Greetings to the FLORIAN 2024
- Armin Schuster
Saxon State Minister of the Interior - Gunnar Ullmann
President of the Saxony State Fire Brigade Association - Ralph Tiesler
President of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance - Karl-Heinz Banse
President of the German Fire Brigade Association - Colonel Michael Popielas
Commander of the Saxony State Command - Janine Stock
THW State Commissioner for Saxony and Thuringia - Ltd. Fire Director Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Wackerhahn
Spokesman of the Working Group of Fire Departments in the Rescue Service (AG FReDi) of the AGBF Bund - Dr. Andreas Follmann
President of the German Society for Disaster Medicine e.V. - Thomas Mähnert
Member of the Federal Executive Board of Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e. V. - Dirk Hilbert
Lord Mayor of the City of Dresden - Roland Zwerenz
Managing Director ORTEC Messe und Kongress GmbH
Armin Schuster
Saxon State Minister of the Interior
Dear visitors,
Welcome to the 23rd FLORIAN. 30,000 guests last year - a new record - can't be wrong: the trade fair is the highlight in Germany when it comes to technology that saves lives. And our state capital will once again offer the best conditions for this in 2024.
Once again, not only the who's who of the industry will be represented, but above all those on whose commitment our safety depends. The comrades from the fire departments and the helpers in civil protection - to whom we owe our thanks - will find the best opportunity of the year to familiarize themselves with the latest developments and equipment at the trade fair.
The focus is on modern technology as well as helpful seminars, workshops and lectures.
This synergy of innovation and commitment, which takes place every year in Dresden, is both an award and an aspiration for the Saxon state government. Over the next few years, we want to continue to be one of the federal states that create reality in terms of comprehensive fire and disaster protection. With a strong budget of more than 270 million euros for investments in municipal fire protection since 2018 and an additional 30 million euros as part of our forest fire protection concept, we have recently succeeded in doing so and we want to continue to do so.
However, one thing is also clear: to achieve our goals, we not only need the courage of our emergency services and suitable partners from industry and business, but also new strategies. After all, civil protection in the 21st century can only work if we find smart answers to the crises and challenges of our time.
I am therefore all the more pleased that FLORIAN is setting the stage for a civil protection congress in Bavaria for the first time.
I wish all visitors an exciting visit to the trade fair, the organizers a smooth process and the exhibitors many good business results.
Armin Schuster
Saxon State Minister of the Interior
Gunnar Ullmann
President of the Saxony Fire Brigade Association
Dear comrades, dear trade fair visitors,
It's that time again. The 23rd FLORIAN is once again presenting itself to its visitors. The focus is on Saxony's blue light organizations and they are looking forward to an interactive exchange with their professional (audience).
There will be presentations, lectures and practical workshops. There will also be numerous specialist conferences focusing on respiratory protection, the latest drone technologies, disaster medicine and special situations, municipal water departments, PSNV for emergency services, further and advanced training in the rescue service, as well as preventive fire protection, represented by the Saxony State Fire and Disaster Protection School.
Interested parties can also find out about the latest technologies and developments. To this end, the Saxony State Fire Brigade Association has launched the "Innovation Platform - Hazard Prevention". The "Technical Assistance Combine Harvester" demonstration will also be celebrating its premiere.
For the first time, the Fire & Rescue Games will also take place on all days of the fair. The aim is to use the attractiveness of the competition to get even more motivated young people interested in firefighting.
The FLORIAN with all its offerings is therefore not only a kind of balance sheet of previous experiences, findings and technical developments, but also a showcase for the next generation, those seeking information on the subject of civil protection and the fire department fan next door.
With this in mind, I wish everyone a successful, informative and enjoyable trade fair and a profitable exchange in Dresden. So just drop by and be inspired.
Gunnar Ullmann
President of the Saxony State Fire Service Association e. V.
Ralph Tiesler
President of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), I am delighted to welcome you to FLORIAN 2024, the renowned trade fair for fire departments, civil protection and disaster control.
