Germany's government wants to spend €10 billion to better protect its population in case of emergencies. The backlog is huge.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is putting his words into action. In September last year, the Bavarian conservative politician announced that he wanted to boost Germany's civil defense and emergency management capabilities. Eight months later, the government is to decide on concrete measures at its next cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
A package worth €10 billion ($11.6 billion) will be set aside for civil defense to be used up by 2029. "That includes, among other things, a thousand specialty vehicles which will be procured," Dobrindt's spokesperson announced. About a third of the money is earmarked for modernizing buildings belonging to the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), as well as personnel and technology for the federal agency.
The THW currently has a budget of about €500 million and about 2,200 people on staff. It also involves about 88,000 volunteer helpers. The speaker could not say whether other relief organizations such as the Red Cross would also receive a share of the government support.
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