General Assembly Of The Association Of The Central Piste Rescue Service In Kitzbühel Held

The central Kitzbühel piste rescue service ensures safety on the slopes of KitzSki. Thanks to the self-financing model, the association also has a solid financial basis. Investments are made in the training and equipment of the piste rescuers. Those locals and guests who find themselves in an emergency on the slopes benefit from this in particular. Help is provided quickly, professionally and with modern aids.

Kitzbuehel. On average, around 22,000 skiers are out and about in the extensive KitzSki ski area on a weekend in the main season. Of these, an average of seven people need help from the piste rescue service. The piste rescuers bring the casualties to safety, provide first aid, coordinate the rescue chain, record the course of the accident and document the accident site.

Mag. Anton Bodner and Mag. Christian Wörister, board duo of the Bergbahn Kitzbühel, know about the importance of safety in the ski area and are pleased that the number of accident victims is decreasing. "For our holiday guests and locals, we spare no effort to offer them the highest possible level of safety on our slopes. The basis for this is a well thought-out piste guidance system, generously affixed piste edge markings and - should something happen - rapid and professional help in an emergency from the central Kitzbühel piste rescue service," say Mag. Anton Bodner and Mag. Christian Wörister.

Central piste rescue service in Kitzbühel - well trained, modernly equipped and excellently networked

Before 1974, mountain rescue was responsible for providing assistance on the slopes of Kitzbühel. With the growing number of ski guests, the frequency of accidents has also increased. The human resources of the mountain rescue service were in danger of being exhausted, especially since they were taking care of numerous other tasks at the time (as they are today). For this reason, the neighboring communities of KitzSki decided on February 2, 1974 to establish the piste rescue service as an independent association ("Central Piste Rescue Service Kitzbühel"), to which the Kitzbühel mountain railway, the neighboring communities, Kitzbühel Tourism and the Kitzbühel Alps - Brixental Tourist Association belong.

Ing. Gerhard Eilenberger, first deputy mayor of Kitzbühel, took on the role of chairman of this association on a voluntary basis in 2012. He succeeded in putting the financing of the Kitzbühel piste rescue service on a solid basis. “With the self-financing model, we have succeeded in being able to offer a high-quality form of piste rescue. Throughout Austria we charge mountain tariffs in the lowest range. We invest what we earn in the training of our piste rescuers and provide them with excellent equipment for their operations. Technically, it is always up to date”, says Ing. Gerhard Eilenberger happily. Uniforms must also fit when exposed to wind and weather. "That's why all 22 piste rescuers were given new clothes for the 2022/23 winter season."

Helping - the demanding and at the same time fulfilling task of the piste rescuer

The KitzSki slope rescuers are very well trained and bring a number of important character traits with them: They are team players, empathetic, resilient and friendly. They receive appreciation in the form of gratitude above all from those who have had an accident. Harald Schill, representative of the piste rescuers, accepts kind words almost every day. “In an emergency, everyone is happy when help is given quickly. That binds us together as a team, as does the certainty that our efforts have paid off,” Harald Schill is convinced. Depending on the situation, the piste rescuers are also supported by the machine operators and snow-makers. "It is a nice togetherness that benefits us personally, but above all the locals and guests."

Numbers, data and facts

Most accidents happen between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. According to statistics, the 50 to 70 year olds are the main victims. The GPS data from the accident sites are recorded in order to analyze whether further measures (e.g. slope safety, additional signage or slope corrections) are necessary. 1,000 operations per 15,000,000 trips result in a very low accident rate per winter season. Among other things, this can also be attributed to the good slope conditions of KitzSki.