Bavaria’s Minister of the Interior Joachim Herrmann: In future, even more exercise and training space with state-of-the-art technology – Around 32 million for the first construction phase – The federal government must also face up to its responsibility in civil protection
The Bavarian Centre for Special Operations (BayZBE), which will be built in 2019, will be expanded: “Volunteer emergency forces from all Bavarian emergency and relief organisations can look forward to an additional 27,000 square metres of training space as well as more state-of-the-art technology in the future.” Bavaria’s Minister of the Interior Joachim Herrmann said today at the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion in Windischeschenbach in the Upper Palatinate. “The BayZBE is a flagship for the high professionalism and quality of civil protection in Bavaria. This is also thanks to the high level of voluntary commitment and performance of the emergency organisations,” said the Minister. The training area is now to be further expanded with, among other things, multi-functional buildings and areas. “The Free State of Bavaria has approved around 32 million euros in funding for the first construction phase of the expansion until 2026,” Herrmann said.
He added that the training and simulation centre, which is jointly operated by the Bavarian Red Cross, Malteser Hilfsdienst, Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe and Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund, is already unique in its form and a success story. Herrmann: “In the BayZBE, emergency forces are prepared across organisations for the broad spectrum of all hazardous situations under lifelike conditions and using pioneering video and acoustic technology for emergencies. “The cooperation between the rescue and emergency services is impressive. The Free State of Bavaria has funded the construction of the BayZBE since 2016 and its ongoing operation from 2019 with more than 10 million euros to date,” he said.
The expansion – with a total investment volume of more than 50 million euros – is to be completed by 2030. “For the further construction phase, I will also advocate for the highest possible state subsidy – as I have done from the very beginning,” Herrmann assured. “This is not only an investment in this modern training facility, but also in all the people who actively stand by us in emergency and dangerous situations as well as in disasters,” Herrmann assured. The demands on emergency and command staff have grown. Professional training and regular practice are essential in order to be able to proceed in a routine and focused manner in any operational scenario.
“This effective support also shows that the state government is serious about strengthening civil protection and disaster management,” Herrmann emphasised. In contrast to the federal government: there have been only empty words so far. “The full-bodied announcements of a ‘new start in civil protection’ last year have completely fizzled out. The result so far: substantial cuts in the federal budget for the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance and for the Federal Agency for Technical Relief. In the National Security Strategy, a strengthening of civil protection was announced once again. Let us hope that words will finally be followed by deeds.
