Civil Protection

If there is a special emergency situation in Wolfsburg, the disaster control team (HVB staff) usually meets. This staff is led by the chief administrative officer - i.e. the Lord Mayor - of the city of Wolfsburg and consists of the professional fire department, the police, the medical services, the THW, as well as various other aid organizations and, if necessary, even the German Armed Forces. Depending on the situation, other official representatives, for example from the health department, veterinary office or other specialist consultants (gas/water works, energy suppliers, specialist companies) can be called in.

The HVB staff provide comprehensive and timely information via all municipal communication channels. These are

The municipal website Special events (wolfsburg.de)

The city's Facebook fan page

Only these two channels provide you with reliable first-hand information about the situation.

Information from other sources such as Facebook groups should be treated with caution. It may be hearsay and speculation and may not correspond to the facts.

The HVB staff also uses the Modular Warning System of the Federal Government (MoWas). MoWas is used to transmit important information to radio and television as well as the NINA warning app as required.

With the emergency information and news app NINA, you receive important information directly on your cell phone, provided you have installed this free app.

• Warning app NINA for the iPhone
• Warning app NINA for Android

In the guidebook for emergency preparedness and proper action in emergency situations, the BBK provides recommendations for taking precautions for various emergency situations, including stocking up on food and drinks, creating a first-aid kit or preparing emergency luggage.

As a general rule, all of these precautionary measures are helpful in a disaster situation as well as in a case of tension or defense. In a concrete threat situation, event-related instructions and behavioral recommendations are published by the responsible authorities. This can happen in a variety of ways - on the municipality's website, through a regional radio station, or even through public address trucks. Find out how your municipality informs people in the event of a threat. It is essential to follow the orders of the authorities in the event of a crisis.

In general, we recommend that you prepare for emergency situations. These often come as a surprise. Our guide contains many tips on how you can prepare for different emergency situations.

Review

As a result of the peace dividend in the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War, the public shelter concept was not continued.

Functional preservation of shelters was discontinued in 2007 following a decision reached by consensus of the federal government and the states. As a result, the reversal process began.

Currently

The original public shelter facilities are mostly privately owned as well as owned by municipalities. Most of these facilities have already been reversed.

Due to the war in Ukraine, the federal government has decided to suspend further reversals of public shelters for the time being and to review the existing concept.

As a first step, the federal government, together with the states, will promptly conduct a complete inventory of the remaining shelters. The Federal Real Estate Agency is responsible for this process.

Irrespective of the question of the current availability and usability of public shelters, the Federal Republic of Germany today has a thoroughly sound building stock throughout the country.

Protection against weapons of war

• Subway stations,
• Underground garages, especially in urban areas,
• basements in solid construction.

This building structure is located completely below the earth's surface. It therefore offers good basic protection against:

• an explosion pressure wave,
• very dangerous flying debris and splinters, as well as
• falling debris.

Stairwells or interior rooms

In an emergency, stairwells or interior rooms that are above ground but have no openings to the outside (e.g., no windows or glass fronts) can still provide significant protection from weapons impact.

Disasters are a part of life. Almost every day, we can read about catastrophes and major incidents of damage in the diverse media and perceive the images of destruction and suffering. There are not only the major catastrophes that affect entire regions for a long time.

A local heavy rain, a severe storm, in the aftermath of a power outage or a house fire can be a very personal disaster for any individual, any family to deal with. Take the time to think about your personal emergency planning.

Once an emergency has occurred, it is usually too late to take precautionary measures. If there is a fire, you need to respond immediately. If you and your family have to evacuate, you can't wait to start packing your emergency luggage. If the power goes out for days, you should have an emergency supply in the house.

Think about your Personal Emergency Preparedness!

In today's parlance, "hoarding" describes the hoarding of food or other items that are thought to be in short supply - "hoarding purchases" are thus impulsive and not very well thought out.

Moreover, should goods actually become scarce, it is rather lacking in solidarity to hoard products beyond personal needs. Emergency stockpiles, on the other hand, are deliberately stockpiled with the most essential items in safe times, so that people can get through ten days or so without any problems.

If each and every individual builds up a stockpile in safe times, bottlenecks can be bridged collectively in an emergency. An emergency stockpile is therefore even good for the community!

Basically, we recommend the "living stockpile" principle. Try to integrate your stockpile into your everyday food consumption. This way, it will be consumed and renewed again and again without food spoiling.

For example, buy two packages of pasta and be sure to get supplies before the last package is opened. Newly purchased supplies belong in the "back" of the shelf: use up the older foods first so that nothing spoils if possible.

If you still lack space, there are several creative approaches to using storage space in small apartments. Beverage crates, for example, can be turned into seating (stools) or tables. There are many do-it-yourself craft ideas on the Internet, but you can also buy appropriate supports.

In addition: stock up according to your individual possibilities. It doesn't have to be a ten-day supply right away; a three- or four-day supply is also helpful in many situations.

How to be well prepared

Plan ahead and put some thought into putting together your medicine cabinet. It is especially important if you should not leave your home in an emergency situation, such as a severe storm. In such situations, it is helpful to have some medications in the house to treat injuries or minor illnesses. Be sure to replenish your supply of essential medications or bandages before they are used up. Proper storage is also important.

Tips for proper storage

Well secured. Keep your medicine cabinet in a lockable cabinet or compartment. Make sure it is not accessible to children (hang high or lock it). A small cabinet with a free-access bandage compartment and lockable medicine compartment would be ideal.
Cool and dry. Choose a room that is not very heated and dry. Caution: the bathroom is the wrong place!

A medicine cabinet can be helpful in many situations. Medications should be checked regularly for shelf life.

This is what belongs in a medicine cabinet:

• personal medications prescribed by a doctor
• painkillers and antipyretics
• Remedies against colds
• remedies against diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
• remedies for insect bites and sunburn
• Electrolytes to compensate for diarrhea
• clinical thermometer
• Splinter tweezers
• Skin disinfectant
• Wound disinfectant
• Disposable gloves
• Respirator mask
• Dressing material. Everything that a DIN 13164 first-aid kit (car first-aid kit) contains:
  • Gauze compress
  • Bandage scissors
  • Plasters and bandages
  • Triangular cloth

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