Overview

• Founded on August 22, 1950, the THW was placed under the Interior Ministry to maintain a civilian mandate with Geneva Convention protections and displays the blue triangle civil-protection emblem.
• The organization pairs about 2,200 salaried staff with roughly 88,000 volunteers across approximately 669–700 local units nationwide.
• Deployments occur only at the request of official authorities, typically to support fire and rescue services with technical capabilities and heavy equipment.
• Operations range from domestic crises such as the Ahrtal flood to international missions coordinated via the Foreign Office, with the SEEBA unit ready to reach earthquake zones within hours with dogs and medical personnel.
• Youth recruitment begins at age six through THW Jugend, and President Sabine Lackner reports record numbers of volunteers, children and women as climate impacts drive more frequent missions.