illwerke vkw conducts large-scale emergency drill in Rodund

Approximately 200 emergency responders participated in a large-scale disaster simulation on Wednesday evening at the illwerke vkw technical maintenance site in Rodund, Austria. The exercise simulated a major fire breaking out in a paint shop on the 6,600-square-meter facility.

The scenario involved multiple complex challenges, including thick smoke, missing persons, and employees trapped in an adjacent office building. Responders utilized aerial ladders to rescue trapped individuals, while specialized teams using heavy breathing apparatus searched for simulated missing persons.

The Red Cross was integrated into the drill to manage the care of simulated casualties, testing the coordination between fire services and medical emergency teams. Johannes Netzer, Vice Commander of the illwerke vkw plant fire brigade, noted the exercise was successful. The results will be used to develop a guide for future large-scale emergency operations.