Informed. Prepared. Together

How do the authorities prepare?

Wat doen de overheden? - Que font les autorités?

To prepare for possible emergencies, governments and the emergency services draw up plans and test them regularly. In addition, the authorities aim to prepare people for an emergency by informing them about the potential risks and during a crisis. 

 

Their role in informing the public is

Before the emergency During the emergency After the emergency

To inform the local people about:

  • the risks to which they may be exposed
     
  • the measures which are being taken by the authorities to limit the risk of emergencies as far as possible
     
  • the measures they can take if an emergency arises.

 

 

  • To warn the people concerned
     
  • To inform the people concerned about:
    • (the development of) the situation
    • actions and recommendations by the authorities
       
  • To inform the general public 

 

  • To inform the people concerned about actions taken to return to a normal situation
     
  • To inform the public about various aspects arising from he emergency (insurance, etc.)

Besides general recommendations for the public, the authorities inform, if possible particular target groups depending on their specific needs and their situation.

 

Alerting the public

In emergencies, alerting the public quickly is vitally important. Various channels for raising the alarm complement and reinforce each other:

  • BE-Alert, a telephone or text message alarm service
     
  • police cars with loudspeakers
     
  • radio and television
     
  • social media (e.g. @Crisiscenterbe)
     
  • …

 

The relevant authorities use all possible and available means to alert the people concerned quickly and efficiently. Usually, a combination of various channels for raising the alarm will enable as many people as possible to be reached.

 

Regular exercises

The authorities also regularly test their emergency plan. There are two types of exercise:

  • Theoretical exercises: the various players are gathered around the table and discuss how they would intervene in a real situation.
     
  • Field exercises: The exercise is staged at the location of the emergency (simulation). In principle, the teams and resources are actually deployed at this location, but various modalities are possible.