(de-news.net) – Sabine Lackner, President of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), has assessed Germany as being well prepared to manage a prolonged winter period. In her view, the agency possesses sufficient operational flexibility to adjust its response to changing circumstances and, when required, to deploy personnel from across the entire federal territory. She further argued that Germany’s overall capacity to withstand and manage crises has measurably improved since the COVID-19 pandemic. This increased resilience, she suggested, is partly the result of institutionalized adaptations introduced during that period, including established regulatory frameworks that facilitate remote work and help maintain continuity during disruptions.

Within the context of an evolving and increasingly complex risk environment, Lackner emphasized that effective crisis management also depends on a degree of individual preparedness among the population. She underscored that households should, where possible, maintain basic reserves such as power banks, food, and drinking water. Such precautions, she explained, would reduce immediate pressure on emergency response systems and allow deployed forces to prioritize assistance for particularly vulnerable groups, including older people and individuals with special care needs.

At the same time, Klaus Müller, President of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), expressed confidence that Germany’s gas supply remains secure despite the ongoing winter storm and cold spell. He assessed the current weather situation as manageable and not associated with significant systemic risks, even in the context of persistently low temperatures. Müller added that potential additional cold periods later in February or March could likewise be accommodated, as energy providers are able to meet demand through a combination of existing gas storage capacities and imports from international markets, supported by liquefied natural gas terminals. He attributed this level of stability to structural adjustments implemented in recent years, arguing that expanded import options and reconfigured gas flows have collectively ensured a reliable and secure energy supply.