Die Anschläge in New York und Washington am 11

particularly important factor is good and close cooperation 
between the operators of critical infrastructures and the 
security and hazard control authorities.
The competent authorities and institutions should be 
consulted in matters of baseline protection, in order to 
involve them in an effective manner in the process of 
gathering information on risks and selecting appropriate 
measures. With regard to hazards relating to natural events, 
human error or technical failure, for example, authorities and 
establishments responsible for regional development and 
planning and for geology and weather information, disaster 
management and fire protection authorities, regulatory 
authorities, public order agencies, building authorities, 
immission control authorities, health authorities and 
environmental authorities are to be contacted at an early 
juncture. The initial direct points of contact for companies 
and operators of critical infrastructures are the authorities at 
local government level and the Land authorities.
The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster 
Response (BBK)
discharges duties for the Federation in the 
areas of civil protection and disaster response. The BBK 
pools all areas of civil protection measures via an 

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interdisciplinary approach to establish an effective protection 
system for the population and their basic necessities of life. 
As a “network node”, the Centre for the Protection of 
Critical Infrastructures 
at the BBK is responsible for 
disseminating information on and instilling an appreciation of 
the importance of critical infrastructures to the state and 
society, establishing cooperation between authorities and 
companies, developing analysis and protection concepts and 
proposing short-, medium- and long-term measures for the 
protection of critical infrastructures.
The Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) provides 
technical support in the area of civil protection and in dealing 
with disasters, public emergencies and major calamities. The 
THW acts on request from the bodies responsible for hazard 
control, its remit including duties in the areas of technical 
hazard control, technical relief in the area of infrastructure, 
technical relief in the field of environmental protection and 
public welfare in case of disasters.
Where external support, e.g. from the police, is required for 
the purposes of protection against interference by