District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier was unable to attend the civil protection exercise himself due to a forum of elected representatives taking place at the same time. He sent his thanks to the exercise participants. "Civil protection is a shared responsibility that only works reliably if everyone involved regularly practises hand in hand. Realistic operational exercises are of central importance: they consolidate processes, make interfaces visible and strengthen trust between the organizations. My sincere thanks go to all the dedicated men and women who practiced the emergency today. Their efforts ensure that we are optimally prepared in the event of a crisis. "
The aim of the exercise was to test the new alert and response plan for mass casualty incidents (MANV), which came into force in August 2025. The focus was on the practical implementation and review of the processes - from the first sighting at the scene to admission to hospital.
"Such exercises strengthen our staff's confidence and prepare us for emergencies. Only through regular training can we react professionally and in a coordinated manner in a real-life situation," explained Dr. Stefan Weiß, Medical Director of RKH Health's Civil Protection Department and Chief Emergency Physician in the Ludwigsburg district.
Interaction between the emergency services put to the test
Already in the morning, the participating organizations demonstrated the importance of well-coordinated processes. While injured people were being treated at the scene of the accident, communication between the control center, incident command and hospital was running at full speed in the background. In Bietigheim, a MANV alarm was triggered under realistic conditions - including setting up viewing and treatment areas right up to the operating theater.
Andy Dorroch, Head of Civil Protection and District Fire Chief, praised the cooperation between all those involved: "The close coordination between the various organizations today showed that our concept works. We have gained important insights that will be incorporated into the further development of the MANV plan."
Positive conclusion: well prepared for an emergency
After around four hours of intensive training, those responsible drew a positive conclusion. Small areas for improvement were identified, but overall it was clear that the district is well prepared for major emergencies. Dorroch summed up in the afternoon: "The district of Ludwigsburg has impressively demonstrated today that disaster control is not just a theory here, but responsibility in practice. The exercise has shown that we also work hand in hand in an emergency and that the safety of our citizens is our top priority."
The results of the exercise will now be evaluated in order to further optimize processes and strengthen cooperation between all those involved.
Background
MANV stands for "mass casualty incident" - a situation in which many people are injured at the same time, for example due to accidents, fires or disasters. Such situations require coordinated cooperation between different organizations. Exercises such as "Casus Walheim 2025" help to test procedures, check communication channels and prepare the emergency services for an emergency.
