112RESCUE 2025 once again impresses with its concentrated innovative strength and practical specialist content

Review of three intensive days at the trade fair full of technology, tactics and specialist input

From 26 to 28 June 2025, Messe Dortmund was once again transformed into a unique center for rescue, fire and disaster control professionals. 112RESCUE provided numerous impulses for the future of civil emergency response.

Dortmund, 01.07.2025 – With the third edition of 112RESCUE, the trade fair for rescue, fire and disaster protection presented itself as the industry’s central innovation platform. A total of 315 exhibitors from Germany and abroad showcased the latest products, concepts and technologies – from medical technology and robotics to emergency vehicles and infrastructure for fire stations. This year’s edition focused in particular on social and political challenges: amok and threat situations, extreme weather events, the future of procurement, rescue robotics and security research.

“112RESCUE has quickly established itself as a strong and well-structured platform in terms of content. The breadth of topics, the high level of participation and the technical depth show how great the need for exchange, innovation and joint solutions is. The fact that we were able to welcome a growing number of exhibitors, forward-looking formats and a high level of international participation confirms that we are on the right track. We can see that this trade fair not only brings together new products, but above all future topics across the entire blue light industry,” said Sabine Loos, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Group.

Exhibitor participation grew by almost ten percent compared to the previous year. The international character of the event is particularly noteworthy, continued Loos: “Companies from eleven countries were represented. This underlines the role of 112RESCUE as a cross-border exchange platform for the topics of safety, rescue and protection.”

Christoph Schöneborn, Managing Director of the Association of Fire Departments in NRW and conceptual partner of 112RESCUE, adds: “This year’s 112RESCUE was once again a complete success. More trade visitors, more exhibitors, more accompanying program – we are on the right track. All the more reason for us to look forward to the sequel in 2027.”

High level of satisfaction among exhibitors

112RESCUE 2025 was rated positively across the board by the exhibiting companies. According to an independent survey, around 95% of respondents stated that their expectations of the trade fair were met or even exceeded The high relevance of the event is particularly clear when looking to the future: almost 89% of exhibiting companies are planning to participate again at 112RESCUE 2027.

Top ratings from the expert audience

112RESCUE 2025 was once again able to significantly increase visitor satisfaction compared to the previous year. According to an independent survey, 91% of visitors rated this year’s offering as equally good or better compared to the previous year’s event. The entire range of products and services at the trade fair received an average rating of “good”. The range of products and services specifically geared towards innovations and forward-looking trends as well as the extensive supporting program also received an equally positive rating. The structural breadth of the audience is particularly noteworthy. Visitors came from all relevant sectors. These included the fire department, rescue services, emergency medicine, disaster control, administration, industry, trade, educational institutions and voluntary work. This good mix underlines the high relevance of 112RESCUE as an interdisciplinary platform for civil emergency response. At the time of the survey, more than 90 percent of visitors stated that they wanted to return to the next edition of the trade fair.

Realistic deployment scenarios, special vehicles and large equipment

This year’s 112RESCUE once again offered a varied program with numerous focal points. Technological innovations played a central role: visitors were able to experience modern systems to support operations, including automated solutions for situational awareness or operational coordination. The daily fashion shows for protective clothing on the stage in Hall 6 also attracted a lot of attention.

In the outdoor area, the focus was on realistic operational scenarios in which current methods of technical rescue and protective measures for special hazardous situations were presented. The health care of emergency personnel, for example in the context of contamination, was also addressed in a practical way using mobile systems.

Further impetus came from the area of research and development. Young companies, start-ups and scientific institutions presented innovative approaches and products, such as digital solutions for deployment management or new concepts for safety-relevant equipment. Current projects were presented in various formats and panels and issues from science, technology and practice were highlighted.

