New fire station in Gloggnitz: Security guarantee for Semmering!

New fire station in Gloggnitz: Security guarantee for Semmering!

Gloggnitz, Österreich - In the municipality of Gloggnitz, the situation around the planned new construction of a fire station has concretized itself. The municipal council has decided to lease an area of ​​the old high-house petrol station at Wiener Straße 87 in order to build a modern administrative and training building. With a planned usable area of ​​500 square meters, the new building will not only offer space for eight garages and warehouses, but will also create space for special vehicles. The annual lease for the property is 8,000 euros. The majority of the list "Wir for Gloggnitz" and the Greens voted for this step, while the SPÖ, ÖVP and FPÖ were, as Kurier reported.

The success of the project depends on the consent of the fire brigade management and batches, which is viewed as a matter of form. Fire brigade commander Thomas Rauch has already signaled that the team is behind this solution. The construction is essential because the old fire station is outdated and does not offer enough space for the emergency vehicles that currently have to be "parked" in a tent.

The role of the fire brigade in the Semmering base tunnel

The role that the Gloggnitz fire brigade plays with regard to the Semmering base tunnel, which is to be put into operation by 2030, is particularly important. The fire brigade will be responsible for the Lower Austrian side of the tunnel as the responsible portal fire brigade and thus take a key role in safety during the tunnel operation. The Semmering base tunnel belongs to a larger infrastructure project of the ÖBB, the south route that runs from Vienna to Villach. This route comprises a total of 470 electrified railway kilometers and is part of a comprehensive modernization and expansion initiative that has been running since 1999 and will cost around 13 billion euros, such as Kleine Zeitung added.

The Gloggnitz fire brigade moved out 250 times last year and is also responsible for over 20 kilometers of Semmering-Schnellstraße S6. Mayor René Blum chose the variant on the old petrol station site after a new building was originally planned on "Mondi" reasons, which were bought for almost one million euros in 2022. The financing of the new building is almost secured: a third is promoted by the state of Lower Austria, while the city and the fire brigade are wearing the remaining two thirds.

Current challenges in the Semmering region

An important aspect of the Semmering base tunnel project affects the environment. An ongoing monitoring program ensures that the effects of tunnel construction on the water balance are extensively observed. These examinations show that the effects of overall are low and only occur locally. Nevertheless, measures to avoid negative consequences are essential for the habitat. There have been changes in the drinking water situation in recent years, since many old wells no longer have the required drinking water quality. This has become direct effects on the population whose water supply has increasingly deteriorated, such as the information from ÖBB

The loads of the climate crisis can also be felt. Data show that the rainfall in the region has decreased drastically, which leads to falling groundwater levels and the drying up of sources and fountains. This problem was particularly pronounced in the winter of 2022/2023 and in spring 2023, although heavy rains brought an easy improvement in April and May. These challenges show how important it is not only to invest in the infrastructure, but also in the sustainability and the protection of the natural resources of our region.