Grafschaft Bentheim conducts largest-ever disaster relief exercise

The Grafschaft Bentheim district conducted ‘Vechtekater’, the largest disaster protection exercise in its history, on October 10, 2026. Approximately 1,000 emergency responders participated in simulated scenarios involving forest fires, flooding, and a train accident.

At the Bad Bentheim station, responders simulated a collision between a passenger train and a freight train involving hazardous materials. The exercise included passenger evacuation, medical care, and decontamination procedures using specialized CBRN units.

In Itterbeck, the exercise focused on a large-scale forest and vegetation fire, utilizing pyrotechnics, smoke machines, and helicopters for aerial water drops. Simultaneously, in Nordhorn, teams practiced flood response on the Vechte river, involving divers and the transport of sandbags by boat.

Participants included the fire department, THW, DRK, police, the Bundeswehr, and various medical and rescue organizations. Support for the drill was provided by neighboring districts in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as from the Netherlands.