Volunteer Rescue Organisations in Civil Protection – A Historical Overview

Abstract

In the history of civil protection in Hungary, the ratification of the Geneva Convention created the conditions for the involvement of volunteers and their organisations in the protection of the civilian population both in times of peace and war and in special legal orders. After establishing the integrated organisation for disaster management, the National Directorate for Disaster Management, Ministry of the Interior set it as a main strategic goal to form volunteer civil protection organisations at the local, regional and national level, to create their capacities and to regulate their activities for the sake of effective responses. Recent years’ practical experience shows that these organisations are essential in the protection and rescue of human lives and property.