No shelter in MV: State government raises the alarm!

No shelter in MV: State government raises the alarm!

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, there is a worrying deficit in the area of population protection: There are currently no public shelters in the event of a warlike attack. According to n-tv integrated. In addition, the dismantling of the existing program has increased since 2008.

The state government expressed this alarming information in a report on a request from the CDU member of the state parliament Marc Reinhardt. The condition is so problematic that even state -owned and municipal shelters are not available. This not only leads to a feeling of uncertainty, but also to justified criticism of politicians, such as the CDU parliamentary group leader Daniel Peters, who speaks of a "dangerous gap" between the demands and the reality of crisis.

Current initiatives and their challenges

The criticism is no coincidence, because since Russia's aggressive war on Ukraine, the topic of civil defense in Germany has become more important. In November 2022, a federal-state working group was launched that works on a nationwide shelter concept. So far, however, the results have been more modest: The Ministry of the Interior of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has been criticized above all to lack concrete advances and reliable measures.

In addition, the state government refers to a brochure from the Federal Office for Population Protection and disaster relief, which recommends that every household should create a supply of food and drinks for at least ten days. This info was reprinted in an edition of 100,000 pieces and distributed in more than 120 administrative seats in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

feel -good factor or necessity?

Andreas Walus, director of the State Office for Disaster Protection in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, does not currently see the need for new shelters. In an interview with the NDR he emphasizes that the population protection has long been on the radar and that there should be an inventory of the existing shelters. Interestingly, Walus has seen in Finland how shelter is integrated into everyday construction projects, for example in indoor playgrounds or gyms. This opens up the discussion about how shelter can not only be useful for military dangers, but also for natural disasters, technical accidents and pandemic threats.

The idea of expanding private basement to protect it is well received, but Walus advises not to fall into hustle and bustle. In order to exist, experts recommend being self-sufficient for ten days and important aids such as a battery-operated radio, a flashlight and knowledge of disaster lamps that are specified in the federal states. In summary, it should be noted: While the discussion about the need for shelters in Germany is increasingly coming to the fore, reality in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania remains alarming. It remains to be hoped that better solutions will soon be presented to ensure the citizens: inside and their security.