The processing of the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley also revealed deficiencies in the civil protection concept. Interior Minister Faeser, the head of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief and the President of THW spoke in Berlin about the anniversary. FOCUS Online reports in the live ticker.
The most important things in brief: Better preparation, earlier warnings, more efficient action and good post-crisis care – a strategy by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser for more efficient civil protection is based on these four guidelines. The plan, which the SPD politician presented on Wednesday together with the President of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), Ralph Tiesler, in Berlin, does not just rely on government agencies. The public should also take part.
To this end, Faeser wants to propose to the states that are responsible for civil protection that they organize a nationwide civil protection day every year from 2023 “to raise awareness among the population for the topics of personal resilience and self-protection”. The Federal Ministry of the Interior will also develop a communication strategy “to achieve certainty of action among the population”.
2:51 p.m .: Faeser and Tiesler are asked whether their authorities have prepared themselves for the event of a disaster. Both agree with a smile. And with that, the press conference is over.
2:50 p.m .: In the future, for example, severe storms will have to be dealt with in Germany, says Faeser.
2.49 p.m .: Faeser is asked whether elementary damage insurance must become mandatory in the future. According to the interior minister, this is currently being discussed. The insurance system in Germany is very exemplary.
2.45 p.m .: The federal government wants to buy five more modular tent cities, says Faeser. You can help a lot of people very quickly.
2.42 p.m .: A conference with states and municipalities is to be held in December in order to also talk about the “lessons learned”. This is how you can prepare yourself for the future.
2.40 p.m .: The question of communication is elementary, according to Faeser. When she says that a protection day is needed, some immediately think that there is a major catastrophe behind it. “We may have been lucky so far,” says Faeser. The USA, for example, regularly practice how to behave in the event of hurricanes, etc.
2:38 p.m .: The basic competence in civil protection still lies with the federal states, Faeser clarifies. With the competence center, however, you finally have the opportunity to coordinate things together, including with the federal government. In this way, experiences should be able to be passed on quickly in the event of a disaster.
2:36 p.m .: Faeser is asked what exactly Civil Protection Day is. The “warning day” is about trying out a technique exactly, explains Faeser. This should also happen for CellBroadcast. The civil protection day, on the other hand, should be a practice day. “Actually practicing civil protection,” says Faeser. So the active participation of the citizens.
2:34 p.m .: A concrete example is the Ahr. It’s about the question of whether you can or should build on the shore area again. “It’s quite a difficult discussion. There are objective criteria, but in the end it’s a question of communication.”
2:31 p.m .: Ralph Tiesler is asked about his statement that there will be areas in Germany in the future that are no longer habitable. That was meant “that there were situations that we didn’t foresee or didn’t think were likely,” says Tiesler. That is why crisis communication is so important.
2:28 p.m .: Now the question and answer session begins. Faeser is asked how much funding is being made available for the new civil protection concept. For the 2022 budget it is over 300 million euros, says Faeser. Of course, there are restrictions in the new budget. Nevertheless, 146 additional posts have been approved.
2:27 p.m .: The expansion of the drinking water protection supply in the THW is an important first step. The THW makes an important contribution to civil protection.
2:26 p.m .: Civil protection in Germany needs more attention again, says the THW boss. The war in Ukraine also makes that clear. An attack on the critical infrastructure is not completely out of the question.
2:25 p.m .: The municipalities and districts are “the nucleus” for combating crises of all kinds, according to Friedsam.
2:24 p.m .: If even the local actors are affected by disasters, it will be necessary to be able to move in from the federal territory in the future. This would result in fewer questions of jurisdiction.
2:24 p.m .: With good precautions, the consequences can be kept as low as possible, the THW boss makes clear. “We cannot prevent the catastrophe, but we can mitigate the consequences.”
2:23 p.m .: “The catastrophe was foreseeable and probable for experts,” said the THW boss. “We know that such events happen, but not when and where.”
2:22 p.m .: Now the THW boss Gerd Friedsam speaks. He makes it clear how important it is to dovetail pension and risk management.
2:21 p.m .: The population is the most important thing in the new strategy, according to Tiesler. That is why it is so important to listen and make it clear what needs to be done and how in an emergency.
2:19 p.m .: You have to keep reserves, Tisler makes clear. This affects companies as well as private individuals. Only those who have supplies can act quickly in times of crisis.
2:18 p.m .: The new competence center helps to network and coordinate better. They are now also working on “finally” introducing uniform siren warning sounds with the countries.
2:18 p.m .: “We are doing everything we can to implement the new strategy,” says Tiesler. Everything his authority does serves to make Germany safer.
2:17 p.m .: With the new concept it could be possible to “come ahead of the situation”. So don’t react, just act.
2:16 p.m .: “You can call this new resilience strategy historical,” says the head of the BBK.
2:16 p.m .: Now Ralph Tiesler speaks. It also commemorates tomorrow’s anniversary. “It still affects me to this day.”
2:15 p.m .: “One year after the flood disaster, we can say today: Yes, we learned from the disaster,” Faeser concludes her statement.
2:14 p.m .: The actions after disasters must also be improved, says Faeser. In addition, one wants to come together with the countries this year to see how one can improve. The focus is always on the “effective protection of human life.”
2:13 p.m .: Spontaneous helpers should also be better integrated in the future. Volunteer work should not be underestimated, says Faeser.
2:12 p.m .: The third important point is effective action. With the competence center one can act and coordinate faster and better in the future. “The skills can be bundled better,” says Faeser.
2:10 p.m .: One of the main lessons from the last year is that the warning of the population must be better. CellBroadcast was introduced for this purpose. It will be tested on December 8, says Faeser. With CellBroadcast, text messages are sent directly to the mobile phone, even if there is hardly any network. The “nina” app is also to be expanded. And the sirens in the country will be activated again.
2:09 p.m .: The concept deals with the critical infrastructure in particular. It is also important to think about future challenges now.
2:08 p.m .: “We also have to structurally increase our crisis resilience,” says Faeser. This was decided by the cabinet today.
2:07 p.m .: There should be several mobile emergency tent cities in the future. Up to 5000 people can be accommodated in these. A civil protection day is also to be introduced.
2:06 p.m .: The preparations also include the new center for disaster protection, where everyone involved can come together at one table. “A 360-degree picture of the situation” is that, according to Faeser.
2:05 p.m .: You have to be prepared, act efficiently and tackle the reconstruction together, Faeser outlines the new concept.
2:05 p.m .: “We will make our country better,” says Faeser. Above all, communicate and cooperate better, according to the Interior Minister. “We felt safe for too long.”
2:03 p.m .: “These days, everyone has the incredible images of the flood in mind,” introduces Faeser. Chancellor Scholz will be in Ahrweiler tomorrow, she says. Today she wants to present the consequences that the country has to draw from the disaster.
2:01 p.m .: Welcome to the live ticker from FOCUS Online. The protagonists are there. The Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, the President of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, Ralph Tiesler, and the President of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief, Gerd Friedsam, will speak.
This week marks the anniversary of the devastating flood disaster in the Ahr Valley. On this occasion, the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, the President of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, Ralph Tiesler, and the President of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief, Gerd Friedsam, will speak about the new start in civil protection.
FOCUS Online reports in the live ticker.
Surf tip: frustration in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler – the mayor settles: “Politicians have no understanding for the disaster in the Ahr Valley”
