Fire departments in Germany and Austria conduct training drills

Various fire departments across Germany and Austria conducted specialized training exercises and performance evaluations in October 2026.

In Esslingen, Germany, the Oberboihingen fire department hosted the performance badge assessment (LAZ). Twenty-nine groups participated, with 18 teams earning bronze badges and 11 earning silver. In Neustadt/Aisch, multiple fire departments from the Neustadt district prepared for a hazardous material leak drill at the Franken Brunnen facility to practice inter-agency cooperation.

In Austria, the Vöcklabruck district held a respiratory protection performance test at the ÖBB site in Attnang-Puchheim. Thirty-two teams competed, with 34 bronze, 29 silver, and 30 gold badges awarded to successful participants. Additionally, the Aurach am Hongar volunteer fire department conducted a large-scale vegetation fire drill titled ‘Der Hongar brennt’. The exercise involved 151 firefighters and 22 vehicles, focusing on water supply logistics and communication in difficult terrain to prepare for potential forest fires.