Over 88,000 people in Germany are civil protection and disaster relief volunteers for, including more than 100 volunteers from the Kirchheim unter Teck branch. They undergo intensive preparation to ensure they can provide prompt and effective assistance in an emergency.
Technology and Teamwork
“Hello, is anyone there? This is the THW. Hellooo?” The shouts echo over the rubble of the collapsed house. In teams of two, the men and women in blue uniforms roam the grounds in search of injured people. They find what they are looking for in a blocked sewer: A girl is trapped inside. “Can you hear us? How are you doing?” asks a volunteer.
But there is no response – the search is for a training dummy; it’s just an exercise. “Person found,” crackles the radio hanging around Anna Mirl’s neck. “Person found. Acknowledged.” She acknowledges the message and notes the exact time on her deployment sheet.
The Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW)
- was founded in 1950 on behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Interior to create structures for civil defense and disaster control in postwar Germany.
- employs around 2,200 full-time staff and has around 88,000 volunteers who are active in 668 local associations.
- is part of a nationwide assistance system that has proven its worth both in local emergency response and in dealing with major emergencies.
Mirl heads the Heavy Rescue specialist group at the THW local association in Kirchheim unter Teck, Baden-Württemberg. The group is called into action when people, animals, or valuable property need to be rescued or recovered from hard-to-reach locations – if they are buried or trapped, for instance. The team are equipped with powerful tools, including STIHL machines.
»People from all parts of society come together at the THW.«
Anna Mirl Head of the Heavy Rescue specialist group at the THW local branch in Kirchheim unter Teck
This Saturday, the 33-year-old is serving as a training instructor for the local association’s Rescue and Heavy Rescue teams at a training site in Schlierbach, just a few kilometers from Kirchheim unter Teck. There, the group practices rescue procedures under conditions that are as realistic as possible. The site is ideal for this, as it features a meticulously recreated urban disaster landscape. Concrete pipes are buried under piles of rubble from ruined houses, splintered wooden beams and metal mesh protrude from the remains of walls, and wrecked cars are scattered around the site.
At the scene, a brief consultation determined that a gasoline-powered cut-off machine should be used to reach the buried girl. Today’s training scenarios focus on handling large motorized equipment, explains Mirl.
Volunteer Florian Frietsch is assigned to work with the cut-off machine by his supervisor.
Before they can get started, the rescue team volunteers unload the required equipment from the equipment truck. The equipment is perfectly organized behind the roller doors of the truck: Chainsaws are stowed in pull-out compartments, as are pumps and first aid equipment. All the equipment required for the exercise is clearly arranged on a blue plastic tarpaulin so that it is easily accessible again, even for longer operations. Frietsch grabs the necessary protective equipment, straps on his leather protective gear, and slips on his leather gloves. Then he starts up the cut-off machine.
Mirl explains that personal protection is always a priority, especially in urgent situations. Properly attired, Frietsch now tackles the steel grating blocking the entrance.
Those interested in the THW learn to operate the 13-kilogram machine during basic training, which equips them with the skills to safely handle equipment and master essential working techniques. After completing around 100 teaching units, they prove their skills in an exam. After that, Mirl is allowed to take them on assignments.
PROFESSION AND VOLUNTEERING
“Helping people is important to me, both at work and in my free time,” says Frietsch, explaining his motivation. The fact that his daily work as a nursing assistant has little to do with technology doesn’t bother anyone. In fact, the opposite is true. At the THW, everyone is encouraged to contribute their unique experience – the more varied, the better. “Florian is an ace at calming people down in emergency situations,” says Mirl. The exercises are designed to be as realistic as possible. In addition to executing a technically flawless rescue, the exercise instructor expects the volunteers to provide thorough and attentive care to the injured people. This requires them to talk to the training doll and explain what is happening. As the doll is pushed outside on a stretcher through the hole in the grating, she is still wearing the hearing protection placed to shield her from the noise of the cut-off machine.
»Helping people is important to me.«
Florian Frietsch Member of the THW local branch in Kirchheim unter Teck
After the doll is freed and the successful rescue is reported to Mirl, everyone gathers for a feedback session to reflect on the experience. How did the exercise go? How was the communication? What could be done better next time?
