The German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) represents an integral part of the German disaster control system. The organization is based on almost 99% volunteers organized in 665 local sections, committed to offering professional assistance to people in extreme difficulty.
The functions of THW are defined in a Federal law. These functions consist in providing technical relief in the sectors of civil defense, disaster relief and international humanitarian assistance. The main fields of activity are rescue, salvage and rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage).