Cross -border disaster protection exercise: THW shows strength in Denmark

Cross -border disaster protection exercise: THW shows strength in Denmark

Kiel/Tondern (ots)

An important step in international disaster coping took place on Saturday, October 5, in Denmark, where the cross -border exercise Østerfanger 2024 was carried out. Under the difficult conditions of an unexpectedly violent storm that followed a wet summer, Danish and German emergency services were able to demonstrate their skills together. A defect in a lock system meant that the water level in the Tondern region rose, which was the scenario of the exercise. This is described by those responsible as a realistic picture, since similar challenges had to be overcome regionally in Germany last winter.

The exercise combined local hazard assistants from Denmark, including Hadersleben, Tondern, Appenrade and the city of Esbjerg as well as the Danish civil protection authority Berredskabsyrelsen (BRS) and the Technical Relief Agency (THW) from Germany. Claus Böttcher, a representative of the THW state association HH MV SH, emphasized the need for such exercises to strengthen international cooperation. "Accidents and disasters do not know national borders, accordingly our help must also be limitless," he said.

collaboration and technology in focus

The THW local associations Niebüll, Husum, Flensburg and Eckernförde sent a total of 20 emergency services, while the THW was present with its high-performance pump (HCP) certified for international operations, supported by a further 16 specialists. These measures aimed at pumping the accumulated water masses at strategic points. The effectiveness of the actions was supplemented by monitoring using drones from the air, a sign for the modern and efficient use of the forces involved.

The originally planned participation of a Polish fire brigade delegation fell victim to the flood situation in Poland. Nevertheless, a small group of Polish observers were on site to pursue the exercise. Representatives of the Norwegian civil protection and the disaster protection service from Schleswig-Holstein also participated, which clarified the cross-border dimension of the event.

The exercise also offered the opportunity to discuss initial talks between Torsten Schack Pedersen, the Danish Minister for Social Resilience and Danglary, and Dr. Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, the Minister of the Interior, Local, Living and Sports in the State of Schleswig-Holstein. High -ranking representatives of the BRS, the THW as well as MPs and local politicians were also present to discuss the agreements regarding future cooperation.

With the end of the exercise, it became clear once again: Effective population protection is a common undertaking. The event made it clear how important international cooperation is to deal with disasters and provides valuable experience for future planning. The THW, as on a voluntary organization, plays a central role in population protection in both Germany and internationally. The approximately 88,000 volunteers are a load-bearing pillar in the THW rescue and auxiliary operations, which looks back on a long history of support in emergencies. The commitment is not only limited to bilateral help, but also includes technical and logistical tasks within the framework of the European Union disaster protection and on behalf of UN organizations. Further information can be found here .