The Civil Defence app provides a central platform for information, guidance and practical advice on what to do in crisis situations. It is tailored to users’ individual circumstances and offers support during the preparation phase, in an emergency, and in the aftermath.
Digital preparedness for everyday life
Unlike traditional warning systems, the Civil Protection app takes a holistic approach. Users receive a personalised assessment of potential risks, tailored to their location and personal circumstances. This is supplemented by preparation checklists, recommendations on what supplies to keep at home, and clear instructions on how to behave before, during and after an incident.
A concrete example of how preparedness can be experienced in everyday life: recommended measures for power cuts or stocking up on everyday essentials – which can be easily and conveniently implemented as part of regular shopping at REWE retail outlets. In this way, preparedness is not presented as an abstract concept, but as a practical part of daily life.
For the REWE Group, as one of Austria’s largest employers, the app complements the business continuity and crisis management structures that have been developed over more than five years – and strengthens employees’ individual preparedness skills, including in their private lives.
“A strong initiative by the Civil Protection Association,” said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, commenting on the benefits of the new civil protection app. “Thanks to the new civil protection app, all key information, hazard alerts and warnings are available centrally and in real time,” said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, who also emphasised the great importance of involving Austrian corporations such as the REWE Group.
“As a retail company, our responsibility extends far beyond supplying everyday essentials. The REWE Group and our service promise only work thanks to our 47,000 employees. It’s about allaying fears, conveying a sense of realism and making preparedness easier. That’s why, as a first step, we’re making the new civil defence app available to part of our team. As one of Austria’s largest employers, we see ourselves as a multiplier: if our employees are prepared, Austria is also a little more resilient,” says Robert Nagele, BILLA Executive Board member.
“We see every day that it is not a lack of information that is the problem, but a lack of practical guidance. The new civil defence app fills precisely this gap: it makes hazards understandable and clearly shows how to prepare and behave correctly in an emergency. In the REWE Group, we have a strong partner that enables us to bring this content directly into people’s everyday lives and to firmly embed preparedness across society,” said Andreas Hanger, President of the Austrian Civil Defence Association.
Digital preparedness meets years of security expertise
Crisis preparedness has a long tradition at the REWE Group. Thanks to professional business continuity management and close cooperation with public authorities and emergency services, the REWE Group in Austria is prepared for exceptional situations – both operational and societal.
The new civil protection app builds on existing services – these include ‘Coffee with Cops’, civil protection information stands in the car parks of REWE retail outlets, and direct dialogue with emergency services in stores. It complements existing structures without replacing them – and provides reliable preparedness information in an accessible format across Austria.
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