HAZ commentary on civil protection and security in Hanover
When it comes to security, the city and region of Hanover still treat themselves to double structures. Didn’t we learn anything from the Ahr Valley disaster? Then it’s about time, says Heiko Randermann.
Hanover.Who warns when danger is imminent? Who ensures that help comes in the event of flooding, fire, a terrorist attack or a widespread power failure? At the latest with the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley last year, it should have become clear that fast reporting channels and thus a quick response to emergencies can mean the difference between life and death. I am literal. The construction that man finds in and around Hanover is all the more strange: the city of Hanover and the region still have two parallel requirements for disaster control. A construction that – to put it mildly – seems to have fallen out of time.
Because one thing is clear: a catastrophe does not usually stop at the city limits. Of course, cases are conceivable, such as terrorist attacks, in which only the area of the state capital is really affected, but most emergencies will affect several cities, districts or even federal states. And in an emergency, two or more crisis management teams shouldn’t be allowed to muddle along; clear responsibilities and an operations management team that can coordinate the overall situation are needed.