Technical relief organization practices on the A7: Safety on Hildesheim's motorway!

Technical relief organization practices on the A7: Safety on Hildesheim's motorway!

The motorways in Germany are not only traffic arteries, but also an important location for the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW). Last Saturday, June 14, 2025, this became clear in an impressive exercise that took place on the closed northern carriageway of the A7 in the Hildesheim area. Around 20 volunteers from the THW, together with officers from the Hildesheim motorway police, practiced emergency operations on federal motorways. The goal? To be best prepared for situations that create framework conditions to ensure traffic safety and to react in a timely manner without further impairing ongoing traffic, as [Hildesheimer Allgemeine](https://www.hildesheimer- Allgemeine.de/melde/technologes-hilfswerk-uebt-satz-auf-hildesheimer-autobahn.html) reports.

The main topics on the program during the exercise were traffic safety, barriers and convoy driving. The emergency services learned important aspects that are crucial for safety at the motorway scene. The THW helpers showed how to use special equipment such as traffic barriers and signs and how to secure a broken down vehicle to avoid accidents. The Hildesheim police station also gave useful tips for road users, such as paying attention to navigation devices or keeping a generous distance from the vehicle in front.

Diverse tasks of the THW

The THW is much more than just a helper in traffic accidents. It is a broad-based unit that handles a variety of missions in Germany and around the world. Every day, around 88,000 volunteers prepare to tackle a wide range of challenges. In emergency situations, these specialists are trained and appropriately equipped to provide rapid assistance. Their tasks range from rescuing people and animals to setting up drinking water treatment systems and providing support in flood situations and extreme weather events, as the THW Foundation explains in detail.

The THW is particularly committed to disaster relief abroad and works to inspire young people to work at the THW through innovative projects and sustainable training measures. This not only secures the THW of the future, but also strengthens its operational capability during critical situations in Germany.

The THW as a partner of the police

In everyday life, THW helpers work closely with the police and support many operations, especially on busy weekends and public holidays. As shown in a recent report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the THW has a good hand in insuring broken down vehicles. For example, operations manager Fabian Frank and his team recently secured a truck with brake problems near the Möhringen junction. During the more than three hours of safety work, the helpers were careful to maintain road safety and at the same time to provide all road users with clear orientation.

For the volunteers at THW, their work is not just a question of commitment, but also part of a large community that supports each other. A community from which the accident victims and the police also benefit. Road users are repeatedly reminded of their responsibilities and asked to behave conscientiously so as not to endanger the work of the emergency services. In stressful situations it is particularly important to remain calm and mindful.

In conclusion, it remains to be said that the Technical Relief Agency is not only an indispensable partner in everyday traffic, but also a supporting pillar in German disaster control. The exemplary exercises and the tireless efforts of the volunteers show that there is really something going on.