The members of the Schärding fire department, although all involved voluntary, value professionalism highly. Their operational area includes busy main roads and a railway line. Accordingly, they are often called out to traffic accidents. The main fire department is also equipped with a heavy rescue vehicle. Fires in the narrow old town are a particular challenge in Schärding.
The Schärding fire department became known to the general public during the floods of 2013. Almost half of the municipal district of Schärding was flooded, affecting more than 300 homes. Over 10,000 sandbags were filled, and 3,600 emergency personnel including firefighters, Red Cross, police, water rescue, and army had to be coordinated and their cooperation managed. Here, a shift operation with 800-900 personnel per shift was coordinated and maintained over a prolonged period.