A broad spectrum was also covered in the field of emergency and rescue medicine. Both classic medical technology devices and modern applications for documentation, communication and preclinical care were exhibited. In addition, top-class specialist congresses formed the central pillars of the trade fair: The Rescue & Emergency Medicine specialist congress offered in-depth insights into medical developments, the “Tactical Situations in the Rescue Service” congress focused on deployment strategies for complex hazardous situations, and the N4 Netherlands network meeting strengthened cross-border exchange, particularly with Dutch organizations.

Another thematic focus was on modern solutions in the field of emergency vehicles and road safety. In addition to classic vehicle types, renowned manufacturers and retrofitters presented a wide range of innovative fire department vehicles through to specialized rescue transporters.

A key specialist topic at this year’s trade fair was the construction of high-performance fire stations. On the Main Stage, experts discussed current requirements for the planning, architecture and functionality of modern equipment buildings. The focus was on operationally optimized processes, future-proof room concepts and sustainable construction methods.

With the new Women in Rescue Corner, 112RESCUE once again focused on social commitment, equality and diversity in the rescue sector. The special area offered a central contact point for exchange, networking and personal development within the entire rescue community. This applied equally to full-time and voluntary workers as well as people with operational or strategic tasks. The Women in Rescue Award also reflected this holistic approach. The award was presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution with particular responsibility, expertise and commitment. The award was expressly aimed at committed players from all areas of the rescue service. The award was presented for the third time this year, sponsored by an initiative of Messe Dortmund together with Malteser Hilfsdienst and the “Florentine NRW” network of VdF NRW. The award was presented by Dr. Daniela Lesmeister, State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia, to Tanja Hellmann from the Dortmund fire department for her commitment to the sector.

The next edition of 112RESCUE is already being planned and will take place in 2027 as a central meeting point for fire protection, rescue, disaster and civil protection professionals.

112RESCUE 2025 – Comments on the trade fair

Christoph Schöneborn, Regional Managing Director, Association of Fire Departments in NRW e. V. (conceptual partner of 112RESCUE)

“This year’s 112RESCUE was once again a complete success. More trade visitors, more exhibitors, more accompanying program – we are on the right track. All the more reason for us to look forward to the sequel in 2027 – will we be back in Dortmund then?”

Janine Kurlemann, Team Leader Personnel Acquisition and Retention Rescue Service NRW, Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V.

“112RESCUE is developing into a central meeting point for the blue light family and for us Malteser from NRW – and the whole of Germany. We notice this from the great response at our stand. The trade fair offers us an excellent platform to exchange ideas and network with decision-makers, specialists and interested parties from the rescue service, disaster control and emergency preparedness. We are also particularly pleased to see how many dedicated colleagues make the journey to Dortmund. 112RESCUE manages to bring together relevant topics and promote dialog between practice, innovation and training. This is exactly what we want as an aid organization. The fact that this has developed so well at the third edition is a strong signal for the future of this trade fair.”

Marco Schauff, Head of Marketing and Communication, Johanniter NRW “At our two stands this year, we at Johanniter presented ourselves as an attractive employer and reliable partner in rescue services and disaster control. We also had many good conversations in 2025 and informed the trade fair visitors about our universal disaster control unit and practical training. Many thanks to all visitors, co-exhibitors and the 112 trade fair team.”

Florian Gehrig, National Civil Protection Officer, Arbeiter Samariter Bund NRW e.V.

“112RESCUE 2025 was an excellent opportunity for us as ASB in NRW to present our civil protection and our structures to a broad specialist audience. We were particularly pleased with the intensive exchange with representatives of other organizations and exhibitors, which was not only professionally enriching, but also initiated new collaborations. 112RESCUE is increasingly developing into a central platform for networking, innovation and recruiting young talent – exactly what civil protection in NRW needs. We would like to thank you for the professional organization and are already looking forward to 2026.”

Prof. Dr. med. Clemens Kill, 1st Chairman of the German Society for Rescue Services and Preclinical Emergency Medicine (DGRN)

“At the German Rescue Service Symposium, 112RESCUE trade visitors were offered the latest presentations and interactive workshops on hot topics in emergency medicine. This event is an ideal addition to the trade exhibition for the further training and networking of our rescuers and has received a very positive response.”

