How can authorities make the best use of volunteers’ willingness to help during a crisis? A CREWS pilot exercise in Hamburg-Altona put this cooperation to the test, bringing together around 130 participants to respond to a simulated heatwave and flooding emergency.
Hosted by CREWS lead partner Altona District Office and Hamburg Fire and Rescue Services, the exercise involved local NGOs and volunteers. Participants tested the project’s digital tool for registering volunteers and coordinating their support, with tasks ranging from distributing drinking water and stacking sandbags to setting up emergency points and assisting injured people.
CREWS project is the latest in a series of initiatives advancing PA Secure’s work on volunteerism. This sustained cooperation has also contributed to the establishment of BSR-NOVA, a regional network connecting authorities and volunteer organisations. Together, these efforts support PA Secure’s priority of empowering citizens as active participants in crisis preparedness and response.
Funded by Interreg Baltic Sea Region, CREWS is developing a cooperation model, a digital coordination tool and training materials. Lessons from Hamburg and other pilot exercises across the region will help refine these outputs for practical use.
The exercise was covered by the German media:
NDR:Schutz vor Extremwetter-Katastrophen: Großübung in Hamburg. WELT:130 Menschen üben Einsatz bei Extremwetterszenario. NDR Hamburg Journal / ARD:Katastrophenschutz: Große Übung in Hamburg, television report.
More photos from the exercise (photos by Bezirksamt Altona)
