The drinking water treatment unit of AFDRU (Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit: disaster relief unit of the Austrian Armed Forces) and SA-RRT (Samaritan Austria – Rapid Response Team: specialized disaster relief unit of the Samaritan Association), successfully returned from the “EU-ModEX Bulgaria 2025” in Montana (Bulgaria). The unit passed its EU certification during the exercise!
This makes AFDRU and SA-RRT the first Austrian water treatment team to be included in the EU Civil Protection Pool.
After intensive preparation, a total of 71 specialists, 25 vehicles, 9 trailers and around 340 tons of equipment were deployed to the 1,000-kilometre distant operational area for the exercise. There, a potential disaster scenario – a long dry spell followed by severe storms – was used to practice the operational capability of the disaster control forces. The aim of the exercise was to produce 225,000 liters of drinking water per day.
The Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit (AFDRU) is a special unit of the Austrian Armed Forces for international disaster relief and humanitarian missions. It was designed for rapid relief operations worldwide and can be supplemented by pioneers, air transport forces or a mobile field hospital if required. The spectrum of operations ranges from earthquakes and floods to decontamination missions and drinking water supplies after natural disasters. The AFDRU has been deployed in Armenia, Algeria, Iran, Bangladesh, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bosnia. The Samaritan Austria – Rapid Response Team (SA-RRT), the specialized international disaster relief unit of the Samaritan Association, takes part in cross-border operations, advanced training and training courses.
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