As of: March 16, 2024, 5:07 p.m
By: Stefanie Fischhaber
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The Four Musketeers: Angela and Florian Köck are dog handlers at the Schliersee mountain rescue service.
In everyday life and in the field, they can always count on their dogs Cookie (left) and Alfi.
© Stefan Schweihofer
Balancing family and work is a challenge for many parents.
It becomes even more difficult if both of them do volunteer work - like Angela and Florian Köck with the mountain rescue service.
Schliersee
- They work up to 72 hours every week, do dog training once a week, are on mountain rescue duty for two days every four weeks and are on duty around the clock for the dog team in an emergency: Angela and Florian Köck from Neuhaus volunteer the Schliersee mountain rescue service.
Both work shifts at the Munich fire department.
On top of that, they take care of their two dogs, Alfi and Cookie.
And they have had a daughter together for almost two years.
Balancing work, family and volunteer work: This wouldn't work without the support of her family.
“This is only possible with very good grandparents,” says Angela Köck – and with a lot of coordination.
Angela Köck is a dog handler and trainer at the mountain rescue service
The 33-year-old has been with the mountain rescue service since 2008.
In 2015, the male dog, Cookie, came into her life - and has been an integral part ever since.
She completed training to become a dog handler with the German Shepherd-Australian Shepherd mix.
She is now a trainer herself.
Angela still remembers her first use of cookies well.
“Two experienced dog handlers from Rosenheim were already on the avalanche on Hirschberg, and I followed up,” she says.
Although she was already an experienced mountain rescuer, she was very nervous.
“With a dog, that’s a challenge.”
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Working with a dog requires a lot of coordination – and strength.
When skiing or getting into the helicopter, Angela has to be able to carry her 30 kilogram dog over her shoulders.
“I envy my husband,” she says.
Alfi, who weighs 22 kilograms, jumps into Florian's arms.
Angela prefers to pick up Cookie from a standing position.
“He would knock me out otherwise.”
“Dog walking is a time-consuming hobby”
Florian joined the mountain rescue service in 2017.
“Angi got me involved,” he says with a smile.
At first he accompanied his girlfriend to exercises, hid in the snow and had Cookie dig him out again.
After his basic training, the 35-year-old also joined the dog squad.
His loyal companion is the four-year-old German Shepherd Alfi.
“Dog walking is a very time-consuming hobby,” says Florian.
The couple travels up to 3,000 kilometers a year just for training and exercises.
When their owners are on duty, the dogs stay with Angela's grandparents.
“We already sorted that out before we got the dogs,” explains Florian.
Because without family support they would not be able to keep the dogs.
Always prepared for emergencies
The two are currently the only trained dog handlers at the Schliersee Mountain Rescue Service.
Your area of operation in the dog squad covers the region from Aschau in Chiemgau to Steingaden in the Weilheim-Schongau district.
So that the lifesavers can be on site quickly, they are always prepared.
“I have an operational checklist that I always check quickly,” says Angela.
The backpack with an avalanche transceiver, shovel and skins is always packed.
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“As a dog handler, you can’t forget anything.” Because things have to be done quickly in an emergency, the car is always packed away: backpacks, skis, clothes and mountain boots are always with you – even when shopping.
“We once left a shopping cart and sprinted out of the store because the beeper went off,” Florian remembers.
Coordination is key
Now they can no longer just leave everything alone.
Angela is currently on parental leave.
Florian works shifts two to three times a week.
“We’re lucky that we get to spend a lot of time together,” says his wife.
Organization and coordination determine the two of them's everyday lives: "We discuss every day who can respond in an emergency," explains Florian.
They also agree with Angela's grandparents, who live in the house next door, whether they will look after their offspring in an emergency.
Without the support of his family, Florian Köck would not be able to keep Alfi.
© Stefan Schweihofer
The young family also depends on the solidarity in the mountain rescue service.
They can take friends and family with them to their weekend duties at the Schönfeldalm, who will look after their daughter during a deployment.
“There are also a few mountain rescue workers who are no longer deployed, but who look after the children,” says Angela.
If she can't find childcare, Angela can take her daughter with her to training evenings.
“This is the only thing that makes our volunteer work possible: that the family is not left out, but is taken into consideration,” she says.
This is not the case in all readiness situations.
The young mother wants to go back to work in May.
“Then we have to see how we can coordinate it,” says her husband.
But they will also overcome this hurdle.
Because they have plenty of support behind them.