Effective cooperation between local governments and emergency services in crisis situations: principles of communication and sources of information

We invite you to a panel discussion on key aspects of cooperation and communication in crisis situations. Our goal is to clarify the principles of cooperation and define what data is crucial for effective decision-making and efficient communication with residents.

Course of the meeting:

The meeting will take the form of a dynamic, 35-minute discussion, concluding with a question-and-answer (Q&A) session. We will focus on practical examples and concrete solutions, so we will ask panelists to keep their contributions concise, 60-90 seconds long.

Main discussion topics:

• A shared picture of the situation: How can we create a single, integrated system (screen/map) with key data for all services and local government units involved in crisis management? We will discuss what it should include and whether the Emergency Notification Center could serve as a coordinating hub.

• Key data for decisions: We will identify the three most important data sources (e.g., weather/hydrological data, resident reports, resource availability) without which it is impossible to take appropriate action, and determine the optimal frequency of their updates.

• One coherent message: Who should communicate with the media and residents and how to avoid information chaos? We'll examine the role of the State Fire Service liaison officer within the municipal headquarters and how to develop a common position.

• Practical experiences from various sectors: We will analyze specific cases and procedures for operating in crisis situations:

  • Hospitals: How to manage communication during mass events?

  • Water management: What alert thresholds trigger specific actions and messages?

  • Protecting cultural heritage: What are the first steps within 24 hours of a threat?

During the panel we will look for answers to the following questions:

• What data and functions should a “common screen” for local governments and services contain?

• How to effectively measure the effectiveness of crisis communication?

• How can a State Fire Service liaison officer support message consistency and data utilization?

• What does the fast track to launching support from WOT look like and what data is required for this?

Join us to develop standards that will improve our preparedness and response to future challenges.