A firefighter tried to clear a tree from the road on his way home from a mission, but was overlooked and hit head-on. But helpers across the country were also challenged and in danger on the day before Christmas. The storm and flooding caused by the persistent rain caused numerous missions.
Because he discovered a fallen tree on the national highway in Liebenau on his way home from a mission on Saturday around 5 a.m., a 30-year-old firefighter from the FF Schöneben stopped again. A comrade (52) who followed also stopped his car. Both helpers turned on the emergency lights in their vehicles and wanted to clear the road from the tree. An oncoming driver (25) from Liebenau, who could have been blinded by the high beam that was also on, overlooked the hard-working Florianis.
Seriously injured
The young driver drove head-on into the 30-year-old with full speed. After emergency medical treatment, the firefighter had to be taken to the Freistadt clinic with serious injuries. In general, the entire Friday and Saturday were dominated by the storm “Zoltan” for thousands of volunteers from the fire brigades. There were no other known injuries.
Materl was destroyed
Yet a contemplative Christmas season certainly looks different. There was a lot of demand for the helpers, especially from midnight onwards. During the night hours the biggest problem was the strong wind, with gusts of up to 100 km/h. Ferdinand Kaineder, chairman of Catholic Action Austria, also felt this: “Last night I stood in front of the Christus Materl, which we built ourselves in 2001 with a confirmation group. During the night the storm hit and threw a big tree on our equipment. It is now badly damaged.”
470 missions in 12 hours
The balance on Saturday afternoon: In the past twelve hours, about 5,000 comrades from the 323 fire brigades have carried out more than 470 missions. “About 30 percent of deployment locations can be attributed to flooding and 60 percent to storm operations,” said Clemens Ärzte, officer of the State Fire Command.
Nursing home evacuated
The persistent rainfall led to rising water levels, especially in the Salzkammergut, the Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen region and the Mühlviertel. In Hartkirchen, the nursing home there had to be evacuated because the water in the house was ten centimeters high. A total of 27 residents came to Hartheim. Water levels also rose on the larger rivers, although no major problems are expected there. From this Saturday, the rain is expected to decrease and the situation to improve. The tense emergency services are “cautiously optimistic” about a quieter Christmas.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
