matthias Cernusca von der Niederösterreichischen Bergrettung

In figures, that's around 250 operations a year that could have been avoided. Be it through better equipment or more targeted preparation. 

As an example, Cernusca cites a recent operation on the Alpenvereinsteig on the Rax. "People simply didn't realize that there was still snow at the top and then just couldn't go any further." 

Christian Hofer (left), Christoph Kainz, Sonja Lixl and Matthias Cernusca present what the right equipment should look like.(Bild: Doris Seebacher)

Cernusca and Kainz warn: no flip-flops on the mountain.(Bild: Doris Seebacher)

What is important? 
First of all, the right preparation. What will the weather be like? Will I be fit enough for the tour? Do I have the right equipment? "Far too often, people call the Alpine emergency number because they are ill-equipped and in distress," says Christian Hofer, deputy head of the Reichenau mountain rescue team, who knows about this problem from his own experience. It is also particularly important to call 140 in good time in the event of a problem. Because the later it gets, the more difficult it is to carry out a helicopter mission. 

Preparation with a YouTube video
The mountain rescuers criticize the ever-increasing "fully comprehensive insurance mentality" of excursionists. "I have a cell phone and insurance anyway and if something happens, someone will come and get me," says Christoph Kainz. People also often lack the correct assessment of distances. "With a climb of five to six hours, you can't leave at 3 p.m.," Kainz continues.

Many people prepare for the tour with a YouTube video and forget to listen to the current weather forecast. "It's much more important to observe the local weather situation and, best of all, ask the locals or the hut warden on site," concludes Cernusca. 

Tips for safe hiking in the mountains can be found at www.bergrettung-nw.at