As every year, the industry gathering in Dresden provides the big stage for public safety. The steadily growing interest not only from the specialist audience, but also from citizens, testifies to how great the need for exchange is and how much the importance of civil protection has grown in the public debate.
This is a good development, especially in times when the framework conditions for our security are constantly changing. These are times in which extreme weather conditions are becoming the new normal and images of war in Europe are commonplace. Times in which we in Germany are also feeling the consequences of the climate crisis and international upheaval.
The crisis is omnipresent. It is not enough to have all-terrain vehicles, modern resources and well-trained rescue teams - what counts in this situation is that we always get these valuable resources to where they are needed in good time through good communication and transparent skills management.
To achieve this, we need to improve the networking of the key players in civil protection - between the federal government, federal states, local authorities, aid organizations, companies and the general public. The efficient management of the floods since the beginning of the year is proof that this is becoming increasingly successful.
We would like to further develop this security partnership. Direct exchange with practitioners is essential for this. I am therefore delighted that the BBK will once again be exhibiting at FLORIAN in 2024 in order to deepen the professional exchange and learn about new approaches that can expand our civil protection portfolio.
We are not coming empty-handed. At our stand this time, we will be presenting the LF-KatS fire fighting vehicle for civil protection, which serves to supplement the equipment of municipal fire departments for the special requirements of protecting the civilian population in the event of defense.
We cordially invite you to visit us at our stand in Hall 3 D-9 and talk to us. I wish all participants and guests many new insights, a fruitful exchange and a successful FLORIAN trade fair.
Ralph Tiesler
President of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance
Karl-Heinz Banse
President of the German Fire Brigade Association
Dear visitors to FLORIAN 2024,
From Saarland to Lower Saxony, from Bavaria to Saxony, floods kept fire departments busy this year. Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt experienced forest fires.
Operations in other federal states also showed how strongly the consequences of climate change are affecting fire departments. We are all called upon to keep the network of helping hands resilient in the future!
In Germany, 1.3 million people are active in fire departments; from the start in children's groups and youth fire departments, their commitment continues as adults. Volunteer fire departments, professional and plant fire departments together form the strongest pillar of civil protection. Born out of the idea of helping neighbors, volunteering is also active in strengthening democracy - this is now more important than ever!
In order to provide firefighters with the necessary equipment and appropriate training, it is important that new products and innovative technology are also presented in a way that is appropriate for the target group.
I wish visitors to FLORIAN 2024 interesting encounters and a successful trade fair.
To honor God, to defend our neighbor.
Karl-Heinz Banse
President of the German Fire Service Association
Colonel Michael Popielas
Commander of the Saxony State Command
Dear visitors,
What seemed unthinkable for a long time has become a terrifying reality with Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022 in violation of international law: War is raging again in Europe. In addition to the Ukrainian armed forces, the Ukrainian civil defense forces also have to endure day after day in continuous deployment in this terrible disaster situation under the most difficult conditions and with great danger to life and limb. This war shows more than ever that a "modern war" is not limited to combat between opposing armies "on the front line", but is accompanied by catastrophic effects on the population.
A glance at the map shows: Only around 750 kilometers separate Dresden and the major Ukrainian city of Lviv - a distance similar to that between Kiel on the Baltic Sea and Constance on Lake Constance. Today's Russia is currently the greatest threat to peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region - and therefore to Germany. The Bundeswehr is the guarantor of Germany's deterrence and defense capability. Due to the strong interaction between external and internal security, Germany's ability to act externally increasingly depends on its internal resilience. This requires cooperation between the federal and state governments in civil defense and disaster control.
Resilient risk and crisis management is a task for the entire state and an integral part of our security architecture.
A holistic understanding of resilience must take all scenarios - including national defense - into account. This also means, for example, that forces already available in the areas of fire protection, rescue services and disaster control must ultimately also be deployed for general emergency response in a security policy context.
