Flood and Covid, after the flaws in the alert system and in the relief system, Germany changes: national competences to manage crises

The German government takes a first step towards centralization of the crisis management. After the different criticisms who denounced the cases in warning system for floods and in the coordination of rescue interventions of the past few days and after the long swing of conflicting decisions at the local level to tackle the Covid pandemic, in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday the executive of Angela Merkel has decided to broaden the areas of intervention of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK or in Italian Federal Office for the Protection of the Population and Aid in Disasters) so that it becomes a center of national competence in defense of health that can, both qualitatively and quantitatively, organize interventions in all crisis situations and of health hazard. To this day, the competence for disasters was gods countries, while the BBK was only entitled to intervene in the case of defence.

It is a first step for a strategy of prevention also of future needs and for the German interior minister Horst Seehofer (Csu) is “a clear change of politics”. The decision, on the other hand, arose from the acknowledgment of the report presented by him together with his colleague from the Department of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) under the title “Resilient against crises – development and implementation processes of the national reserve in defense of health (NGRS) – first steps for a complete strategy preventive in the protection of the population “. After the many deaths and the devastation for floods a concentration of the organization of interventions on a national basis was also suggested by the leader and candidate chancellor of the Greens, Annalena Baerbock. In a television interview she openly referred to the example of Italian Civil Protection. The need for centralized intervention had already emerged overwhelmingly, as mentioned, during the Covid pandemic.

Concentrating preventive care protection within the BBK aims to overcome deficit supply of masks, safety equipment, disinfectants for doctors and paramedics found with the Covid explosion. They were rounded up but at great cost. Now the new system will have to guarantee reserves for at least six months for the healthcare sector. This material should be available for both pandemics and natural disasters and also where Germany needs to intervene in similar events in support of other allied countries. However, the new cargo of competence will still have to be signed by a constitutional reform which also gives the BBK skills in case of peace. Horst Seehofer announced that i 16 countries approved the new distribution of competences with which the BBK, maintaining its prerogatives, will be able to give them more support. Perhaps there will also be a need for an increase in personal even if the institution already counts about 400 collaborators at the headquarters of Bonn.

After the flood, the president of the BBK Armin Schuster he ensured that the public alarm system is there and has worked, but their alert must then pass from the Länder to the municipalities and from these to the citizens. The alarm apps NINA e Katwarn they are however misconosciute to most. With over 170 victims, one wonders how they can actually be defined as valid single system centralized. THE left for this reason they asked for the resignation of Seehofer.

The idea of ​​building one is now emerging transmission network of Sms that launch warnings of danger to all the population affected in a crisis area, such as the US Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). Be the minister of transport Andrea Scheuer (CDU) that the president of the Christian Democrats and candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet they would be in favor of such a channel and the BBK has already started one feasibility study to be completed by autumn. However, the costs are shaping up between at least 20 and 40 million euros. For Seehofer, a mixed system cannot be ignored, as well as digital with cell broadcasting technology, too physical, which reaches everyone, such as the use of sirens. After most of them had all been dismantled in the postwar period, the Department of the Interior had launched a major restoration campaign. Only the acoustic signals on the other hand they can guarantee effectiveness in case of malfunction, or lack of coverage, of digital networks. However, the setback of the failed test in September 2020 is still burning Warning day all remained silent: “The plants did not work” the official note and the then President of the BBK Cristoph Unger resigned. The new Warning day national team should be held in two months. However, it should be accompanied by raising the awareness of the population on what to do in an emergency.

A week after the flood, the government has meanwhile mobilized aid for 400 million euros, half federal and half under the responsibility of the Länder, for the reconstruction and support of the affected populations. Forms of indirect financing: municipalities affected by the catastrophe will not be asked to repay the emergency costs incurred by the Federation; at the same time, the obligations related to the procedures are suspended insolvency and the fund for entrepreneurs already affected by the crisis for the Covid pandemic could also be expanded. The Minister of Finance and candidate chancellor of the SPD, Olaf Scholz, he assured that aid could be increased if necessary. “There will be no shortage of money”, the Minister for the Economy also echoed, Peter Altmaier (CDU). The support to those who have lost all their possessions will be conferred in such a way not bureaucratic, Horst Seehofer assured in a statement, without having to give immediate test needs.

The environmental organization German environmental aid (DUH) stressed, however, that one must become aware of climate changes and not rebuild as before close to the river courses. In the cities themselves for the DUH – reports the German broadcaster ARD – must increase green areas that can act as hip bone to make rainwater pour into you. Similar tones also from the Nature Conservation Association Germany (Nabu) who points out that the free areas still fit to be flooded without damage have been reduced to one third across the country. This weekend the German weather service (DWD) believes there may be new heavy rains with the probable precipitation from 15 to 25 liters per square meter, but it is not excluded that the showers can also touch up to 40 liters per square meter.

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