Disaster response actors are facing new challenges, which encompass not only new and ever more complex threats but also the need to collaborate across organizational boundaries and even state borders. Depending on scale, these interactions have to work across governance setups, political and legal conditions, organizational cultures, as well as personal preferences and experiences that vary among actors, organizations, and countries. But which concrete measures are taken by crisis management actors at different scales to bridge these challenges and which of these could serve others as example to address comparable challenges in their contexts? This study made attempts to analyze whether certain solutions across organizations and states exist that facilitate effective interorganizational crisis management in the member states of the European Union (EU). It is based on selected expert interviews with representatives of different types of disaster response organizations (health services, police services, fire services, and other crisis management organizations) from seven EU member states (Germany,
A review of risk assessment research in the context of extreme weather events (EWE) reveals that conceptual approaches addressing the risk of critical infrastructures (CI) focus primarily on single components and factors of CI that are at risk. The objective of the paper is to introduce an integrative framework that considers the complex set-up of CI and links it to newer conceptualizations of risk management and adaptation. Drawing on existing risk and resilience approaches, this paper brings together aspects of the engineering community, which currently dominate CI-related research, and of disaster risk reduction research communities, resilience and adaptation research in the context of natural hazards. The paper thereby presents an adapted approach that particularly addresses interdependencies of infrastructures as well as future dynamics. The risk concept applied is based on the IPCC framework and considers the manifold impacts of CI failures upon society, economy and environment. Recommendations for risk management regimes are thereby formulated in the context of EWE. Based on a more holistic socio-ecological systems’ perspective, the approach covers the dynamic transformation of a system’s resilience state. The framework provides a tool and concept to improve the understanding of the multitude factors determining the risks of EWE for CI. Additional research is required for the further operationalization of the conceptual framework, such as the development of indicators, in order to enable the practical implementation for the support of risk management concepts.
<p>The need to enhance individual and collective disaster resilience is becoming more urgent considering the increasingly complex and interconnected risks that arise from numerous natural, and not only hazardous, events. Many initiatives to encourage citizen participation in creating a resilient society exist, yet are typically fragmented. This fragmentation can result in unclear responsibilities for building disaster resilience to mitigate the impact of natural hazards. New emerging technologies can play a vital role in supporting the preparedness and response to disasters, however, there is limited understanding on how to implement them effectively during different phases of managing disaster risk. Traditionally, approaches used by Civil Protection Authorities (CPAs) to build resilience have focused on the managerial and technical aspects of &#8216;crisis&#8217; response, whilst engagement with citizens about existing risks and preparedness measures have typically focused on one-way, top-down risk communication. At the same time, citizen and volunteer initiatives, often applying social media communication technologies, are created but are not necessarily coordinated with activities implemented by authorities. As a result, risk perceptions and actions of citizens, as well as the risk perceptions of citizens and CPAs remain frequently unaligned resulting in a <em>Risk Perception Action Gap (RPAG)</em>.</p><p>This work presents the overall objectives of RiskPACC project, which focuses on increasing the preparedness actions undertaken by citizens and narrowing the Risk Perception Action Gap (RPAG). The project follows a co-creation approach that will facilitate interaction between citizens and CPAs by evolving their collaboration into a two-way communication flow. By jointly identifying their needs and develop potential procedural and technical solutions, disaster resilience before, during and after the occurrence of natural and human induced hazards can be enhanced. RiskPACC facilitates a collaboration between citizens, CPAs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), researchers and developers through seven case studies that will provide a live test bed to jointly design and prototype novel solutions. At the same time, a set of technological tools are also presented which include a framework and methodology to understand and close the RPAG, a repository of international best practice, and tooled solutions based on new forms of digital and community-centred data and associated training guidance. These are developed and integrated into an efficient platform that offer advanced information and co-operation to citizens and CPAs to enhance disaster risk management and enhance mitigation and adaptation actions to natural hazards.</p><p><strong>Acknowledgments:</strong></p><p>This research has been financed by European Union&#8217;s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101019707, project RiskPACC (Integrating Risk Perception and Action to enhance Civil protection-Citizen interaction). For more information about the RiskPACC project visit the website https://www.riskpacc.eu/.</p>
This article summarizes the methodology for the identification of practitioners’ challenges of the H2020 funded project FIRE-IN (Fire and Rescue Innovation Network) activities with a strong focus on the natural hazard mitigation working group and tsunamis in the Mediterranean region as a case study for the 3rd cycle. The scenario of a tsunami occurrence in the Mediterranean is the basis for the FIRE-IN 3rd cycle workshop, as an indicative example of a high impact – low probability event, which aims to identify the Future Common Capability Challenges of practitioners in Europe. The current status of the tsunami hazard in Europe, national and international tsunami risk mitigation measures and procedures and operational experience from recent events are also discussed. Focus is provided on the natural hazard mitigation and tsunami related practitioners’ challenges, while results from the FIRE-IN request for ideas process and the interaction between practitioners, researchers and industry is also discussed. The aim is to present the current and future capability challenges of practitioners, one of the main outcomes of FIRE-IN project, and to provide further guidelines to stakeholders of disaster management towards a safer Europe, mainly, through preparedness for stronger and resilient societies.
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