All 102 municipalities in Flanders have signed up to establish volunteer corps, which will officially begin operating in October, according to Flemish Minister of Interior Hilde Crevits.
Municipalities have been able to register to create volunteer corps since late May. “There were only a handful of volunteer corps active in Flanders,” Crevits said. “Now, over 100 municipalities have already joined. I continue to encourage all others to follow their example.”
The first volunteer corps will be operational from October, with preparations underway. A crisis tool will be made available, and training sessions will begin soon. “Whether it’s floods, heatwaves, or a power outage in a care home, there are always citizens willing to lend a hand. We want to encourage this voluntary help and make it scalable during major crises,” the minister explained.
The municipal volunteer corps aim to quickly mobilise citizen assistance in emergencies or crises, supporting professional responders with administrative or logistical tasks.
Flanders has allocated €1 million in funding to help municipalities establish volunteer corps of between 10 and 80 participants, with support from the Flemish Red Cross. All participants will receive basic first aid training.
Municipalities interested in creating a volunteer corps can register via www.rodekruis.be/vrijwilligerskorps.
