The “Fire Department Friendly Employer” award is presented at the federal level every two years to companies that recognize and appropriately support the voluntary commitment of their employees to a fire department. On October 8th, 16 companies from all over Austria were honored again in Vienna.
Against the background of the tens of thousands of hours of deployment during the last severe weather events that hit Austria in late summer 2024, and combined with the fact that these operations were carried out without the overwhelming support and accommodation of employers towards their employees, who volunteer with the numerous volunteer fire departments are involved in Austria would not have been possible, it is particularly important to the Austrian Federal Fire Brigade Association to bring 16 companies to the fore and give them a particularly worthy stage.
At PwC Austria in Vienna’s DC Tower, representatives of these companies as well as numerous guests of honor and representatives of the fire departments came together to say thank you. Werner Stockreiter from PwC Austria welcomed the approximately 100 guests present on the 41st floor of Austria’s tallest building and in his opening words emphasized the great importance of volunteer work in Austria.
Federal President Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen sent a video greeting in which he discussed the past storm operations: “(…) They show what the people in Austria can achieve and how great the solidarity we have. Even if the entire country is under water, it won’t sink. You all make sure of that. Thanks alot.”
Different options for support
The presentations by the companies – from large and global corporations to small family businesses – made the variety of support options visible: Employees are allowed to go on assignments during working hours without having to take vacation or compensatory time. In some companies, training courses at the state fire brigade schools can also be attended without using vacation days. In most companies it is also possible to use the company premises for exercises or to operate company-owned equipment and special equipment for fire services. All of this is an advantage not only for the fire brigades, but also for the companies themselves: the fire brigade knows the company’s premises, should an incident arise there. There is also the aspect of well-trained staff who bring additional skills to the company.
“Anyone who recruits firefighters for their own company will get real hands-on people, team players and helpful colleagues. With this award we honor companies that support their employees and the fire departments in this voluntary work. “They don’t roll their eyes, but rather play the employees off when they jump up and run off to work.”
said State Secretary Claudia Plakolm in her speech.
Volunteer fire departments need voluntary employers
The Austrian fire departments rely on the help of employers because they decide voluntarily whether they can let employees go on assignment. This decision can only be made by the company in consultation with the staff and without legal entitlement; this depends, among other things, on sick leave, the order situation and other absences of employees.
Fire Department President Robert Mayer: “The Austrian Federal Fire Brigade Association will remain true to this path in the future and highlight good examples in order to motivate many other companies to promote and thus maintain Austria’s unique fire service system. I would like to thank all people with corporate responsibility who appreciate this and are willing to support us as a fire department, and thus also the civilian population.” He finally appeals to those being honored: “Put this support out there, tell your company partners about it and inspires many more employers to make a valuable contribution to our security.”
Firefighter-friendly employers in 2024 are:
Burgenland
- PUFF GMBH
- TKV Burgenland GmbH
Carinthia
- Tscherteu BAU GmbH
- Zerza Gastechnik GmbH
Lower Austria
- Kramer & Fiedler GmbH
- Kerschner Environmental Service and Logistics GmbH
Upper Austria
- eww group
- PÖTTINGER Landtechnik GmbH
Salzburg
- Prommegger Baumanagement GmbH
- Salzburger Sand- u. Kieswerk GmbH
Styria
- Frutura Fruit & Vegetable Competence Center GmbH
- GWH Gebrüder Roiko GmbH
Tyrol
- Goller-Holz GesmbH. Co.KG.
- HTB Baugesellschaft mbH
Wien
- Takeda Manufacturing Austria AG
- Faustenhammer GmbH
Unique system: Austrian fire department
The Austrian fire service is mainly supported by voluntary, i.e. unpaid, members. Every 25th Austrian is a member of one of around 4,800 fire departments (around 4,500 of which are volunteer fire departments, and there are also six professional fire departments and around 300 company fire departments). Thanks to the dense and close-knit network of these fire departments, help can be provided at almost any emergency location in the country within a few minutes – and often for days, nationally and internationally, without neglecting the protection of a community in Austria.
A bonus system that was approved by the National Council in 2019 allows, under certain conditions (in agreement between the employer and employees in the event of a major disaster with more than 100 emergency services who are on duty for more than eight hours), a compensation payment for certain companies (Ꞓ200,- per employee and lost working day if wages continue to be paid). However, the bonus can only be applied for if the emergency worker is an employee. The Austrian Federal Fire Brigade Association has been calling for an extension to include, for example, the self-employed or farmers since its introduction, as well as a less bureaucratic application.
More photos can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/oebfv/albums/72177720321030963.