Be prepared in the event of a crisis

Who is involved in civil protection?

Jens Petzold: As well as the fire services, it includes the full range of aid organisations we have in Germany: the ASB, the German Red Cross, the Malteser, the Johanniter, the DLRG, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief and many others. All of these are key players in civil protection and disaster management.


What are their responsibilities?

Whenever everything is running smoothly, we prepare for the day when we have to operate outside the normal course of events. These can include major incidents such as a large number of casualties following accidents, flooding, power cuts, severe weather conditions with fallen trees, black ice in winter and so on. We have to handle these situations differently from how we are used to in everyday life.

In terms of logistics, this means, for example, that in the event of a power cut, we have to ensure that the generators are operational. Then the question is: where does the diesel for the generators come from? These are all things we have prepared for.


Who exactly works together on civil protection in Chemnitz?

Here in Chemnitz, first and foremost, it is the Chemnitz City Council as the highest authority, the Chemnitz Fire Service comprising all its volunteer fire brigades and the professional fire service, the German Red Cross, the Workers’ Samaritan Federation and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief.


What kind of situations must civil protection be prepared for today?

Today, civil protection must, to some extent, prepare for the same situations as ten or 20 years ago. Think back to 2002 or the 2013 floods in Chemnitz. These are severe weather events caused by climate change. We must also prepare for power cuts or disruptions to supply chains – certain challenges we face – as we recall from the pandemic.

On the other hand, summers are getting hotter and hotter. Not only does every individual notice this, but we also see it in the rising prices of grain, as harvests are getting worse and worse, and in the fact that many local authorities are banning the extraction of water from rivers for irrigation during the summer months because the water table is falling. These are all things we will need to prepare for more thoroughly in future than we perhaps have in the past.


Why is preparation so important for civil protection?

I always like to say the following in this context: ‘Whatever you don’t have at home in your cupboard when a disaster strikes, you won’t have then.’ Anyone who has made provisions takes the strain off the overstretched system and thus makes a significant contribution to managing such situations.


What should the people of Chemnitz prepare at home?

Firstly, everyone should take a look at their own situation and ask themselves: what does each person need for themselves?

There are also recommendations from the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance. They provide everything from information leaflets to a ‘shopping list’ of what you should have.
Nevertheless, people are all different: if, for example, you have a pet, you can make appropriate provisions for pet food. Or bear in mind that, in the event of a power cut, you won’t be able to pay by card and you won’t be able to get cash from a cash machine either. Do you have a small amount of cash at home? Do you have a sufficient supply of any medication you need, as well as batteries, a candle and a tea light? These are all things you should have in stock.


What role does the neighbourhood play in such situations?

An absolutely vital one. I can tell you about a personal experience I had back in 2002: the ‘flood of the century’ on the River Elbe. I was on duty in the Dresden area at the time, and what we experienced there truly overwhelmed me. People came together again.
Support your more vulnerable neighbours – the elderly ladies in need of help, the elderly gentleman you know who usually relies on meal delivery services. Perhaps, if you haven’t seen him for a couple of days, just pop in and ask: ‘How are you? Do you need anything? Can I help you?’ That we look out for one another more again, especially in situations like this.


Why does the civil protection service need so many volunteers?

The civil protection system in Germany relies heavily on volunteers. This means that all personnel in the aid organisations are volunteers. There is a very small percentage of full-time staff, who generally carry out administrative tasks. But essentially, right up to the management level, it really is limited to volunteers. And that’s why it’s so important in Germany.

Volunteering is the most meaningful leisure activity one can find. There are opportunities to undertake various training courses whilst volunteering. Anyone can get involved with us, for example in the Medical Task Force unit. You can join from the age of 18. In principle, however, you can also get involved at a younger age, for example with aid organisations or in the youth fire brigades. Anyone who perhaps cannot go out into the field can still do valuable work behind the scenes, for example. Anyone who says, ‘I’m not really cut out for working with people, but I’m very good with numbers, paper and pen’, is very welcome to join us, because in a crisis it’s also important that we document and organise things.


What would you say to people who believe that civil protection is none of their business?

It concerns us all! It is a task for society as a whole. In fact, it is precisely those who turn a blind eye to the bigger picture who need looking after in a disaster, because they haven’t engaged with the issue beforehand. That’s why disaster preparedness concerns everyone!


Why are disaster drills so important?

To determine whether the procedures and technology work, and whether the training systems we have for the emergency services are effective. Above all, to repeatedly put the coordination between the individual units of the various organisations to the test. To be honest: “Where were the mistakes, where were the problems?”, so that they simply do not happen to us in a real emergency.


Why is it worthwhile to engage with preventive disaster management?

So that, in times of crisis, resources can be channelled to those who urgently need help. In this way, every single person who has made preparations takes the strain off the system. That is why it is right and important for everyone to make preparations in advance, so that they can have peace of mind and the certainty that, even if a crisis strikes, they will be prepared and will be as well as can be expected under the circumstances.