Focus on communication

Floods in the Zillertal: emergency drill

The Schwaz district operations management team collected and processed a wide range of information, which subsequently served as a basis for decision-making.(Bild: Land Tirol/Pölzl)

Heavy rainfall leading to a three-hundred-year flood on the Ziller in the Zillertal, flooded cellars and closed roads after mudslides. What unfortunately happens far too often in summer in times of climate change was only a fictitious scenario this time - for training purposes.

The exercise focused on communication between the emergency services. The Schwaz district operations command and the crisis team of the Zillertal plant group were involved. The fictitious exercise scenario began with increasingly heavy rainfall, which led to a rise in the water level of the Ziller. As the exercise progressed, the enormous rainfall and the failure of the pumps at the power plant ultimately caused the water level to rise to flood level 300 - a flood that only occurs on average every 300 years.

Having mastered numerous exercises as well as real-life challenges in recent years, our official task force is a well-rehearsed team.

Michael Brandl

Water diverted from reservoirs
"As part of the exercise, we first arranged for as much water as possible to be pumped from our large reservoirs into higher reservoirs. The retention areas there ensured that less water got into the Ziller and thus the flood water could initially be kept at a low level despite the rainfall," explains the head of the Zillertal plant group, Marco Fiegl.

VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH - Zillertal plant group also practiced for emergencies with a crisis team.(Bild: Land Tirol/Hofreiter)

Positive results after the exercise
"Even though the scenario is very unlikely, we were still able to learn a lot. Having mastered numerous exercises as well as real-life challenges in recent years, our official task force is a well-rehearsed team. Accordingly, we were also able to master this very complex and challenging scenario well," says BH Michael Brandl.

The members of BEL-Schwaz with BH Michael Brandl and exercise leader Elmar Rizzoli (center).(Bild: Land Tirol/Pölzl)

"The worst thing that could happen to us is that communication doesn't work. That's why the exercise together with the district administration is particularly valuable. We need to know each other well so that we can exchange knowledge quickly in the event of a crisis. It is essential to have the same level of information and an assessment of the respective capabilities of the authorities and power plant operators," says Fiegl. 

The better all players know each other personally and know how the other side works, the better they can communicate and the faster and more efficiently measures can be implemented to ensure the safety of the population.

Astrid Mair

Exercises important for emergencies
For Astrid Mair, State Councillor for Security, such exercises are also an important prerequisite for effective crisis and disaster management: "'Knowing people in a crisis' is a fundamental principle of crisis and disaster management. The better all players know each other personally and know how the other side works, the better they can communicate and the faster and more efficiently measures can be implemented to ensure the safety of the population."