Volunteer firefighters are automatically insured against accidents during their deployments. Politicians and the accident insurance organisation AUVA repeatedly point this out. However, a young female firefighter, who has been 100 per cent disabled since her last deployment, had to go to the Austrian Ombudsman Board and to court before the AUVA accident insurance company was prepared to recognise her accident as an occupational accident. "I expect the AUVA not to stubbornly refuse to act in similar cases in future, but to decide quickly and unbureaucratically in favour of the helpers. If the AUVA continues to be intransigent, a change in the law would be necessary," says Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz: "Otherwise, soon nobody will be willing to risk their lives and health, and we can all pump out our cellars ourselves the next time there is a flood." Failure to recognise an accident at work has consequences: Those affected are deprived of better rehabilitation and the full disability pension.
100 per cent disability remains after accident on the job
On 22 August 2024, the siren sounded in Kronabittedt, Upper Austria. Marlies K., 19 at the time, was woken from her sleep, quickly got dressed and wanted to rush to the volunteer fire brigade. But she fell down the stairs. She was resuscitated and flown to hospital by helicopter. As a result, she was left with a significant visual impairment, which led to a 100 per cent disability.
AUVA should recognise that an emergency call-out is always a stressful situation
In the case of Marlies K., however, the AUVA did not want to pay. Medical reports revealed - to put it very briefly - that she may have suffered from a rare disease that can lead to sudden cardiac death and that she would have fallen due to a cardiac arrest, which could have occurred at any time, even independently of a deployment. "Anyone with even a little bit of life experience knows that you are always under extraordinary stress during an emergency call-out. This is completely different to someone who has had a leisurely breakfast and is walking to work," says Achitz: "The legal situation allows the AUVA to recognise such cases as accidents at work. But Marlies K. first had to go to court, and it was only after a new medical assessment that the AUVA recognised that the medical emergency would not have happened without the stress of the assignment."
Disability pension only if recognised as an accident at work
All members of voluntary aid organisations are insured against accidents during their training, exercises and deployments with AUVA (without paying contributions). This is regulated by law in the General Social Insurance Act (ASVG). The same provisions apply as for accidents at work. Accidents at work are accidents that occur in connection with the place, time and cause of the employment giving rise to the insurance. Travel accidents are also insured. There are better rehabilitation programmes for accidents at work than for leisure accidents, and those affected receive a disability pension.
Accident insurance doesn't pay? Then soon nobody will be prepared to risk their life and health!