Volunteering protects life: strong votes for population protection in Schwerin

Volunteering protects life: strong votes for population protection in Schwerin

Schwerin, Deutschland - On June 23, a solemn event of the Johanniter-Accident Aid (JUH) and the Maltese Hilfsdienst (MHD) took place in Schwerin, which was reminiscent of the historical patron of Johannes. At this joint St. John's celebration, not only the commitment of the many volunteers was recognized, but also an important appeal for more support in population protection in Germany. Around 120 guests from politics, administration, church and aid organizations took part in the ceremony, including the Interior Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Christian Pegel.

level emphasized the valuable work of the volunteers, who are often at the forefront in times of crisis such as floods, power outages and pandemics. "Without the commitment of the volunteers, effective population protection would not be conceivable," said the minister. In particular, he pointed out the need for closer cooperation at the state level to strengthen the volunteer. This was also supported by Volker, the President of the JUH, who demanded more uniformity in the population protection system. He criticized the different legislation of the federal and state governments as well as the inadequate funds for the equipment of the aid organizations that are urgently needed for their missions.

The role of volunteering in population protection

The event not only reminded of the historical foundation of the Order of St. John over 900 years ago in Jerusalem, but also focused on the need for an active civilian population and individual responsibility. Georg Khevenhüller, President of the MHD, underlined that the population protection is a common task that only succeeds if everyone pulls together. To illustrate this, an "emergency bag" was presented as an example that symbolizes the self -provision of the emergency services.

In Germany, over 100,000 people are now volunteers in the ranks of the Johanniter and Maltese, especially in the areas of disaster relief and medical service. As the Federal Office for Population Protection and Disaster Aid (BBK) emphasizes, this work is indispensable for a functioning society. Because voluntary services are not only part of the population protection, but also an important part of the social structure in Germany.

outlook on the future of the volunteer office

The BBK has set up a central point of contact with the presentation N.I.4, which deals with the promotion and development of volunteer protection. Here, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and other departments are working together on concepts in order to secure and strengthen voluntary work in the long term. The trend is becoming increasingly clear: the voluntary commitment is and remains a load -bearing element - not only in times of crisis, but also for the resilience of entire society.

As the presidents of the Johanniter and Maltese found, a strengthening of the volunteer structure is necessary in order to continue to count on committed helpers in the future. "There is something", some will think about further challenges.

at a time when social cohesion is more important than ever, both the Johanniter and the Maltese call to actively participate in the population protection - the emergency services are happy about every helping hand.

For more information on volunteer work and its support in Germany, read Nordkurier , Johanniter and Federal Office for Population Protection .