Carinthia introduces the first extensive radiation alarm plan in Austria!

Carinthia introduces the first extensive radiation alarm plan in Austria!

On June 7, 2025, Carinthia presented his revised radiation alarm plan "Kärn: Beam" and thus sets a milestone in emergency provision. Carinthia is the first federal state in Austria that has completely updated all legiological emergencies required by law. Health Councilor Beate Prettner (SPÖ) emphasized the importance of solid crisis management and communication in such situations in a press conference. The plan is designed to optimally protect the population and to provide effective measures in an emergency, as to which 5min.at.

The radiation alarm plan includes various scenarios, including accidents in nuclear power plants, dealing with radioactive sources, the crash of a satellite with radioactive inventory and radioactive terror. Those responsible attach great importance to the fact that the plans are based on the latest knowledge from national and international emergency exercises. Clear reporting paths, responsibilities and communication processes are also specified in order to guarantee the security and reliability of the information in an emergency, as is emphasized in numerous reports.

Change of personnel and experiences in radiation protection

Another important point of the press conference was the farewell of the previous radiation protection officer Rudolf Weissitsch, who had been responsible for the radiation protection infrastructure in Carinthia since 2013. He was recognized for his valuable contributions, including the development of the Caesium 137 floor loading card and the mushroom map. Anna Knoltsch was introduced as his successor and took over the agendas on June 1, 2025.

"A good knack for this challenging task is already bringing it with them," emphasized Prettner. Carinthia continues to focus on innovative instruments such as the Carinthian ray measuring bus, a mobile laboratory that can be used quickly if necessary. This shows that the country is proactively working on improving radiation protection measures.

A look over the national borders

Although Austria does not have its own nuclear power plant, the country is not protected from radiological dangers due to the geographical location. Nine core power plants are less than 200 kilometers away from Austria's borders. For this reason, preventive measures are essential. The Ministry of the Environment has the task of protecting the population from radiological emergencies and is well networked to react quickly in an emergency. This also includes the timely alarm via the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Commission, such as bmluk.gv.at report.

By bilateral information agreements with neighboring countries and a robust forecast system, Austria can assess the possible effects of radiological emergencies at an early stage. Measurement systems, such as the Austrian radiation early warning system, are set up to constantly monitor the environment for possible radioactive contamination.

Carinthia is progressing with the new radiation alarm plan "Kärn: Beam" with a good example and shows how important it is to be well prepared in crisis situations. The responsible work continuously on improving the infrastructure and striving to protect the population, which becomes clear with the new plan and the committed new radiation protection officer Anna Knoltsch.