The city of Roeselare has become the first in Flanders to launch a volunteer corps to assist in emergencies.
Training for residents who signed up to join the volunteer corps began on Saturday morning. The corps is part of an initiative by Flemish Minister of the Interior, Hilde Crevits (CD&V), to enable communities to respond quickly during crises.
The rollout of volunteer corps across Flanders is currently in progress. In the initial phase, volunteers undergo training and are introduced to a newly available crisis tool. “Through this tool, municipalities can issue a call for help, and volunteers receive the necessary instructions,” explained Minister Crevits. “These teams can be mobilised in cases of flooding, heatwaves, or even power outages. Over the past few months, 123 municipalities have expressed interest in setting up a volunteer corps.”
In Roeselare, the first group participated in a variety of exercises during training. They practised filling sandbags before moving on to a basic first aid session. Each municipality can tailor the skills taught during training, but the first aid course is compulsory.
“It’s heartwarming to see how many residents of Roeselare are eager to help,” said Mayor Kris Declercq. “Within 24 hours of our call in late September, the first 15 spots were filled. Now we already have 75 volunteers. It says a lot about the sense of involvement and enthusiasm in our city.”
