From 20 to 25 June 2022, the topics at INTERSCHUTZ in Hannover, Germany, will revolve around firefighting, rescue, civil protection, and safety/security. The economic, ecological, and political challenges of recent times make this flagship fair an important driver of change.
digital transformation
The spread of global warming and the resulting natural disasters have already noticeably changed everyday life for many helpers and rescue forces. This has recently been compounded by the coronavirus pandemic and the humanitarian emergencies caused by political conflicts.
These all require new approaches and solutions. Digital technologies for the support and connectivity of key players are becoming increasingly important. INTERSCHUTZ 2022 will specifically focus on digital transformation processes. Visitors can look forward to an extensive program both live on-site and online.
Use of innovative digital solutions
Digitalization has changed all areas of life from firefighters to rescue services right through to disaster responders"
The lead theme of INTERSCHUTZ 2022 is: "Teams, Tactics, Technology – Connecting Protection and Rescue". According to INTERSCHUTZ Project Manager Bernd Heinold, the world's leading trade fair for firefighting, rescue, civil protection, and security is thus targeting two aspects that are crucial for the present and the future: the use of innovative digital solutions, but also cooperation between the various players and institutions.
"The keyword is connectivity at all levels," Heinold said at an online press conference in Hannover, just one hundred days before the start of the fair. "Digitalization has fundamentally changed all areas of life and continues to do so. The same is true for emergency response – from firefighters to rescue services right through to disaster responders, all over the world."
Digitalization
For the first time, INTERSCHUTZ has dedicated a complete hall to the topic of digitalization. In Hall 16, companies and research institutions will be presenting solutions for the digital networking of systems and players.
As a practical example of the digital application possibilities, Dirk Aschenbrenner, president of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), demonstrated a rescue robot at the press conference, which will also be on display at INTERSCHUTZ.
Smart Public Safety Hub
The "Future Trends in Public Safety" takes a look at the future technological, organizational in civil security
Another new feature consists of the "Smart Public Safety Hub" at the center of Hall 16, where various companies will be networking under a single roof and demonstrating joint, interdisciplinary application scenarios, for example, the use of drones to assess the situation or support rescue forces, communication between an airfield firefighting vehicle positioned in the outdoor area with the control center in the hall, or the digital description and analysis of deployment sites on a 2/3/4-dimensional scale.
And likewise, the new special show "Future Trends in Public Safety" takes a look at the future technological, organizational and social megatrends in civil security.
5G network
The 5G network, permanently installed on the exhibition grounds since the beginning of the year, makes it possible to experience completely new opportunities, as offered by the new standard and direct successor to LTE or Advanced LTE (4G) and UMTS (3G) based on concrete user examples.
At INTERSCHUTZ, it is not only the exhibitors' solutions that are digital but also the event formats: For the first time, visitors and exhibitors will have the opportunity to experience different scenarios up close on the demonstration grounds in a combination of real and virtual displays. These may include everyday disasters as well as current or conceivable catastrophes and crises. With the help of modern media technology, the participants are integrated into the presentation. As a real laboratory at INTERSCHUTZ, the demonstration area becomes a unique experience space.
INTERSCHUTZ Digital Conference
Berlin Fire Department will be reporting live on its experiences with the eLHF electric firefighting and rescue vehicle
Equally new is the INTERSCHUTZ Digital Conference, which is scheduled to be broadcast over three days (Tuesday to Thursday) in the Media Factory. This means that even interested parties who cannot make it to Hannover this year will have the opportunity to learn about the various aspects. The conference language of the Digital Conference is English.
Like the INTERSCHUTZ Central Forum in Hall 26, the program will cover all the major industry topics, including the electrification of emergency vehicles. Incidentally, there will also be numerous exhibits on this topic at the trade show. Austrian industry pioneer Rosenbauer, for example, will demonstrate the world's first fully-electric turntable ladder at INTERSCHUTZ. The Berlin Fire Department will be reporting live on its experiences with the eLHF electric firefighting and rescue vehicle, which also comes from Rosenbauer and has already been in use in the capital since September 2020.
Only 100 days until the opening day
100 days before the start of INTERSCHUTZ, preparations in Hannover are in full swing. "Everyone involved is delighted that the industry will be able to meet again for its traditional event after the forced break caused by Corona," stated Dr. Jochen Köckler, Member of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe. Bernd Heinold explained that, despite the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, the interest of exhibitors from Germany and abroad is extensive.
So far, more than 1,000 companies from 50 countries have registered to present their products and solutions in eight halls and three pavilions, plus the outdoor area from 20 to 25 June. However, the acquisition phase is far from over: "We are confident of achieving a similar result on the exhibitor side, the same as in 2015," he said.
Investments in vehicles and equipment
The broadly international character of INTERSCHUTZ will also be reflected in three separate "Country Days"
After Germany, the top five exhibitor nations include Italy, the UK, the United States, and the Netherlands. The broadly international character of INTERSCHUTZ will also be reflected in three separate "Country Days". In 2022, they will be dedicated to the neighboring countries of France (Tuesday, June 21), Italy (Wednesday, June 22), and the USA (Thursday, June 23).
"International cooperation is becoming increasingly important. Only recent disasters such as vegetation fires or other natural events have shown this," said the presidents of the vfdb and the German Fire Brigades Association (DFV), Dirk Aschenbrenner and Karl-Heinz Banse. Dr. Bernd Scherer, Managing Director of VDMA Feuerwehrtechnik, also pointed out the continuing willingness of fire departments to invest in vehicles and equipment. vfdb, DFV and VDMA are all non-commercial partners for the event, supporting Deutsche Messe.
The supporting program features
Parallel to INTERSCHUTZ, the DFV is organizing the 29th German Firefighters' Day, which will attract many more firefighting fans to Hannover. The event is being organized under the motto "Safety. Life" in cooperation with the state of Lower Saxony, the Lower Saxony Fire Brigade Association, the City of Hannover, and the Hannover Fire Brigade.
Immediately before INTERSCHUTZ, a "Blue Light Mile" has once again been planned for downtown Hannover. There, the people of Hannover will already get in the mood on the Sunday before the fair.
Training and live demonstrations
Action and excitement during the trade fair will be provided by various competitions and live training courses, including, for example, the "S-Gard Safety Tour", the "Holmatro Rescue Challenge," and the "Firefit Championships Europe" which will be held in Germany for the first time after the INTERSCHUTZ Community Days in the summer of 2021, will also be returning to the exhibition grounds.
All in all, visitors can therefore look forward to an extensive program of congresses, workshops, training sessions, live demonstrations, and competitions in addition to the products on show in the exhibition. Tickets for INTERSCHUTZ can already be purchased online.
