On the occasion of its 75th anniversary, the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) has established its 669th local unit in Bonn – the first fully virtual unit in the organization’s history. This new local unit is based on the Virtual Operations Support Team (VOST), which has been active since 2016, and is now digitally operational across Germany. More than 70 volunteers work remotely, without physical infrastructure, researching, analyzing, and digitally processing situation-related information, such as maps and real-time analyses. The virtual unit is organizationally assigned to the THW regional office for Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Schleswig-Holstein.
Members of the virtual local unit bring specialized skills in fields such as Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), geodata analysis, and IT security. An internal specialist training replaces the traditional basic training. The goal is to strengthen digital capabilities within THW and ensure the long-term viability of volunteer work. In complex situations—such as during EURO 2024 at the International Police Cooperation Center – VOST has already provided valuable support through digital situation assessments and well-founded decision-making tools.
You can read the full press release in German language here.
(Image Source: THW)