Planai - Hauser Kaibling: 4-Mountain Ski Super Connection - Emergency Drill Successfully Completed

Starting next winter season, the new 4-Mountain Ski Super Connection will link Hauser Kaibling and Planai even faster, more comfortably, and more efficiently. The 10-person "Senderbahn Hauser Kaibling" gondola and the 8-person "Mitterhausalm I" chairlift create a modern connection that elevates the ski experience between the two mountains to a new level of quality. Prior to the official opening, an emergency drill was held on November 15th. Under the direction of the Liezen District Authority, officials from Hauser Kaibling and Planai worked closely together with the Styrian Police, the Red Cross, the Haus and Oberhaus fire departments, the Schladming and Haus mountain rescue teams, the ski patrol from both mountains, the air rescue service, and the mayor of Haus im Ennstal. The aim of the drill was to test the cooperation of all participating organizations in case of an emergency, even across mountain boundaries.

“The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority. Emergency drills like this one are an important part of our safety strategy and allow us to train and further improve procedures in a realistic setting. The excellent cooperation of all emergency services is crucial. My thanks go to everyone involved for their professional preparation and execution,” said Klaus Hofstätter, Managing Director of Hauser Kaibling.

“With the two new lifts, we have achieved a tremendous leap in quality for our guests. At the same time, the new conditions also bring new challenges. It is extremely important to review interfaces and ensure that we are optimally prepared in case of an emergency. I am impressed by the professionalism of everyone involved and the smooth cooperation demonstrated today,” explained Georg Bliem, Managing Director of Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen GmbH.

The exercise scenarios involved the shutdown of both new lifts due to strong winds. Numerous guests were on board both lifts at the time and had to be rescued. Emergency responders reached them by ground or were airlifted to the scene by helicopter. Additionally, the access road was blocked by fallen trees, significantly hampering the rescue teams' arrival. Medical emergencies such as leg fractures and hypoglycemia were also taken into account. Skiers still on the slopes were coordinated and cared for near the valley stations before being transported by bus. A total of approximately 250 people participated in the exercise to ensure the most realistic scenario possible.

Comments on the emergency drill:

• Stefan Schröck, Disaster Relief Officer, Liezen District Authority : “The interaction of many different emergency response organizations requires coordinated leadership. The authority (Liezen District Authority) acts as the central hub in this leadership, coordinating all official measures in cooperation with the municipality and local businesses. Our emergency services perform exceptionally well in their respective areas of expertise and specialization; however, comprehensive collaboration is essential for the success of such a scenario. These kinds of exercises provide valuable experience for potential real-life emergencies and are incorporated into the official emergency response plan.”
• Christian Huber, Head of Operations, Styrian State Police Directorate: “The Liezen Alpine Police would like to thank all those involved. This exercise demonstrates once again how important cooperation and good contacts between the various emergency services are. The goal must always be the same – namely, to save lives and minimize damage.”
• Gerhard Brunner, Christophorus Air Rescue : "Such large-scale emergency drills are indispensable for us as an air rescue service. They give us the opportunity to practice our procedures together with mountain railways, rescue organizations, and emergency services, and to gain valuable experience for real-life emergencies. Today, in particular, we were able to deploy a helicopter equipped with a winch, which makes evacuations more efficient – ​​a major advantage in alpine terrain. Regular practice allows us to further improve the safety of our guests and staff in the mountains."
• Hannes Resch, Commander of the Oberhaus Fire Department: “Exercises like this are essential to be prepared for various emergency situations and to practice procedures under realistic conditions. With around 150 extras, the scenarios could be practiced in a particularly practical way. Today's emergency exercise has shown that the fire department, rescue services, police, and cable car teams work together excellently and can act efficiently in a real emergency.”
• Matthias Schwab, Mayor of the market town of Haus im Ennstal: “As mayor of the municipality of Haus im Ennstal, I am pleased to have witnessed how quickly, professionally, and well-coordinated our emergency services are working together during this emergency drill. Such exercises are important to ensure we are optimally prepared for a real emergency, even though we hope that a genuine emergency situation will never arise. Today's results are very positive, and I would like to congratulate all the emergency personnel on their outstanding commitment.”
• Patrick Laszlo, Schladming Mountain Rescue, and Robert Speer, Haus Mountain Rescue (both local branch managers): Large-scale, realistic exercises with other emergency services, such as this cable car evacuation, are extremely important to be prepared for a real emergency. Each participating emergency service, the cable car companies, and the authorities have their own areas of expertise, and together they must work together seamlessly. In an emergency, every move has to be perfect. We achieved that impressively today.”
• Norbert Pichler, Red Cross Operations Manager: The exercise focused on the cooperation between the participating organizations and the internal processes of the ski lift operator. Such exercises are essential to ensure coordinated and efficient operations in an emergency. A key component of the exercise was familiarizing participants with the operational structures of the ski lift operator.

The aim of the exercise was to establish a joint command structure, to test the interfaces of the respective operational organizations, to check materials and resources, and to familiarize oneself with the newly adapted conditions on the new railways.