Maximilian Braune, Managing Partner, Carl Henkel GmbH & Co. KG “112RESCUE was our first trade fair – and is still the only one we attend regularly. With strong numbers, a clear focus and the right audience, it has also proven to be the perfect platform for us in 2025. We have deliberately made our presence large because we want to show how we position ourselves in the market. The trade fair is located in the middle of our sales area between North Rhine-Westphalia and southern Lower Saxony and is indispensable for us regionally.”

Anna Kastens, Regional Segment Manager FireServices & Governmental, Dräger

“112RESCUE impresses with highly qualified visitors and very good organization on the part of Messe Dortmund. The Ruhr region as a central sales area with a high density of professional fire departments is ideal for us. We received a great response to our new communication system and were able to inspire both decision-makers and users. 112RESCUE has been growing noticeably for three years – we look forward to returning in 2027.”

Dirk Zeisler, team assistant for practical driving programs, DvR e.V.

“Dortmund is an ideal location – with excellent logistics, good accessibility and affordable hotels. The dedicated trade fair team gave us great support at all times. The trade fair is an exciting special event where we met many decision-makers and the entire scene. It was a perfect networking event with a good number of visitors. Our goal of showing presence and strengthening the topic of driving safety during emergency driving was fully achieved.”

Birk Lehmann, CEO, ElBe Sonderfahrzeuge GmbH

“The open discussion rounds really helped us to exchange ideas and gain new inspiration. The infrastructure on site was excellent and the organization ran very smoothly – the dedicated trade fair team was always flexible and had quick solutions for all questions. We have been there from the very first edition and are already looking forward to the next one.”

Maike Carroll, Marketing, H+DG (Handels- und Dienstleistungsgesellschaft des Bayerischen Roten Kreuzes mbH)

“112RESCUE 2025 was an all-round successful event for us. We were particularly pleased with the fashion show for rescue clothing – a great idea and the ideal opportunity to effectively present our Titania clothing line with optimum operational comfort. The trade fair is very exciting overall, as it combines trade visitors, innovation and the exchange of experience in a special way. We are very satisfied with the response and were not only very successful from a technical point of view, but also enjoyed the discussions and direct feedback from visitors.”

Thomas Mayr, Managing Director, Optic Barrier GmbH

“For me, 112RESCUE was a real B2B quantum leap! The many discussions really brought people together – the networking was fantastic. I received excellent feedback for our privacy screen systems in particular. During the trade fair, I was already able to agree initial cooperation agreements with another exhibitor to expand our product portfolio to include fire protection screens in the future. By the second day, I had already far exceeded my targets. It couldn’t have gone any better.”

Melina Löwecke, Unit Management, RHOT Bochum-Essen (Rescue Dog Tracking Technology)

“With up to ten people and just as many rescue dogs at our stand, it was always really busy – that immediately attracted attention. We wanted to show the synergies between rescue dogs and modern technology in a practical way, which was met with great enthusiasm by the visitors. The atmosphere was consistently positive, and many stayed with us for a long time to exchange ideas and find out more. In this way, we were able to impressively focus on the topic of rescue dogs and technology and make our association highly visible.”

Jens Keblat, Management Consultant & Press Spokesman, Hänsch Warnsysteme GmbH

“We are delighted to see a considerable number of the numerous professional and volunteer fire departments and other aid organizations at 112RESCUE. The comprehensive congress program and the attractive supporting program make it possible to bring many decision-makers together in one place. A valuable opportunity to hold numerous high-quality discussions in a short space of time. The direct exchange with specialists and managers provides us with important impulses and strengthens cooperation within the entire blue light family.”

