The images and news from the flooded areas in southwest Germany are disturbing. More than 150 dead, countless injured, and thousands of people have completely lost their homes and possessions. That is the negative balance of last week's flood disaster.
Visible damage
But currently that the immense extent of the damage is becoming more and more visible, there are also positive aspects.
A huge willingness to show solidarity with the victims of the flood is palpable, and the unprecedented will to help the people in Rheinland-Pfalz and Nordrhein-Westfalen is taking on concrete forms. This is also the case for the Viessmann family, not only in Germany but also in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
Let's take responsibility
The company's management used the employee information app to call for energetic help and useful ideas
On the day after the disaster, the company's management used the employee information app to call for energetic help and useful ideas to alleviate the plight of people, colleagues and trade partners in the affected areas. 'Let's take responsibility!' was the headline of the message in the app.
The reactions to this appeal were overwhelming over the weekend, immediately there was information about collection points for donations in kind.
Post-floods requirement
And from the Eifel, a member of the large Viessmann family came forward with the following advice, "I live in the Eifel, but I have not affected myself, I have no damage. Here, whole villages have been wiped out, and many roads, bridges, and access roads have been destroyed. So everything has to be rebuilt. At the moment, food, baby food, and pet food as well as drinks, hygiene articles, gas cookers, and gas! - as there is no electricity - as well as blankets, are needed."
five-point plan
In addition, a five-point plan was developed at Viessmann Deutschland GmbH over the weekend:
- Viessmann issues vouchers for 500 euros for end users with a flood-damaged boiler. The vouchers are distributed to the trade partners by the Viessmann branches. These in turn pass them on to their end customers.
- Viessmann is offering its 'Viessmann Wärme' heat rental model free of charge for 6 months in flooded areas (if technically feasible). This offer is particularly aimed at those who have completely lost their system without natural hazard insurance.
- The company reinforces its technical service with technicians in the flood areas.
- Viessmann ensures the supply of spare parts in the crisis regions.
- The company arranges contacts with liquefied petroleum gas manufacturers to make it possible to supply heat in the crisis regions, especially in the Ahr valley, even without a gas network.
Willingness to help
Even after the water was half a meter high there, operations continue almost seamlessly
Meanwhile, reassuring news reaches Steinsel, the headquarters of Viessmann's Luxembourg subsidiary. Even after the water was half a meter high there, operations continue almost seamlessly.
While colleagues in the 'home office' look after their trade partners, the clearing and cleaning work in the branch office is almost complete, so that the supply of spare parts or the ordering of new heating technology systems is running smoothly. From there, too, the members of the worldwide Viessmann family report a very, very great willingness to help, including from customers and partners.
fast and practical help
There is great agreement among all those involved that the priority is to provide fast and practical help. But it will be just as important to plan and organize the aid over a long period because it will take months, if not years, to repair the material damage.
Until then, it is important to stand by those affected, offer a helping hand, or simply show understanding and compassion.
living spaces for generations
With all these actions, the Viessmann family has shown, as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic, that in a crisis people show who they are!
All the measures, thus, also pay tribute to the company mission statement, the Purpose: 'We create living spaces for generations to come'. This is all the more true for the regions in southwest Germany that were badly hit by the floods.
