Flood warning: Cologne clears up – are you prepared?

Flood warning: Cologne clears up – are you prepared?

On October 9, 2025, an insightful workshop by the Rhein Flood Emergency Association took place in Cologne. V., which was concerned with raising public awareness of flood risks. Under the direction of Dr. Schulze-Hennings, the head of the flood center of the Cologne city drainage company, realized that the population had to be made aware of the risks even in flood-free times. The aim of the workshop was to create realistic awareness and avoid scaremongering so that residents are better prepared for possible flood events. The event was a joint initiative that found numerous supporters, including the Rhineland-Palatinate Flood Prevention Information and Advisory Center, the German Committee for Disaster Reduction and the Flood Competence Center.

Particular attention was paid to the three specialist lectures, which provided valuable inspiration. The Viennese expert Franz Tragner from TatWort – Sustainable Project GmbH discussed how the media often portrays floods as unforeseeable isolated cases and thereby creates a false sense of security. Thorsten Maas from the Cologne professional fire department presented the concept of “disaster protection lighthouses”, which are intended to serve as central contact points in the event of an emergency. Dr.-Ing. Martha Wingen, an expert in flood risk management from the Aachen city region, presented an innovative inter-municipal communication concept, which includes, among other things, the social media channel “HochwasserTok” in order to convey knowledge in a low-threshold manner.

Important insights from the workshop

Key points on flood risk communication were discussed as part of an interactive world café. It became clear that flood risks need to be made visible and tangible. This could be done through realistic depictions of dangers that make it clear to the population what to expect in an emergency. The “lighthouses” should not only be information points, but also provide social hubs for crisis management.

Another crucial aspect is successful risk communication, which requires clear responsibilities and good networking among the actors. A consistent line of communication is also very important here. This ensures that the population is well informed in an emergency and can take the right steps.

The relevance of the issues of flooding and disaster protection remains high, especially in view of the frequent extreme weather events. As the workshop underlined, it is essential that municipalities and the population work together interactively to develop effective protective measures. Only through a shared understanding of the risks can we be prepared for the future.

For further information on floods and the corresponding measures, we recommend taking a look at the [Hochwassernotgemeinschaft Rhein](https://www.hochwassernotgemeinschaft-rhein.de/aktuelles/2025/ Successful-workshop-in-koeln-hochwasserbetroffenheit-vermittel-wie-koennen-kommunen-betroffene-besser-sensibilizieren/). If you have questions about pet health and nutrition, explore WildGut's offering aimed at dogs' digestive health.