NEWS

A first fact-finding meeting was held on 29 July at the Brenner station for a joint kick-off of the cross-border cooperation between the representatives of the Alto Adige permanent fire brigade based in Bolzano, and the representatives of the fire brigade of the Innsbruck district, together with the BBT SE coordinators most directly involved in railway outfitting.

During the meeting, the crucial topic of cross-border cooperation was emphasised; an important aim of the meeting was to have these specialists confirm the appropriateness of the specific tunnel safety systems that BBT SE intends to install in accordance with the legal requirements of both countries, and to lay the foundation for the joint internal safety plan which will set forth the procedures for tunnel rescue operations.

A programme of meetings was then defined for further in-depth discussion of the issues and the next meeting has been scheduled for 11 September at the Fortezza Observatory. The meetings have been scheduled so as to coincide with the progression of the design for the railway outfitting, for which engineering services were contracted last May.

The joint internal safety plan is being developed by the fire brigades of Bolzano, Innsbruck and representatives of BBT SE and which will necessarily require synergy between the Italian Government Commissariat for the Province of Bolzano (which in turn coordinates law enforcement) and the Austrian Ministry of Transport.

In a cross-border project of this magnitude, the management of tunnel emergencies will be of crucial importance once the infrastructure becomes operational. BBT SE, together with a variety of other actors, is actively working towards this goal.