Petition from the municipalities

Struggle for the new local rescue center in the district

The disaster camp has already been set up in Kühnsdorf.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

A third local Red Cross station in the district of Völkermarkt is under discussion. Four municipalities have now drawn up a petition to find the ideal location.

The construction of the Koralm Railway, the dramatic storms and the optimal accessibility of citizens by emergency paramedics: for some time now, there has been talk of setting up a third Red Cross station in the district of Völkermarkt. The Red Cross has already made provisions and purchased the info box and land from ÖBB. "Our building in Kühnsdorf has already been used as a disaster camp since the summer. It would be the ideal, cost-saving location," says Red Cross President Martin Pirz.

The disaster camp has everything needed for a major event. The location would also be ideal in the event of the Drau Bridge being closed. The municipalities of Sittersdorf, Bad Eisenkappel, Gallizien and Globasnitz have now drawn up a petition.

A location other than Kühnsdorf is out of the question. We don't need to talk about another location at the moment because of the financial situation.

Martin Pirz, Präsident Rotes Kreuz Kärnten

Bild: Evelyn Hronek/EVELYN HRONEK

"We are calling on the Red Cross to carry out an evaluation of where the optimal location south of the Drau could be," says Hannes Mak, member of the provincial parliament. The mayor of Gallizien, like his colleague Elisabeth Lobnik from Eisenkappl, believes that the ideal location for a third local rescue station would be in Sittersdorf. Lobnik: "We are very isolated, the rescue service comes to us up to three times a day because of the nursing home. Sittersdorf would be the ideal place for us." Mayor Gerhard Koller agrees.

Bernard Sadovnik, head of the municipality of Globasnitz: "The best location south of the Drau should be found. It's about offering citizens the best care and speeding up the journey to the village."