Since March 26, the AFDRU disaster relief unit of the Austrian Armed Forces (“Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit”) has been helping to contain the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Slovakia. Within a week, more than 3,000 trucks were decontaminated with 120,000 liters of water and 1,200 liters of chemicals in 140 working hours, as the Austrian Armed Forces announced in a recent press release.
As part of the “European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations” – the European Office for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection – 53 soldiers with 18 vehicles and equipment were deployed to Dunajská Streda. The mission is expected to continue for another two weeks.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner: “This mission once again illustrates the crucial role of international cooperation in civil protection. The tireless commitment of our soldiers shows that protection and security know no borders. Such missions are not only an expression of responsibility, but also a strong sign of solidarity between nations. They underline how important it is to fight crises together and to put the protection of the population above all else.”
The AFDRU team was activated as part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and is supporting the deployment measures. The soldiers decontaminate large vehicles at the Rajka border crossing between Hungary and Slovakia. This involves treating the underbody of the vehicles and the sides in the area of the wheel arches and wheels with chemicals to kill the virus.
Working around the clock in shifts, the emergency services decontaminate around 25 vehicles per hour so that they can enter Slovakia. Around 1,000 liters of water and 100 liters of chemicals are used every hour. The operation is co-financed with funds from the EU’s European Civil Protection Mechanism.
Here for further army news.
