2023-10-21 12:18:05
Rankweil (OTS) – Rankweil, October 2023. Since the first mountain rescuers were awarded the “Green Cross” by the Austrian Alpine Club in 1923, the award of this honor has been considered the highest award that can be received for special commitment to alpine rescue and recovery. On October 21, 2023, this honor was bestowed upon three mountain rescuers at the annual general meeting of the Austrian Alpine Club.
There are currently more than 12,600 mountain rescuers and 200 search dogs in Austria, spread across 291 local locations. Every day they rush to help others and expose themselves to alpine dangers in their service. Thanks to their intensive training, they can professionally help people who are in distress in the Alps. This naturalness and commitment with which they expose themselves to danger results from a solidarity towards their fellow human beings that deserves great recognition.
“The Austrian Mountain Rescue Service is an indispensable and powerful organization that enjoys a very high reputation in our country,” emphasizes Alpine Club Vice President Dr. Wolfgang Schnabl in his laudatory speech at the annual general meeting of the Alpine Club in Rankweil. “Alpine Association and mountain rescue – this is a respectful and grateful coexistence with diverse relationships. The ‘Green Cross’ is and remains an important sign of our solidarity and appreciation,” continued Schnabl.
Development of mountain rescue by the Alpine Club
In 1902, a comprehensive development of reporting points and support points for rescue units in the Alpine region began. The Alpine Club was of great importance, as it was the founder, operator and responsible for the rescue service right up to the time of the Second World War. With the end of the Second World War there was a fundamental restructuring for both the Alpine Club and the mountain rescue service. In 1938 all clubs in Austria were dissolved. After the war, it was again possible to form clubs and, in consultation with the Alpine Club, the Austrian Mountain Rescue Service was founded with its own, independently operating clubs.
As a special example of the solidarity between mountain rescue and the Alpine Association, the “Green Cross” has been awarded annually since 1923. In this way, the Alpine Club expresses how important the work of rescue from mountain distress continues to be to it. Although mountain rescue has been organized independently since 1950, the Alpine Club decided when it was founded to continue awarding awards for exceptional achievements in connection with mountain rescue operations.
Green Cross as the highest honor
Since the first mountain rescuers were awarded the “Green Cross” 100 years ago, the awarding of this honor has been considered the highest award that can be received for special effort. The prerequisite for this is “repeated, extremely difficult alpine rescues or rescues, whereby the average fulfillment of duty must be clearly exceeded.” In the 100 years since the Green Cross was introduced, 516 people have been awarded this award.
In 2023, three more personalities were added who were honored for their great achievements and their voluntary and professional commitment. Gebhard BARBISCH, Leander BITSCHNAU and Alois RINDERER received the decorations no. 517, 518 and 519 on Saturday, October 21, 2023.
Gebhard BARBISCH has been a member of the Vorarlberg mountain rescue service, Rankweil local group, since 1977. During this time he proved himself as a local branch manager, as a country manager, as an ICAR delegate for more than 20 years and now as President of the ICAR Ground Rescue Commission, the international commission for alpine rescue. Barbisch has participated in over 500 missions as a mountain rescuer and operations manager.
Leander BITSCHNAU joined the Schruns-Tschagguns local branch in 1974. He used his communicative and technical expertise in many areas to develop and improve recovery methods and technical equipment. He also completed training as an alpine emergency paramedic, which benefited many injured people during mountain rescue missions or piste rescue services.
Alois RINDERER has been with the Sunday mountain rescue department since 1975. He has taken part in hundreds of missions as a mountain rescuer and dog handler. Alois Rinderer is considered one of the most experienced dog handlers in the regional association.
Alpine Association in the obligation to provide information
There was also a high number of deployments by the mountain rescue service in 2023, which shows that more and more people with little experience are coming to the mountains. Vice President Schnabl sees this as one of the most important tasks and obligations for the Alpine Club: through education and training, strengthen the risk awareness of every mountain enthusiast and thus enable conscious and responsible action. Effective educational and preventive work on practicing mountain sports is best started at a young age. Numerous courses, training and further education at the Austrian Alpine Club offer good opportunities and can be a fruitful approach, says Schnabl.
At the annual general meeting on October 21, 2023 in Rankweil, the following people were named “Green Cross” (Decoration No. 517-519) excellent:
- Gebhard BARBISCHMedal of Honor No. 517, Mountain Rescue Local Group Rankweil, Vorarlberg
- Leander BITSCHNAUMedal of Honor No. 518, Schruns-Tschagguns Mountain Rescue Local Group, Vorarlberg
- Alois RINDERER, Decoration of Honor No. 519, Mountain Rescue Local Group Sunday, Vorarlberg
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