Background information

Disaster protection is part of general hazard prevention in Germany. It is in the responsibility of the 16 German states. The municipalities, districts and independent cities are the contacts for local citizens. As so-called lower disaster control authorities, they are responsible for protection in the event of major accidents or disasters, including extreme weather events such as floods or storms. Every citizen can request help from the (rescue) control centers at any time in any city, in any community. To this end, fire departments, police and regulatory authorities work closely together. Depending on needs and agreements, voluntary rescue services also participate in disaster control. The federal government has no direct responsibility for disaster control. However, in the event of natural disasters and particularly serious accidents, the states can, in accordance with Article 35 of the German constitution (Basic Law), additionally employ police forces from other states, forces and institutions from other administrations, such as the Technical Relief Agency (THW), the Federal Police, or the armed forces for help.

Content of measure

The Federal Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Act forms the legal basis for federal civil protection and disaster assistance in Germany. The law designates the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance as the responsible authority for tasks carried out by the federal government. The costs caused to local authorities by the law will be borne by the federal government.
The responsibility for self-protection is assigned to the communities. The law also defines the responsibilities for the construction, management and maintenance of public shelters. According to the law, the federal government is obliged to support the state authorities responsible for warning the population. The law defines the cooperation between the federal and state governments in defense and disaster situations. Among other things, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) supports state authorities in civil defense. The seventh section of the law defines measures to protect health in the event of defense and their use for disaster control tasks.

Use of measure

Example flood disaster 2021 (mainly in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia): The operational measures in the context of danger prevention and damage elimination were initiated by the command staff set up in the states (at state or district level) and by the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) and the Joint Federal and State Reporting and Situation Center (GMLZ) at the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BBK). The federal government supported the states and municipalities comprehensively with its own resources as part of disaster relief. Several thousand supporters were deployed in the affected areas. It was the largest deployment in the history of the Technical Relief Organization (THW). A total of around 16,200 THW staff members were deployed as part of the administrative assistance and all 668 THW local associations in Germany were involved.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Local / regional government	National funds Regional funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Civil protection and disaster assistance is not a specific issue for social partners.

Views and reactions

No information available.

Sources

• 25 March 1997: Federal Civil Defense and Disaster Assistance Ac (www.gesetze-im-internet.de)