This afternoon I and my counterpart at the Committee of the Regions, Gerhard Stahl, met for half an hour with the team of volunteers who make sure that when an order to evacuate our buildings is given, the order is carried out. When an alert is sounded, or if the instruction is given, they don a coloured vest and a fire helmet and then make sure that everybody leaves their office and the building in a safe and orderly way. The two Committees together boast over a hundred such volunteers, which is splendid, I think – especially given that they all follow a special training course into the bargain. I see it as a demonstration of the strong civic culture that exists in both Committees’ administrations. The primary purpose of the meeting was to thank these volunteers for their help in carrying out what can, on occasion, be a critical role.