The Saxony State Command is responsible for civil-military cooperation in the Free State of Saxony in its function as the central coordinating and liaison element between the Bundeswehr and the various civilian state and non-state actors in peace, disaster, crisis and ultimately also war. Continuing the good cooperation in the disasters (from corona to forest fires to floods), let us continue to actively tackle the tasks ahead, continuously expand our existing cooperation, further institutionalize it and ensure that "our Saxony" is protected internally and externally.
I wish you a wide range of impressions and interesting discussions during your visit and look forward to welcoming you to our stand C7 in Hall 3 in the coming days.
Colonel Michael Popielas
Commander of the Saxony State Command
Janine Stock
THW State Representative for Saxony and Thuringia
Dear visitors to the FLORIAN trade fair,
As I write this greeting, it is only a few days since the partial collapse of the Carola Bridge. The citizens of Dresden are still in shock after the disaster, which destroyed an important lifeline through the city on the Elbe. Together with the fire department, the German Armed Forces and private companies, numerous THW volunteers were also working on the bridge from day 1. Their tasks included helping to stabilize the bridge sections that were still standing, illuminating the site at night and monitoring it with the site safety system, as well as carrying out targeted blasting in preparation for the demolition work.
The THW has already shown once again that it plays an important role in the hazard prevention system of the Free State of Saxony.
With special technology and a great deal of specialist knowledge, our emergency services were able to help quickly and easily in this unusual scenario.
The THW is not only responsible for providing support in day-to-day emergency response, but also for the core task of civil protection. The THW is currently working on numerous measures to increase its own civil defense capabilities.
While these measures are being put in place, extensive operational situations that keep us and our partners in emergency response busy on a recurring basis are sometimes partly caused by climate change.
Heavy rainfall events and prolonged periods of drought are becoming more frequent and, unfortunately, also repeatedly cause flooding and forest fires. In both cases, the THW pumping task plays a major role: extinguishing water has to be brought to the scene and waste water has to be pumped out, sometimes in large quantities and over long distances. Because we want to provide detailed information about this, "Pumps - help with floods, fires and heat" is the theme of this year's stand presentation. We will be presenting and explaining our pumping technology at the stand, but will of course also be happy to provide general information about the THW. We have also brought a few surprises with us - so be sure to visit us in Hall 4 at Stand F10! I would also like to draw your attention to a lecture highlight in the trade fair program. On Friday at 9:30 a.m., the THW's digital operations unit, the Virtual Operations Support Team, will be presenting itself.
In disaster and emergency situations, social media is used intensively by the population. Users exchange information with family, friends and aid organizations and share information, photos and videos directly online. All of this information is potentially highly relevant for task forces and rescue teams, but in the past it was not available or only available to an insufficient extent. The THW's Virtual Operations Support Team has the expertise to filter and process this knowledge for the operational process. During their presentation, the comrades will provide exciting insights into their work.
On behalf of THW, I wish you an exciting visit to the trade fair.
We look forward to interesting discussions and an inspiring exchange of knowledge and experience, also with regard to the future challenges in civil protection and disaster relief.
Yours
Janine Stock
THW State Representative for Saxony and Thuringia
Ltd. fire director Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Wackerhahn
Spokesperson for the Working Group of Fire Departments in the Rescue Service (AG FReDi) of the AGBF Bund
Dear ladies and gentlemen, dear exhibitors and visitors,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the FLORIAN/aescutec® 2024 trade fair. This important event will once again bring together the leading minds and innovators from the fire, rescue and civil protection sectors.
At a time when the challenges facing our security and rescue forces are constantly growing, sharing knowledge, presenting new technologies and learning together is more important than ever.
The FLORIAN/aescutec® trade fair offers a unique platform for discussing these essential topics and finding out about the latest developments.
I would like to thank all the exhibitors and partners who, through their participation and commitment, are helping to make this trade fair a success. I would particularly like to emphasize the commitment and dedication of all the emergency services, both full-time and voluntary, who ensure our safety every day and whose work is the focus of attention here.
