Large-scale crisis exercise at Vienna Airport

2023-11-17 06:49:06

LR Königsberger-Ludwig: Successful training for professional interaction in an emergency

St. Pölten (OTS) – Yesterday, Thursday, a large-scale crisis exercise at Vienna Airport trained how to work optimally with authorities, emergency services, rescue organizations and companies in an emergency. The exercise scenario was dealing with a passenger on board an aircraft who was diagnosed with a highly infectious disease. Training was given on what measures should be taken on board and following landing, how coordination with the authorities and emergency organizations is carried out and what effects such an event can have on operational processes. The Lower Austria State Medical Directorate, the Bruck an der Leitha District Authority, the Fire Department and Civil Defense Department of the State of Lower Austria, the Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Flughafen Wien AG, Austrian Airlines, Lower Austria Emergency Call (Control Center), the Special Infection Control Center were involved. and Lower Austria support unit of the Austrian Red Cross and the Austrian Workers’ Samaritan Association, the Schwechat city police command, the Favoriten clinic and the hygiene center of the city of Vienna. The exercise took place from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on board an Austrian aircraft, on the airport apron and in a demarcated terminal area. Around 80 people from all organizations involved were involved, including around 30 test passengers on board the aircraft.

“I am pleased to report that today’s large-scale exercise was very successful. Above all, the professional interaction of the authorities, organizations and units involved ensured an optimal process. I would like to express my thanks to everyone involved. “My special thanks go to Vienna Airport and Austrian Airlines, who made it possible to hold the emergency exercise under realistic operational conditions,” says Lower Austrian State Health Councilor Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig, who followed the exercise on site.

“Crisis exercises like this take place regularly at Vienna Airport and are very important in order to train communication and cooperation with all organizations and partners involved. This ensures that everything runs smoothly in an emergency. We would like to thank all organizations, authorities and partners involved for the very good cooperation, which was successfully demonstrated in this exercise,” said the board members of Flughafen Wien AG, Julian Jäger and Günther Ofner.

“In the aviation industry, conducting crisis exercises is of great importance. Various processes must be practiced to ensure smooth operations in an emergency. Mistakes are not an option in our industry; seamless interaction between all organizations is crucial. We therefore welcome and support the joint exercises of the Lower Austria regional organization, which simulate a fictitious crisis in close cooperation with various stakeholders at Vienna Airport. We are proud that Austrian Airlines is once once more taking on a significant role in the exercise this year,” says Francesco Sciortino, COO of Austrian Airlines.

“For such special operations, Emergency Call Lower Austria supervisors and back office employees can set up mobile control center workstations at any time and anywhere and put them into operation immediately. In the event of a crisis or emergency, we are the communication hub and use the latest technology to ensure a smooth operation,” explain the two managing directors of Notruf Niederösterreich, Christian Fohringer and Josef Schmoll.

The aim of the exercise was to train the defined alarm routes and the tactical approach in the event of a medical emergency with a highly infectious passenger on board an aircraft and all subsequent procedures following landing. The scenario was assumed that a flight passenger traveled from Madagascar via Addis Ababa and Paris to Vienna and his health deteriorated during the flight to Vienna. A doctor who happened to be traveling with us diagnosed a suspected highly infectious disease. After landing at Vienna Airport, the sick passenger was taken over by emergency and rescue organizations and transferred to the Favoriten clinic, where further emergency measures were practiced. The other passengers were cared for at the airport’s emergency gates in accordance with the guidelines of the health authorities.

Further information is available from the office of State Councilor Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig, Mag. Dr. Anton Heinzl, telephone [phone], email [e-mail] or at
Vienna Airport Press Office, Peter Kleemann, company spokesman, Tel.: (+43-1-) 7007-23000, Email: [e-mail]

Questions & Contact:

Office of the Lower Austrian State Government
State Office Directorate/Public Relations
Doris Zöger
02742/9005-13314
[e-mail]
www.noe.gv.at/presse

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