In a supplementary application to the climate action plan , the municipal parliamentary group of the Free Voters and FOR Karlsruhe calls for safer communication channels for civil protection. Among other things, they apply for the integration of warning systems in the municipal app digital@KA and on the website of the city of Karlsruhe. Information is also required on covering the districts with warning sirens for the population.
“The flood disaster in several federal states shows in a frightening way how failures in communication among the population and among the emergency services have led to significant delays,” says City Councilor Friedemann Kalmbach, “due to the failure of eight transmission masts, communication via the mobile network and completely interrupted digital radio, which had fatal consequences in many places”. With regard to civil protection and the climate action plan, the parliamentary group sees a need for action here in order to enable fast and stable communication and a broad approach in the event of a crisis. “When it comes to warnings, Karlsruhe relies primarily on the NINA app from the Federal Office for Civil Protection,” explains parliamentary group leader Jürgen Wenzel. “The KATWARN app is not supported, although it at least allows notification by SMS.” In the event of a data connection or internet failure, warnings are no longer received. “In this regard, the city of Karlsruhe could use the city council to put pressure on the introduction of cell broadcasting,” demands city councilor Petra Lorenz. The technology is already being used in some countries and can send warnings, including warning tones, to cell phones.
In addition to the points on communication, the parliamentary group of the Free Voters and FOR Karlsruhe also requested that data from the FLIWA flood warning system be displayed on the municipal app and website. The Free Voters and FÜR Karlsruhe are also making a push with three other applications for the creation of a heat emergency plan , which the SPD had already applied for in 2018, and for the renaturation of areas and green parking spaces in the city center .