The AG FReDi, as a representative of the fire departments working in the rescue service in Germany, will therefore be happy to take on the conceptual sponsorship again in 2024 and participate in the specialist training courses. We would be delighted to welcome you to the 5th Rescue Service Symposium and the 2nd Symposium on Disaster Medicine and Special Situations.
May the FLORIAN/aescutec® 2024 trade fair be an inspiring and profitable experience for all participants. I wish you informative discussions, new contacts and valuable impulses for your daily work.
Ltd. fire director Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Wackerhahn
Spokesman of the Working Group of Fire Departments in the Rescue Service (AG FReDi) of the AGBF Bund
Dr. Andreas Follmann
President German Society for Disaster Medicine e. V.
Dear visitors,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you on behalf of the German Society for Disaster Medicine (DGKM) e. V.
to welcome you to this year's FLORIAN 2024 in Dresden. As a trade fair for fire departments, civil protection and disaster control, FLORIAN is a central meeting point for all those who dedicate themselves to the protection and safety of our population on a daily basis.
The past few years have impressively demonstrated how unpredictable and devastating disasters can be for our country. The flood disasters in the Ahr valley and other regions, as well as the extensive forest fires in the dry summer months, have not only caused immense material damage, but also the suffering of many people. These events have highlighted the importance of well-coordinated disaster control and emergency medical care. They are also an opportunity for us as the Society for Disaster Medicine to constantly search for innovative solutions and share our knowledge with all relevant stakeholders.
With this in mind, I am delighted that the DGKM is once again participating in FLORIAN this year with two formats. On the one hand, we will be able to help shape the second symposium on disaster medicine and special situations with highly topical issues such as civil protection health and tele-disaster medicine. We will also be presenting our new CBRN guidelines for hospitals and the emergency services for the first time, which are intended to make an important contribution to the safe handling of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.
We will also be represented at the Civil Protection Congress of the Saxon State Ministry of the Interior, which takes place on the fringes of the trade fair. This congress provides a platform for authorities, organizations and experts from the field of civil protection to exchange ideas. Here, important questions about the future of civil protection in Germany will be discussed and practical solutions for current and future challenges will be developed.
We also look forward to welcoming you to the joint stand of the DGKM and the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund. Please feel free to drop by to exchange ideas with us, ask questions and make new contacts.
With this in mind, I wish you all an inspiring, informative and successful trade fair. Let us learn together from the lessons of the past and further intensify our cooperation in the field of civil protection in order to be optimally prepared for all eventualities in the future.
Dr. Andreas Follmann
President German Society for Disaster Medicine e.V.
Thomas Mähnert
Member of the Federal Board of Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V.
It's time for more civil protection!
It is important for me to say this up front.
Because it has never been more important than it is today that we work together to establish effective and resilient civil protection.
Dear trade fair visitors, dear members of St. John Ambulance,
You are here because you are active in day-to-day emergency response and/or civil protection - and I would like to thank you very much for that! In times like these, it is particularly important that our fellow citizens get involved on a voluntary basis. Volunteering is an important pillar of our society and every day millions of citizens count on the voluntary fire departments, the medical and care units of the ASB, DRK, DLRG, MHD, JUH and THW aid organizations to help them.
We are happy to work together to offer you, dear colleagues, optimal conditions for your commitment. Particularly in the current tense federal budget situation, it is important to continually emphasize that sufficient financial resources must be provided for the training and equipment of volunteers and for civil protection.
However, the current challenges begin long before the deployment threshold of civil protection. With the upcoming reform of emergency care, the federal government currently intends to relieve the burden on statutory health insurance companies - with considerable consequences for the ability of the entire system to grow. We can only provide pre-hospital medical care if we have a functioning rescue service with sufficient staff and equipment and if emergency paramedics are allowed to use their skills independently.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the organizers for making it possible for you, dear full-time and volunteer firefighters, aid organizations, THW and other authorities and organizations with security tasks, to come together here.
