Involving citizens in civil protection

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7th European Security ConferenceBarcelona 13
16 April 2008 Strengthening Disaster Resilience
Martin Annis Senior Emergency Planning Officer
British Red Cross Ray Williams Williams
Management Communication
European National Red Cross Societies
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2005 EU call for proposals

• .the project should raise awareness among
  European citizens to participate in civil
  protection volunteer organisations and to promote
  volunteer work..

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Project aim

• To promote the contribution of European Union
  Member States and European Economic Area
  Countries citizens to local, regional and
  national civil protection arrangements, by
  sharing experience and good practice and making
  suggestions to governments on how they can
  strengthen networks and support and benefit from
  volunteering
• Capacity and capability building in Baltic States

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Project phases

• Phase 1 preparatory - research
• Phase 2 - four regionally-based seminars
• Phase 3 - final report

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• Austria
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Hungary
• Liechtenstein
• Slovak Republic
• Slovenia

• Estonia
• Finland
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Norway
• Poland
• Sweden

30 countries
Partner networks
old/new EUMS natural networks
France Belgium Bulgaria Italy Luxembourg Portugal
Romania Spain
UK Cyprus Denmark Greece Iceland Ireland Malta Ne
therlands
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Main themes

• barriers to citizen involvement and how to remove
  them
• informing citizens how, by whom, when
• preparing citizens - practical examples and good
  practice

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Training and motivation

• Why business should encourage volunteers
• What motivates volunteers?
• or
• Why be the last one out the door?
• Maslows hierarchy
• Madrid - 2nd and 3rd May 1808
• Volunteer training

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Why businesses should encourage volunteers?

• Better manage work place risks and threats
• Transferable skills between workplace and home
• Home resilience results in quicker return to work
• Low cost investment - High return
• Organisations that plan will survive and prosper
• Volunteer recognition in U.K. Government report

Individuals have an essential role to play in
national security. We can all contribute by being
vigilant against terrorism, and by planning for,
and by taking a more active role in responding to
civil emergencies..Through volunteering and
dialogue we can make sure that the values we
share across society are upheld.
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Corporate fire wardens
Why be the last one out the door?
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Maslows Hierarchy of Needs - Motivation
Self actualisation Personal growth and fulfilment
Esteem needs Achievement, status, responsibility,
reputation
Belongingness and love needs Family, affection,
relationships, workgroup etc.
Safety needs Protection, security, order, law,
stability
Biological Physiological needs Basic life needs
air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, etc.
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THE POWER OF PEOPLE
Madrid - 2nd 3rd May 1808
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Red Cross Volunteers
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The role of the commercial sector

• The research phase and seminars identified very
  limited evidence of corporate sector engagement
  in the support of citizen involvement in civil
  protection

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Main seminar findings

• small number of countries provide compensation to
  employers for release of employees to undertake
  civil protection activities.
•  
• some employers prepared to release personnel for
  the response not for training or exercises
•  
• involvement of the larger commercial
  organisations often linked to the existence of
  legislation that imposes civil protection
  responsibilities, e.g. COMAH
• little interest from commercial sector

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Recommendations (commercial sector) - 1

• EUMS and EEAC governments could provide positive
  messages to encourage commercial sector support
  of citizen involvement in civil protection
• In countries where citizens are likely to pay
  less regard to the Government delivered messages,
  consideration could be given to engaging
  respected and trusted organisations, such as the
  Red Cross, or NGOs to undertake this role

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Recommendations (commercial sector) - 2

• commercial sector could consider benefits of
  encouraging and supporting involvement of local
  citizens in civil protection

• raising its profile within the local community by
  demonstrating that it views itself as part of the
  local community
•  
• have workforce better prepared to deal with an
  incident that occurs on the business premises
• have workforce better prepared for an emergency
  or disaster that affects their home or family
•  
• demonstration of employer that cares about its
  staff and wishes to support them

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Recommendations (commercial sector) - 3
commercial sector could support statutory
authorities and voluntary organisations by

• providing rooms/facilities to host meetings
•  
• utilising existing internal communication media
  to advise workforce of opportunities to learn
  more
•  
• facilitating meetings with workforce during meal
  breaks or end of working day
•  
• providing qualified staff, e.g. Health and Safety
  advisers, Human Resources personnel to assist
  voluntary organisations
•  
• sponsoring local initiatives to communicate with
  citizens

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Key points

• prepared individuals/communities are better able
  to withstand an emergency
• commercial sector is part of and impacted by what
  happens in the community
• small investment can lead to large return

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Contact details

• Martin Annis
• www.redcross.org.uk
• 44 207 877 7252
• mannis_at_redcross.org.uk

• Ray Williams
• www.williamscommunication.co.uk
• 44 208 315 6700 rgw_at_williamscommunication.co.uk