German Red Cross Warns of Severe Gaps in Civil Defense Preparedness

The organization highlights critical shortages in emergency infrastructure, personnel, and resources, urging immediate investment to address vulnerabilities.

• The German Red Cross (DRK) reports that the country's civil defense is unprepared for a potential wartime scenario, citing major deficiencies in emergency response capabilities.
• Key shortages include housing for up to 1.7 million people, trained disaster response personnel, hospital capacity, and secure antibiotic supplies.
• DRK General Secretary Christian Reuter criticized the lack of progress in civil defense since the 'Zeitenwende' policy shift announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in 2022.
• The DRK is calling for €20 billion in immediate funding from the federal infrastructure budget to address these urgent needs.
• In the absence of sufficient federal support, the DRK is independently developing a modern civil defense center in Luckenwalde, capable of supporting 5,000 people with essential resources.

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