With sweat, careful preparation and a lot of know-how, the firefighters in Pinzgau have achieved a unique title. The “Krone” was part of the record in a class of its own.
On Saturday around 12:15 pm, the Floriani from Bruck, together with firefighters from all over Austria, set a very special world record attempt. Against the mighty backdrop of the Glockner Group, they laid a 9,300-meter hose from the Ferleiten toll station to the Edelweißspitze. The framework was formed by the 10th World Fire Truck Championship.
15-year-old record from Carinthia smashed
The firefighters climbed 1,435 meters and laid a total of 465 hoses over hill and valley. The team thus surpassed a 15-year-old record from Carinthia. There the comrades managed to climb 1300 meters. 40 portable pumps, connected in series, provided the necessary pressure in the pipeline. The aggregates, which weigh about 200 kilograms, had to be transported to their place of use beforehand, which required a lot of effort.
“It is tiring, for certain passages you need a good condition”, says one participant.
But the spectacular undertaking was not only physically demanding. “Operating the pump is a real challenge. It is very exciting to balance the pressure in such a way that the water reaches the top without loss of performance”, sums up Marin Miletic from the city of Salzburg. There were minor issues, but in principle everything worked well, which is why it was eventually called “water on” on the Edelweißspitze.
“Very good reference for the Austrian fire brigade”
“For me it is a very good testimony to the high quality and training level of the Austrian fire brigade”, concludes Miletic. A review with which he is certainly not the only one…
Interview: Christian Hutter is the organizer of the 10th World Fire Engine Championship and the initiator of the world record attempt.
Mr. Hutter, how did the idea for the world record come about?
We just needed a slogan for our anniversary at the World Fire Engine Championship. It is very beautiful what has become of it and how many comrades from all over Austria were there!
What were the difficulties in the action?
Definitely the schedule. You have to calculate exactly where which pump should be and what distance it can travel. You have to be really careful with it, otherwise the whole system won’t work. It was certainly also a challenge for the people at the pumps. That was certainly the absolute highlight for the drivers.
Did everything go according to plan?
We certainly had imagined it a little easier. There were minor issues here and there, such as hose breaks. We also had to deal with pressure fluctuations. But all in all, the work was extraordinarily disciplined.
Are you glad you took a chance on the record?
Yes of course! It’s great how the fire brigades from all over Austria have been able to work together.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
