Four questions for Ralph Tiesler, President of the BBK Magazin

When human lives, the environment, private property or important public facilities are endangered on a large scale in Germany, many volunteers from the civil protection organisations are usually deployed. They have been specially trained to support people in emergency situations. However, in addition to civil protection, civil defence is also becoming increasingly important. Ralph Tiesler, President of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, explains what this term means and why volunteer work is so important here.

Mr Tiesler, what are the tasks of civil defence in Germany?
‘Essentially, civil defence includes all non-military measures to protect the population from the effects of war. This includes, for example, warning the population of threats, evacuating and caring for those affected, caring for the injured and maintaining waterworks, electricity and telecommunications lines.’

How have the demands on civil defence changed in recent years?
‘Previously, the focus was more on civil protection. This task is the responsibility of the federal states, and we as a federal authority support and supplement them. However, with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, our situation has fundamentally changed, and with it the importance of civil defence. We are now increasingly preparing ourselves to be able to act in the event of an attack on us or our allies and to protect and defend the foundations of our free and democratic society.’

What role does volunteering play in civil defence?
‘More than 90% of all civil defence missions are carried out by volunteers. These helpers also make a major contribution to protecting the civilian population and infrastructure in the event of an alliance or even a defence situation. That sounds very abstract at first, but in most cases the volunteers will do the same as they do in a disaster situation: they put out fires, care for the wounded or provide technical assistance. I believe that the role of volunteers in civil defence in particular cannot be emphasised enough.’

What tasks can citizens take on in civil defence?
‘First of all, it is important that every citizen knows what they can do to help themselves, friends, family and neighbours in the event of an emergency. In addition, you can register with an aid organisation, the volunteer fire brigades or the Federal Agency for Technical Relief and undergo training. The activities in civil defence are as varied as life itself. It doesn’t always have to be physically demanding or risky.’