On Wednesday the Flemish Prime Minister Matthias Diependaele (nationalist) and the Christian democrat Deputy Prime Minister Hilde Crevits attended a training session given by the Red Cross. The aim of them attending training session and the press conference that followed was to draw attention to the launch of municipal volunteer corps. The municipal volunteer corps have been set up to enable local people to help others in their communities in times of crisis.
Speaking at Wednesday’s press conference in Brussels, Mr Diependaele and Ms Crevits announced that Flemish authorities will invest 1 million euro annually in training and support for the corps. The initiative is part of the Flemish Defence Plan. It seeks to prepare communities for emergencies such as floods, power cuts or food distribution issues.
Municipalities can register to set up their own local corps. It is expected that as many as 15,000 volunteers will be trained across the Flanders. Anyone aged 16 and over will be able to enroll for their local corps from this autumn.
At the press conference Ms Crevits told journalists that “A resilient municipality is prepared for the unexpected. Many Flemings have valuable skills and are eager to make a difference when disaster strikes.”
Mr Diependaele added that “The Flemish Defence Plan doesn’t start in an army barracks or end with weapons of war. It begins in the town square, with the people themselves. We have chosen the path of citizens being prepared.”
Volunteers will offer support to professional by performing logistical or administrative tasks during local crises. All of them will receive basic first aid training. The size of the municipal volunteer corps will range from 10 to 80 members.