Together with the city of Innsbruck, 30 soldiers from the construction pioneer and disaster relief platoon of the Tyrolean military command are building snow loading ramps. The ramps are used during the winter months to dump snow into the Inn River and thus keep the streets and parking areas in the city clear.
In order to be able to quickly replace damaged bridges in the event of natural disasters, the province of Tyrol provides temporary bridges. The snow loading ramps are to be erected in the same way as such emergency bridges. This means that the construction of the snow loading ramps also serves as further training for the Tyrolean pioneers in the field of disaster relief. “With the construction pioneer and disaster response platoon, the Tyrolean military command has an element at its disposal with which we can help the population quickly and efficiently in the event of a disaster,” reports the military commander of Tyrol, Brigadier General Ingo Gstrein.
Once the ramps have been set up, the pioneers will support the state of Tyrol with contact tracing. “The Tyrolean soldiers have already proven their flexibility and professionalism on many occasions. Wherever authorities and organizations reach their limits, we soldiers will be there to help the people in the country,” explains Brigadier Gstrein. The Tyrol Military Command’s construction pioneer and disaster response platoon is 35 strong. The special training and equipment allows the soldiers to carry out technically demanding tasks, such as the construction of “Krainer walls” or other slope stabilization measures. Excavators and field loaders are also used. The Tyrolean Pioneers are stationed in Innsbruck – this allows for rapid assistance throughout the country.
