Large-scale exercise “Soaring Eagle”: Medical emergency services train for the event of an alliance

Hundreds of medical emergency services from Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt are training how to care for injured people in the event of an attack as part of a large-scale 24-hour exercise. The organizers say that 300 emergency services and 68 vehicles from so-called medical task forces will be deployed in several shifts in the large-scale exercise called “Floating Eagle”.

The exercise takes place at the Bundeswehr's military training area in the Annaburger Heide in the border triangle of Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Brandenburg. 80 injured actors are being cared for - for the first time by spontaneous helpers without medical training, it is said.

Fire departments and rescue services from numerous aid organizations from Dresden, Chemnitz, Wittenberg and Magdeburg are involved. The exercise is being led by the Leipzig Fire Department, it goes on to say.

The emergency services train a realistic scenario in which an eastern NATO partner is attacked and declares the alliance to fall. Around 30 injured people per hour have to be transported and treated, a treatment center has to be set up and operated and coordinated in several shifts, says Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe Sachsen, which is also involved.

Scientists from the Leipzig University Medical Center are also involved and are supposed to scientifically evaluate the implementation of the operation. This is the largest such exercise in years. It lasts until Saturday evening at 7 p.m.