Austrian and German disaster relief units secure international certifications

The Austrian Disaster Relief Unit (AFDRU) of the Austrian Armed Forces has successfully completed a two-day intensive exercise, securing renewed official certification for international deployment. During the drills held in Eggendorf and Großmittel, personnel managed four disaster scenarios, utilizing search dogs and technical equipment like acoustic locating devices to find and provide medical care to victims trapped under rubble. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner highlighted the unit's professionalism, noting that based on their scoring, Austria currently possesses the highest-rated search and rescue unit globally.

Simultaneously, the German Technisches Hilfswerk (THW) successfully certified its foreign deployment unit, SEEBA, as a ‘Medium Urban Search and Rescue Team’ (MUSAR) according to United Nations standards. Following a 36-hour exercise in Austria simulating an earthquake scenario, international experts from the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) evaluated the team's ability to locate victims and perform technical rescues through concrete and steel. THW President Sabine Lackner stated that this classification confirms the unit's high technical competence and training standards.