“Continuous improvement” is Mirl’s goal, not only for the entire Heavy Rescue specialist group but also for her professional pursuits. During the week, the process engineer coordinates system development for chainsaw production at STIHL. She believes that work and volunteering complement each other perfectly: “I can put my organizational and presentation skills from my day-to-day work to very good use at the THW. There, I develop soft skills in a more hands-on way than any professional conflict resolution seminar, as people from all walks of life collaborate in challenging situations.” Mirl ensures that everyone receives both support and challenges, fostering continuous growth and development together. To achieve this, she personally designed the scenarios that are practiced on the training ground. “The ideas come from my own training and I also contribute my experience from real assignments.”
100
training units are completed by prospective volunteers in preparation for emergencies.
IN AN EMERGENCY
One of these missions was the flood disaster in the Ahr valley in 2021. The then 29-year-old spent a week helping to set up and operate a reporting point in the marshalling area. This served as the first point of contact for aid workers arriving in the disaster area from all over Germany. The task lay outside Mirl’s special field of Heavy Rescue, but she tackled it with the help of the THW team spirit, her excellent training, and her wealth of experience. “No matter what the need is, we can handle it.”
»No matter what the need is, we can handle it.«
Anna Mirl Head of the Heavy Rescue specialist group at the THW local branch in Kirchheim unter Teck
This operation, involving volunteers from across the country, highlights the unique role of the THW in civil protection. Thanks to standardized equipment and training, the teams can seamlessly collaborate to provide emergency humanitarian aid at both local and national level after natural disasters.
The THW also provides its technical expertise and specialized equipment worldwide on behalf of the German government when requested by affected countries. Over the past 60 years, the THW has been deployed internationally in more than 130 countries.
Such voluntary work would not be possible without the support and understanding of employers. Since disasters are unpredictable, volunteers may be called into action at short notice at any time. There is usually more lead time before planned operations such as aid transports. The THW Act requires employers to release volunteers for this duty and provides compensation to companies in return. Mirl’s work is put on pause during that time, she explains, while expressing gratitude for the understanding and support she receives in her professional environment.
STIHL supports civil protection organizations with financial and material donations. It did so, for instance, after the flood disaster in the Ahr valley, the heavy rainfall in the Stuttgart region in June 2024, and the floods in Brazil, which also impacted STIHL employees.
829000
hours of work
were carried out
by the THW in 2023.
FIGHTING FLOODING TOGETHER
Stihl Brazil
Prolonged heavy rain flooded the city of São Leopoldo in southern Brazil in May 2024 and led to the worst natural disaster in the history of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. An estimated 100,000 people had to leave their homes, including 400 STIHL Brazil employees. Many employees who were not personally affected pitched in to help with the clean-up efforts. The company primarily provided financial support to employees, while aid organizations also received money and numerous donations of equipment. This included high-pressure cleaners, generators, and other appliances. Two employees of STIHL Ferramentas Motorizadas Ltda. talked about their work.
Cylinder Production Assistant
Have you ever volunteered before this assignment?
Narayanny Teodoro Xavier dos Santos: No, this was my first time – just like it was for many of my colleagues. Since I escaped unscathed, I really wanted to help the people who had lost so much. Our occupational safety team prepared us as thoroughly as possible on the first day. Not just in practical terms, but also so we knew how to support those affected, who could be in a highly emotional state.
In what areas have STIHL’s equipment donations been particularly helpful?
Alexsandro Steffens: In many areas, power was out, making generators indispensable. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to start our clean-up work. When the floodwater receded, it left behind a thick layer of mud that quickly began to stink in the humid heat. Thanks to the high-pressure cleaners, we were able to flush the mud out of homes quickly; much faster than would have been possible without the machinery. This allowed us to help more people return to their homes as quickly as possible.
800000
euros
were provided by STIHL
as emergency aid.
100
people were accommodated in the emergency shelter in a company building.
400
employees
lost
their homes.
Were there any particularly memorable moments during your assignment?
Narayanny Teodoro Xavier dos Santos: We helped a colleague who has very young children. As a mother, I understand how important family mementos are – photos, the first onesie, the christening gown. Of course, our colleague wanted to get as many things out of the mud as possible. Unfortunately, we didn’t find the baby’s first earring, but we did find a few other emotionally significant things. That made me very happy for her.
How are people doing now, after the flood?
Alexsandro Steffens: Normalcy is slowly returning to the flooded neighborhoods. There’s no more garbage on the streets and the signs of destruction are gradually disappearing. However, many of our colleagues are still in the process of rebuilding everything they lost. They have experienced terrible things and it will take time for them to come to terms with that.
Cylinder Systems Refrigeration Operator
