Hannover/Germany. For the first time, the INTERSCHUTZ Community Days will be held in Münster, Westphalia, from 15 to 17 May in combination with the annual trade conference of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection - vfdb e. V. - and the accompanying trade exhibition.

The event includes a centrally located competition and action area and a surrounding exhibition area on the open-air site. A special attraction promises to be the FireFit Championships course, in the course of which FireFit Europe will present the "Train as you fight" project for the first time. Accompanied by sports scientist Bernd Bachfischer, competition courses and training opportunities will be offered for full-time and voluntary firefighters & emergency services personnel, with which elements from the common sports attitude tests can be practiced under guidance. "Throughout the three days, we will provide the opportunity for athletes to complete runs and train under competition conditions. Such an opportunity has not existed before. We expect a lot of participation from teams from the surrounding area," says Daniel Berger, FireFit Europe.

"For three days in Münster, the FireFit Championships Europe will be presented between firefighters for anyone interested," says the head of the fire brigade there, Gottfried-Wingler-Scholz. "During this time, several hundred experts from the fields of protection, rescue and safety will be guests at the large vfdb congress simultaneously."

While the Annual Conference is only accessible to the professional public with accreditation, the INTERSCHUTZ Community Days can be visited without registration and free of charge. Anyone who wants to join in spontaneously and prove their operational fitness will be provided with rental clothing and professional guidance on how to participate.

INTERSCHUTZ Community Days and vfdb conference in parallel

"In Münster, we are organizing the INTERSCHUTZ Community Days for the first time in parallel with the vfdb Annual Conference and the accompanying trade exhibition," emphasizes INTERSCHUTZ Senior Project Director Bernd Heinold, Deutsche Messe AG. "In this respect, we are looking forward to an exciting combination: a specialist conference and exhibition for the experts on the one hand, and attractive demonstrations, competitions and presentations by the industry and non-material exhibitors for the INTERSCHUTZ community on the other."

Meanwhile, the trade conference promises another high turnout this year. "Last year, more than 600 guests came to Würzburg," reports vfdb Secretary General Dirk Oberhagemann. "According to the registrations so far, there should be just as many in Münster." Around 50 expert lectures are on the program. The motto of the event: "Fully insured in a disaster - can we also help ourselves?" Background: The challenges of natural disasters, other major emergencies and also demographic developments have brought the population's ability to help itself more and more into focus.

Renowned representatives from politics and society are already taking part in the opening event of the three-day annual conference, headed by North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister of the Interior Herbert Reul and the President of the German Association of Cities and Towns and Lord Mayor of Münster, Markus Lewe.

A wide range of topics on three days

The program on the first day also includes a panel discussion on the main theme. In addition to disaster control and civil protection, the topics to be discussed during the rest of the day include technical fire protection, research in hazard prevention, new technologies in fire protection and disaster prevention, digitalization, firefighting with electric vehicles and social media in hazard prevention. The topic of rescue services will also play a major role. For example, the steadily increasing number of cases nationwide and the burden on the emergency call 112 will be discussed.

INTERSCHUTZ Community Days

About INTERSCHUTZ

INTERSCHUTZ is the world's leading trade fair for fire, rescue, civil protection and safety. The next edition will take place in Hanover from 01 to 06 June 2026. INTERSCHUTZ covers all products and services in the fields of fire brigade, preventive fire protection, rescue services, civil protection, communication and control center technology as well as protective equipment.

INTERSCHUTZ Events Worldwide: AFAC powered by INTERSCHUTZ (22 to 25 August 2023) in Brisbane/Australia, CEFE powered by INTERSCHUTZ (12 to 14 September 2023) in Nanjing/China, and REAS powered by INTERSCHUTZ (6 to 8 October 2023) in Montichiari/Italy.