Image: VOLKER Weihbold
The funds for the rescue organizations are increased. The government decided this at its first Council of Ministers after the summer break. Rescue and civil protection organizations will receive an additional total of 22 million euros per year by the end of 2028, as Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) and Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) announced on Wednesday after the government meeting in the Federal Chancellery.
The events of the last few weeks have shown how important blue light organizations are, said Karner and spoke of a “clear signal, especially to the volunteers”. In this way, the rescue organizations should be better equipped to deal with the challenges of the storms and catastrophes that are becoming more frequent as a result of climate change, explained Social Affairs Minister Rauch.
Video: More money for rescue organizations
Specifically, according to the legislative initiative, the seven legally recognized rescue organizations in the federal states will receive an additional 18 million euros annually for investments in emergency vehicles, resources and equipment. Two million euros more per year go to the national umbrella organizations. Another two million will be made available to strengthen civil protection and personal provision. Karner mentioned here in particular the civil protection association and its measures for blackout prevention and educating the population about disaster control.
“In total, that’s an additional 110 million euros for our rescue and civil defense organizations by 2028,” explained Karner. After five years, the rescue and civil protection support law is to be evaluated.
Most of the funding should be processed by the federal states in which the organizations are active. At the same time, a usage guideline is intended to ensure that the additional equipment of the rescue organizations is uniform and that the equipment procured in the federal states is largely compatible with one another in the event of a crisis or disaster.
Wednesday’s Council of Ministers was the first regular government meeting after the summer break. Since July 5, the government had only met once in the traditional Summer Council of Ministers at the end of July.
Source: Nachrichten
