In the "Krone" interview

Pernkopf: “There is never one hundred percent protection!”

Pernkopf headed the crisis team together with the provincial fire brigade commander. They also got a picture of the situation from the air.

(Bild: Antal Imre/Imre Antal)

Stephan Pernkopf is not only the deputy governor of Lower Austria, but also the provincial fire chief. During the flood disaster, he headed the crisis team. The "Krone" asked him for an interview.

"Krone": Mr. Landesvize, how often did you sleep in your own bed last week?
Pernkopf: You have to work in an emergency, you don't count the hours. The provincial command staff was manned around the clock, the comrades were constantly on duty. So was I. Like them, I spent the night in the fire and safety center in Tulln.

"Krone": 70,000 emergency services were and are on duty in Lower Austria alone. How do you maintain an overview?
 Pernkopf: Through good coordination and experienced cooperation in the command team. It's a close-knit community of absolute professionals. You could say that every cog in the machine works together, even if it is hectic and sometimes loud. But in the end, it all comes down to clear decisions and quick reactions.

"Krone": What were the biggest challenges for you during the storm operation?
Pernkopf: There has never before been a flood event of this magnitude that inundates the entire country. This also means that the disaster reports came in from all over the country and almost simultaneously to the command staff, even in the middle of the night. This made the team spirit in this exceptional situation all the more impressive. Everyone, really everyone, immediately recognized the drama and the seriousness of the situation, even though it was 4 o'clock in the morning.

"Krone": 1.6 billion euros have been invested in flood protection since 2002. Has this now paid off?
Pernkopf: Absolutely. And yes, I am well aware that other images dominate, especially in the affected areas. 800 protection projects have been implemented since 2002. They have proved their worth and in many cases prevented more massive damage and greater suffering. In Fahrafeld in the Triestingtal, huge volumes of water were intercepted by new retention basins, the lower Kamptal held, Hofstetten-Grünau has proved its worth, but many smaller basins and stream widening measures have also helped. In addition, of course, there are the massive protective structures in the Danube communities, which were still flooded several meters high in 2002. But one thing is clear: there can never be one hundred percent protection. Nevertheless, we are continuing to expand on a massive scale, with a further billion euros being invested by 2040.

"Krone": The whole of Lower Austria has been declared a disaster area. Can anything shake you now?
Pernkopf: Perhaps not shaken, but the shock is enormous in every disaster when you see the damage and the suffering. But then there are also moments full of confidence and hope, such as when the fire department relief trains from other provinces arrived here full of motivation to help, or when the Black Hawks took off to secure the flood protection dams.