Vienna safety festival showcases emergency services and fire brigade history

Vienna’s safety festival is showcasing emergency and aid organisations at Rathausplatz, the square in front of the city hall, on October 25 and 26. ORF reports that this year’s event highlights the 340th anniversary of the Vienna Professional Fire Brigade.

Visitors can see vehicles and equipment used by the fire brigade, Vienna’s professional ambulance service, the armed forces and police. Demonstrations include how to extinguish different types of fires and how the Vienna Police Operations Unit, known as WEGA, works. More than 40 organisations are providing information on the environment, health, safety and social services.

Displays also include the C9 emergency medical helicopter, police drones and equipment. The fire brigade is exhibiting historic vehicles on the closed Ringstrasse boulevard, while police are presenting selected vehicles marking 120 years of motorisation. The event also features the Vienna Police Band, performances by Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, children’s activities and an elevated view of Rathausplatz from a fire engine’s ladder.

The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days, with free admission. It is organised by Die Helfer Wiens and supported by 41 organisations in the Vienna K-Circle, a network of emergency and aid organisations. The letter K stands for disaster assistance, disaster protection, communication and competence.