Around 40 pioneers from the Pioneer Construction Company in Salzburg began building a 9.15-metre-long temporary bridge near Matrei in East Tyrol this week. Back in December last year, an avalanche near Ganz tore down the only access bridge to high-lying farmhouses and a joinery. An avalanche cone formed in the area of the former bridge. The affected residents were still able to drive to their homes on this cone. In view of the rising temperatures, the municipality requested assistance from the Austrian Armed Forces.
“Due to the current situation, we currently have a lot of soldiers on deployment,” explains Brigadier Ingo Gstrein. 220 soldiers are currently deployed in Tyrol in connection with the coronavirus pandemic alone. As the military commander of Tyrol, Gstrein is responsible for assistance missions and cooperation between the military and the state and municipalities. “It was a matter of course for us to help in East Tyrol. With this bridge, we are creating the conditions for safe travel on the road and for people to be able to continue using their homes and workplaces without danger.” The soldiers are erecting part of the 108.5 meter long D-bridge system. This system for use during disasters in Tyrol is stored and maintained in the Pontlatz barracks in Landeck. On site in East Tyrol, 24-year-old Lieutenant Franz Z. is responsible for the bridge construction. “I completed my training as an officer last year in October. I’m deputy company commander in Pioneer Battalion 2 in Salzburg, part of the 6th Mountain Brigade,” says the officer. The three pioneer battalions of the Austrian Armed Forces always have forces ready for disaster relief and assistance operations. “The construction of this bridge is part of our disaster capability, which every pioneer must acquire,” explains the lieutenant. The safety of the soldiers is also of particular importance in this operation.
In addition to the already strict safety regulations that apply on Austrian Pioneer construction sites, there are also the coronavirus measures. For example, the soldiers deployed wear FFP2 masks if they are unable to keep their distance while working. Then there is the location of the bridge construction site. “We are working on an avalanche cone here. The soldiers deployed have undergone avalanche training and are equipped with avalanche transceivers,” reports Lieutenant Z. Z. was looking for a varied, physically and mentally challenging job when he came across the profession of officer in the Austrian Armed Forces. “The active work with people and, above all, missions such as the construction of this bridge, where you can directly help the population or improve the living environment in Austria, confirm to me every day that I have chosen the right profession,” says Z. After the temporary bridge has been completed by the Austrian Armed Forces, the avalanche cone must be removed by the municipality. Only then can a new bridge be built to ensure the accessibility of the buildings in the long term.
