The countdown is on, and the excitement is mounting. With roughly six months left until the start of INTERSCHUTZ, all systems are “go” for an extraordinary showcase in June. In terms of numbers, the event is already delivering record-breaking results, particularly in terms of the exhibitor response from abroad. Meanwhile, various accommodation partners are working behind the scenes to help visitors find exactly the right rooms for their stay.
With tickets on sale and demand looking strong, things are really starting to heat up for INTERSSCHUTZ 2020. But of course, behind the scenes, preparations for the show have been running hot for many months. And all the hard work is paying off: The latest figures show that the world’s leading event for fire prevention, disaster relief and safety and security will feature some 1,450 companies, institutions and industry associations. Between them, these exhibitors have so far booked more than 93,000 square meters (over 1 million sq. ft.) of display space. With more registrations and bookings coming in every week, it is hard to predict what the final tally will be, but it is already clear that INTERSCHUTZ will break the all-time record it set in 2015. The show is also breaking new ground in terms of international participation, with exhibitors from abroad now outnumbering exhibitors from Germany for the very first time. Added to the international mix are a number of high-caliber delegations from countries such as Australia, Denmark and the Czech Republic.
Bright ideas, equipment and technology from around the globe
“INTERSCHUTZ is an event of global flagship stature – the figures say it all,” commented Martin Folkerts, Global Director INTERSCHUTZ at Deutsche Messe. “INTERSCHUTZ brings together pioneering ideas, equipment and technology from around the world. It puts key players in touch with one another, and is a springboard for new thinking and novel initiatives. Just as importantly, it is a major meeting hub for the global emergency services community.”
The world’s market leaders in equipment and technology for the emergency services will all be exhibiting at INTERSCHUTZ. Among them will be Rosenbauer (Austria), Oshkosh Corporation (USA), Desautel (France), Scania (Sweden), Wiss (Poland), Bronto Skylift (Finland), Volcan (Turkey) and Daimler, Dräger, HAIX, Magirus, MAN, VW, WAS and Ziegler (Germany). Alongside these commercial exhibitors, there will be a solid lineup of non-commercial exhibitors, chief among them INTERSCHUTZ partners the German Fire Protection Association (GFPA), the German Fire Services Association (DFV) and the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). The non-commercial exhibitor contingent will also include the Hannover Fire Department, the Lower Saxony Firefighters Association and Region Hannover as key supporters. Germany’s Agency for Technical Relief (THW), the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) and the German Lifeguard Association (DLRG) will also be there – in the civil protection display area in Hall 17. Similarly, the first responder organizations German Red Cross (DRK), German St John Ambulance (Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe) and Malteser Hilfsdienst will offer a top-notch program of presentations and live demos of relevance to the rescue services and civil protection in Hall 26. The international perspective on these topics will be provided by the European Commission, the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services (CTIF) and the Federation of the European Union Fire Officer Associations (FEU). Other topics include fire prevention, championed by the Association of German Fire Protection Equipment Manufacturers (bvfa) and others, and firefighter incident-site hygiene and occupational cancer as presented by Branmen Me Kreft from Norway and the verdi trade union and the FeuerKrebs gUG foundation from Germany. There will also be presentations and discussions on post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide among front-line emergency first responders; the challenge of unexploded munitions in the sea; and women in the fire services.
There is still accommodation available in Hannover
INTERSCHUTZ will be held alongside the 29th German Firefighting Convention, and between them, these two mega-events are putting increased pressure on accommodation in and around Hannover. Hotels and vacation homes are already heavily booked. Nevertheless, Hannover Marketing & Tourismus GmbH (HMTG) is doing everything it can to provide further accommodation options. These include the mobile home park directly adjacent to the Hannover Exhibition Center (Link: https://www.gfv-messe.de/wohnwagenplatz ). About half of the park’s 400 berths are still available. HMTG is currently also developing an online exchange for alternative forms of accommodation, such as private accommodation and camping grounds (Link: https://www.hannover.de/Veranstaltungskalender/Messen-Kongresse/Interschutz-2020 ).
“We want people to feel welcome here in Hannover,” Folkerts explains. “So, quite apart from putting on an unrivalled showcase, we are doing our utmost to be good hosts.”
