After floods

Province wants to be prepared in the event of a disaster

The work of the fire department is invaluable in the event of a disaster.

(Bild: Manfred Fesl)

Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP) insists on the preservation of the disaster fund and the expansion of protective structures. He wants to spend 50 million euros a year or more on this.

Those responsible in the Vorarlberg state government have taken the recent floods in eastern Austria as an opportunity to once again take a close look at the corresponding precautions in the state. Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP) has identified four points that are crucial for safety: decentralized disaster protection, decentralized fire departments, the disaster fund and the maintenance of integral flood protection.

The work of the fire department is priceless
According to Wallner, it is extremely important - with good cooperation with the federal government - to leave disaster control in the hands of the federal states and municipalities. The value of decentralized fire departments with their locations in every municipality and the huge volunteer commitment must also be appreciated. More than 7000 firefighters in the state worked over 100,000 hours in 5500 operations last year. At an hourly wage of 40 euros, that would be four million euros, Wallner calculates. He is therefore committed to the state's task of providing training and equipment.

The state will continue to invest in flood protection. The current sum of 50 million euros per year is likely to increase.

Markus Wallner, Landeshauptmann

Vorarlberg is also "intensively" committed to maintaining the disaster fund that has existed since the 1960s. In addition to financial support for repairing damage, its tasks also include procuring equipment for the fire departments and investing in torrent and avalanche control. "An insurance solution can never achieve this," emphasizes Wallner. He and Provincial Councillor Christian Gantner (ÖVP) firmly reject compulsory private insurance - this would only shift responsibility onto private individuals.

Compulsory private insurance only shifts responsibility onto private individuals. This is a matter for the state and federal government.

Christian Gantner, Landesrat

In terms of flood protection, the state wants to continue the investments of recent years. The current sum of 50 million euros per year is likely to increase, Wallner assumes. The state wants to maintain integral flood protection. This involves the development of waterways, spatial planning, disaster protection and private property protection.