Saxony needs immediate measures for effective civil protection!

Saxony needs immediate measures for effective civil protection!

In Saxony there is a lot of catching up potential in the area of ​​civil protection, which has now been emphatically emphasized by various parties. The Saxon Interior Minister Armin Schuster makes it clear in a current report that it is time to modernize the structures in civil and disaster protection and thus meet the requirements of national defense. Although the federal government is fundamentally responsible for these areas, it shows significant deficits in key areas such as warning infrastructure and supply of supplies to the population. These deficiencies were also addressed in the coalition agreement of the new federal government, which gave civil protection a higher priority, according to MZ.de.

A worrying fact: There are no public shelters in Saxony. The shelters that existed in eastern Germany were not integrated into the current shelter concept after reunification. This gap means that the Saxon state government will have to expect a large financial outlay of an estimated ten billion euros over the next ten years in order to enable the necessary adjustments to the legal basis and the development of care capacities. These funds are essential for the implementation of the federal government's equipment concept in order to guarantee citizens comprehensive protection in the event of a disaster.

Preparing for disasters

Disaster protection plays a key role in Saxony, as the state government explains. Under the chapter “Disaster protection” it is clearly stated that the main tasks are to protect human lives and ensure the supply of essential goods. A disaster occurs when regular forces are overwhelmed and a coordinated response under the leadership of the disaster management authority becomes necessary. The various levels of government, from districts to the highest disaster control authority in the Saxon Ministry of the Interior, work hand in hand. The aim is to be as well prepared as possible for emergencies, as Population Protection Saxony describes.

The tasks of the disaster control authorities are clearly defined and include the creation of disaster plans and the regular implementation of exercises. These are essential not only for the authorities themselves, but also for all institutions and private aid organizations involved. During an operation, all resources must be mobilized quickly. The process is organized in such a way that in the event of a mass incident, alarm and operational plans are activated within a very short time. Clinics, such as the St. Georg Clinic in Leipzig, are prepared for this and offer all relevant specialist areas around the clock so that they can act quickly in the event of a mass casualty incident.

Organizational structure

The structure of the disaster control authorities in Saxony is three-stage. The lower disaster control authorities in the 10 districts and 3 independent cities are responsible for the immediate preparation and management of disaster control on site. The highest authority, the Saxon State Ministry of the Interior, has, among other things, the central task of setting up the state fire brigade and disaster control school and organizing the procurement of equipment for disaster control. This clear structure is regulated by the Saxon Disaster Protection Act, a new version of which was published on March 24, 1999 and has been continually updated since then, as can be found at revosax.sachsen.de.

Overall, it became clear that Saxony's disaster control still has a lot of scope for improvement. It is important not only to make additional financial adjustments, but also to rethink the structures and measures in order to best protect the population from unforeseen events. A proactive approach to the issue could help to significantly improve the safety of citizens in the long term.