Overview
- Authorities fully closed the A49 between Borken and Schwalmstadt for a coordinated exercise that ran on Saturday, 14 November, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Roughly 120 emergency personnel from local fire departments, DRK units and motorway crews took part to practise in‑tunnel rescue operations and use of breathing apparatus.
- Organisations on site included Feuerwehr Schwalmstadt, Feuerwehr Borken, DRK, the Autobahn GmbH des Bundes, the Polizeiautobahnstation Baunatal, the county fire office, the Autobahnmeisterei Schwalmstadt and Thome & Müller Ingenieure GmbH.
- Traffic was rerouted via signed detours on Bundesstraße 3 and Landesstraße L3155 and police urged motorists to allow extra travel time; the exercise was closed to the public and spectators were not permitted.
- Five independent observers monitored the drill to identify lessons for improving tunnel technology, control‑centre coordination and the rescue chain, continuing work begun in the 2022 full‑scale rehearsal and meeting EU safety rules.