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Volunteers in Rhineland-Palatinate: A database could organize the helpers better in the future
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Thomas Frey / dpa
The flood disaster in western Germany sparked a wave of solidarity.
Many volunteers offered active support in the affected areas.
However, there was a lack of organization in some places.
In order to change that in the future, the chairman of the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Ralph Brinkhaus (CDU), is now discussing a "civil reserve" for disaster control.
With this, voluntary helpers could be better organized nationwide through a central registration, Brinkhaus told the newspapers of the Ippen Group Hessen.
"If we had a database with these people who do not work for the aid organizations but want to tackle anyway, then we would have a civilian reserve and, in an emergency, could fall back on many people with different skills."
The idea is not entirely new.
Chancellor Helge Braun had already made a similar proposal in March.
Braun had also suggested the creation of a civil reserve to support state authorities in crisis situations - at that time, however, mainly with a view to the corona crisis.
Pay off promised emergency aid quickly
At the time, the CDU politician cited contact tracking in the pandemic as an example.
»We need trained helpers from the general public.
A kind of civil reserve - just like there is a military reserve, "Braun told the newspapers of the Funke media group in March.
There may be various conclusions that can be drawn from the flood disaster, said Union faction leader Brinkhaus now.
"Build differently, more flood protection, seal less." In some regions such as the narrow valleys of the Eifel or the Bergisches Land, however, this is difficult.
There are fewer opportunities for floodplains there than in flat Westphalia.
In addition, the Eifel is one of the most sparsely populated regions in West Germany.
Not everything is sealed there by a long way.
"In this respect, the same applies here: no quick conclusions," said Brinkhaus.
Brinkhaus also called for the emergency aid promised to the flood victims to be paid out quickly.
"Second, bridges, roads, and all of the infrastructure have to be rebuilt," he said.
For this, as well as for the reconstruction of houses and businesses, a further considerable sum will be necessary.
"We are currently working in Berlin to provide this money," said Brinkhaus.
He did not give an exact amount.
The reconstruction will be a marathon.
asc / dpa