Jens Fangmann, Sales Manager, Alpha Robotics Germany

“This is the second time we’ve taken part; last year we were already able to make very good contacts here. This year we are presenting our new product, and the trade fair offers us the opportunity to do this in a very comprehensive way. The topic of robotics in particular is becoming increasingly important, and 112RESCUE offers us the ideal platform to make this topic visible. It is the ideal place for us to show our presence.”

Robert Grafe, Managing Director, Deutsches Rettungsrobotik-Zentrum e.V.

“Robotics is becoming an increasingly important topic in the field of emergency response. And 112RESCUE provides the perfect setting for this. The Rescue Robotics Days are a real success: they are very well received and show how relevant the topic is. We are delighted to be part of it.”

Dr. Wolfgang Malms, Head of Municipal Procurement, Kommunal Agentur NRW

“112RESCUE offers a strong network. That was exactly our goal, and we can say: goal achieved. We had many good discussions and met important decision-makers on site. Our presentations in the morning in particular were very well attended and offered an interactive exchange at a high professional level. The exhibitor evening also provided excellent support for networking in a relaxed atmosphere. Overall, it was an all-round successful platform for making contacts and maintaining existing networks.”

Heidi Tiedt, Marketing Manager, WEBER-HYDRAULIK GmbH

“We’ve been at 112RESCUE since the first year in 2023 and this is the third time we’ve exhibited our product range – and with great success. The response has been consistently positive, the trade visitors were very active and we were able to generate high-quality leads. We were also particularly pleased with the contact with the voluntary fire departments and the young audience. Children and young people in particular show great interest, and they are the decision-makers of tomorrow. Customer loyalty works extremely well here. The exhibitor evening was a real highlight – a valuable opportunity for networking in particular.”

Dennis Böhmer, Research Associate, Fraunhofer BIG DATA AI

“We want to use artificial intelligence in a targeted manner to make operations easier and provide the best possible support for emergency services. We rely on data, experience and feedback from the field to further develop our solutions. It is precisely these end users that we meet here at 112RESCUE. That’s what makes the trade fair so valuable for us. The atmosphere on site is open and engaging, we have many constructive discussions and make exactly the contacts we need for our work.”

Sybille Trojan, Managing Director, ITURRI Feuerwehr- und Umwelttechnik GmbH

“Our goal at 112RESCUE was to establish targeted contacts with fire departments and aid organizations. And we succeeded all round. The trade fair attracts a wide-ranging specialist audience and offers the perfect infrastructure. The specialist program in particular was a real highlight and offered great added value for all participants. For us, 112RESCUE is a trade fair highlight in the industry and a fixed date in the calendar.”

TRADE FAIR AT A GLANCE

112RESCUE – FACHMESSE FÜR BRANDSCHUTZ, RETTUNGSWESEN, KATASTROPHEN- UND BEVÖLUNGSSCHUTZ
The range of exhibitors at the trade fair consists of a wide-ranging market overview of products, applications, services, ideas and solutions in all areas of civil protection, both proven and future. Live demonstrations from various security-relevant fields complete the range of products and services on offer.

DATE:
June 26 – 28, 2025

ORGANIZER:
Messe Dortmund GmbH

IDEAL PARTNER:

• Association of Fire Departments in NRW e.V.

PATRONAGE:

• Ministry of the Interior of the State of NRW
• Ministry of Labor, Health & Social Affairs of the State of NRW

HALLS AVAILABLE:
Halls 4, 5, 6, 7 and outdoor area A2

NEXT ISSUE:
The exact date will be announced shortly, as scheduled for 2027

EXHIBITORS:
315 exhibitors from 11 countries

VISITOR TARGET GROUP:
Visitors include decision-makers and people with an advisory influence on purchasing – at municipal and state level as well as full-time and voluntary staff – for the fire department, rescue service, THW, aid organizations and the entire civil protection sector. The trade fair is equally attractive for clubs and associations (e.g. professional associations and chambers), politicians from state and local politics as well as job seekers and training providers – or anyone interested in rescue, protection and safety.