Dear trade fair visitors, I would like to welcome you to this year's FLORIAN/aescutec® trade fair and wish you an interesting day at the fair. Enjoy your stay in Dresden.
Yours,
Thomas Mähnert
Member of the Federal Executive Board of Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e. V.
Dirk Hilbert
Lord Mayor of the State Capital Dresden
In the spirit of St. Florian
Devoting his life, he made the plight of his companions his personal concern - we are talking about St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters. He is also the namesake of the mass of the same name, to which I warmly welcome you in Dresden. Over the years of its existence, this international industry gathering has established itself as a central platform for the exchange and further development of technologies and strategies in the fire and rescue services. Over 350 exhibitors from more than 15 countries present the latest products, vehicles and current developments here. This is of great importance, as our cities and municipalities are also developing dynamically. With the establishment of TSMC, the state capital of Dresden is not only facing economic challenges, but also new safety challenges.
These require adapted solutions and constant further development in terms of security as well as fire and disaster protection.
However, technical progress is not the only focus of FLORIAN. It is also about strengthening the community and promoting cohesion. Florian teaches us that we are not alone in times of need, but that we can rely on our comrades. These values are also reflected in the numerous specialist presentations, workshops and networking opportunities that the trade fair offers. Take advantage of these opportunities so that people in our towns and communities can continue to live safely tomorrow. I would like to thank all employees in the fire department, rescue service and disaster control for their commitment, their prudence and their willingness to adapt to changing conditions.
They deserve my highest recognition and respect.
Dirk Hilbert
Lord Mayor of the City of Dresden
Roland Zwerenz
Managing Director ORTEC Messe und Kongress GmbH
Welcome to FLORIAN - Trade Fair for Firefighting, Civil Protection and Disaster Control 2024.
Over 370 exhibitors from 15 countries will be presenting their products and services to trade visitors from the fire department, rescue services and disaster control on more than 30,000 m² in four exhibition halls and four outdoor areas. Established in 1997 on the occasion of the German Youth Fire Brigade Day in Dresden, FLORIAN has developed into the largest annual trade fair for decision-makers and emergency services in German-speaking countries. The aescutec® Rescue Service Forum will once again run parallel to FLORIAN. The trade fair will focus on the overarching cooperation of all rescue services in the event of disasters, major events, accidents and epidemics.
The demands on rescuers are increasing, and all emergency organizations must adapt their training and equipment to a wide range of challenges such as extreme weather events or special operations.
In 2024, the trade fair program will once again offer the opportunity for further training on current topics and operations - with hundreds of specialist presentations ranging from special situations to heavy rain management. The focus will be on sharing experiences across sectors and countries, with experts from Schleswig-Holstein to Bavaria coming together at FLORIAN, and we are also increasingly welcoming speakers from the Czech Republic here in Dresden. The extensive range of training courses, many of which are free of charge, are a real concern of ours and traditionally take up a lot of space at FLORIAN. For over 25 years, the trade fair has been helping to bring stakeholders together to network and communicate with each other before, during and after crises and deployments. And due to the current situation, we have another focus for this year's FLORIAN: Just over a year after the combine harvester accident in Hohen Luckow, there will be a live demonstration with the emergency in mind - the "Combine Harvester Technical Assistance" demonstration can be seen at a trade fair for the first time.
We would like to thank the team from Schleswig-Holstein for organizing the live demonstrations, which are sure to attract a lot of attention.
We hope that the products and services at FLORIAN 2024 will help many emergency services personnel in their work and voluntary work and make it easier for decision-makers to make their decisions.
Our special thanks go to all the people, authorities and associations who are supporting and helping to shape FLORIAN again this year.
I wish the exhibitors, visitors and program participants at the trade fair a successful event, a good time at FLORIAN 2024 and see you again at the next FLORIAN from 9 to 11 October 2025 in Dresden!
Roland Zwerenz
Managing Director ORTEC Messe und Kongress GmbH