Volunteering in disaster relief: Hesse is betting on 100 million euros!

Volunteering in disaster relief: Hesse is betting on 100 million euros!

Civil Protection Day 2025 took place in Kassel last weekend. The Secretary of State for Homeland Security, Martin Rößler, was on site and emphasized the immense importance of voluntary work in fire and disaster protection. Around 80,000 volunteers are active in Hesse and therefore form the backbone of Hesse's security architecture. Rößler thanked his fellow firefighters and the disaster control helpers and highlighted their valuable work. This event not only served to exchange information between emergency services and citizens, but also to raise awareness of self-protection and self-help.

Rößler encouraged visitors to volunteer at the fire department or in aid organizations. Around 150 full-time and volunteer staff were present at 13 action areas to provide information about civil protection. Government Vice President Rolf Richter in particular found clear words about the need for crisis prevention and the role of volunteers. Hesse is investing heavily in this: With an equipment offensive worth around 100 million euros, the number of state vehicles used in disaster protection has increased from 278 to almost 900 since 2008.

Volunteer work in focus

A total of around 3.4 million euros will go towards promoting volunteer work in fire and disaster protection. Around 1,500 volunteers are deployed in various districts and cities. The introduction of 26 new KatS equipment trolleys to fire departments in Hesse is another clear step towards improving operational readiness. Last year, these forces were particularly called upon during flood situations in Trendelburg-Gottsbüren and showed how important voluntary support is.

A large part of disaster control in Hesse is the Technical Relief Organization (THW), which is active at 55 locations with around 5,000 volunteers. The THW is not only used domestically, but also internationally - from drinking water treatment in Africa to emergency aid during earthquakes in countries such as Colombia and Turkey. In Hesse, a total of 61 technical trains and 85 specialist groups are available to respond quickly to natural disasters or particularly dangerous situations.

The future of volunteering

The importance of volunteer work for civil protection is also reflected in the efforts of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK). This institution wants to strengthen the voluntary structure and develop future-oriented concepts to ensure long-term participation in civil protection. A separate department, N.I.4 – Volunteering in Civil Protection, takes care of the promotion and development of voluntary structures and networks between all those involved. The goal is clear: volunteers are indispensable in society and will continue to be urgently needed in the future to ensure the safety of all citizens.

Civil Protection Day 2025 impressively showed how important the commitment of volunteers in fire and disaster protection is and how diverse the tasks are in this area. With the support of the state government and federal authorities, we hope to motivate even more people to get involved in their communities.