Disaster protection exercise in Lichtenberg: rescue workers stay away!

Disaster protection exercise in Lichtenberg: rescue workers stay away!

A dramatic fiasco in Berlin-Lichtenberg! In the case of a planned disaster protection exercise, which should simulate a chemical accident, there was a shock moment: the extras were already on the ground as supposed victims, but the urgently needed rescue workers failed to do! The Senate Department for the Interior has now announced a comprehensive review of this failed exercise. "We have to prepare and evaluate the exercise to identify optimizations for future exercises," said spokeswoman Sabine Beikler.

The exercise that took place on Saturday was canceled after hours of delays. The reason for this was a catastrophic communication span: the aid organizations that were planned for the rescue had simply not sent any emergency services. Beikler explained that the Lichtenberg district had only reported the exercise vague in November 2023 and February 2024 without making any further information or agreements with the interior management or aid organizations. "There was no legal necessity for the consent of the interior administration," she added, emphasizing that Philipp Cachée, the disaster protection officer of Lichtenberg, was responsible.

disaster protection exercise: a lesson in deficiency

The exercise that was considered successful because all participants were present ended in a disaster. The requested 75 extras were ready, but the rescue workers stayed away. "Problems have become clear, but knowledge has also been gained," said Cachée, without going into detail. Observers from security authorities were concerned: "If professional fire brigade, police or Bundeswehr had been present, we would have seen completely different reactions." The analysis of the failed exercise could even be discussed in the interior committee of the Berlin House of Representatives.

The interior management also plans to set up a new competence center for population protection and crisis management, which is due to work from January 2025. This center is intended to ensure that such exercises will be better coordinated and carried out in the future. A lesson that Berlin will not be forgotten so quickly!