Mikar car sharing in Schnaittenbach: mobility reinvented!

Mikar car sharing in Schnaittenbach: mobility reinvented!

A new car sharing concept called “Mikar” was launched in Schnaittenbach on September 3, 2025. The aim of this project is to promote environmentally friendly mobility in the community and to offer residents a flexible alternative to their own car. Users can access various vehicles available at central points via a user-friendly app. According to the municipality of Schnaittenbach, this initiative is an important step towards sustainable transport design and is intended to help reduce traffic volumes and CO2 emissions. Further information can be found at schnaittenbach.de.

In this context, the topic of civil protection is becoming increasingly important. Especially in times of crises, such as the corona pandemic or natural disasters, communities' security measures come into focus. In Germany in particular, civil protection is organized as an integrated and growth-capable assistance system that includes various actors. This is made clear by comprehensive documentation from the German Association of Cities and Municipalities (DStGB), which emphasizes the importance of security and disaster protection in municipalities. In emergencies, be it heavy rain, forest fires or chemical accidents, citizens turn directly to their community. Further details on this are provided dstgb.de.

Collaboration and preparation

Close cooperation between emergency services, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), the Bundeswehr and the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) is crucial in order to be able to respond effectively to disasters. This cooperation is supported by the clear structure of civil protection. The threat prevention chain begins at the community level and extends through districts and states to the federal level. bpb.de describes that around 1.7 million volunteers are active in civil protection, which underlines the importance of community involvement.

In order to make society more resilient to crises, an offensive strategy for civil protection was launched by the BBK in March 2021. One goal of this offensive is to strengthen civil protection through the realignment of the BBK, including the planned establishment of a joint competence center for civil protection.

Local responsibility

The municipal levels play a central role in civil protection, as they are responsible for firefighting, emergency services and disaster control. These tasks are defined in the respective state laws and must be prepared and organized by the local authorities. Volunteer fire departments and private aid organizations in particular make a crucial contribution to safety precautions. They not only work in emergencies, but are also integrated into preventive measures for civil protection planning.

Overall, the developments in Schnaittenbach and the nationwide efforts to protect the population show how important it is to continually strengthen and adapt both local initiatives to promote environmentally friendly mobility and the organizational foundations for protecting citizens from crises.