Government & Local Authorities

General:

Local authorities, municipalities, universities and other public bodies are responsible for managing large sectors of the population and should be prepared to deal with a wide range of day-to-day challenges while, at the same time, maintaining an adequate level of service for their constituency.

During disasters, adverse situations or in emergencies, adiverse number of challenges can cause the collapse of critical systems. Such an overload can prevent the organization from maintaining proper functioning and implementation of essential actions to save lives and minimize damage.

Many organizations have not dedicated the proper resources to respond adequately in such scenarios and are not only untested but lack the ability to cope under such a load (Surge Capacity).  In the absence of proper and orderly preparations for the unexpected, the chances of the organization and its population to survive are slim.

What are the main gaps found in most organizations and authorities:

• Lack of experience to create a real-time snapshot to identify gaps
• Typically the organization is surprised and not properly prepared. Training, if any, is based on specific scenarios, relying on fixed crisis management procedures alone.
• Lack of organizational flexibility / functional flexibility based on hierarchical structure
• A limited response of support departments in the first 24 hours-  the most critical hours for saving lives, minimizing damage and maintaining the continuity of function of the authority or organization.

Local Authority —major emergency challenges:

• Population management — provide information in real time, guidance and direction
• Provision of basic services - food, shelter and security
• Maintaining and operating essential infrastructure
•  Immediate assistance to the population - medical, psychological
• Addressing many issues simultaneously, beyond day-to-day (surge capacity)
• Management/Command  flexibility
• Readiness/ preparedness
• Prevent collapse of key systems
• Alter the task designation of rescue support bodies
• Utilization of teams of volunteers and external assistance (NGO's)

Products and Solutions:

• Creating an emergency response plan
• Definition of crisis management roles
• Setting key-guidelines for a transition from day-to day operations to an organizational emergency response
• Identification of key managers, guidelines, procedures and vital information for emergency management
• Responsiveness audit to identify gaps
• Training of local leadership
• Documenting methods for emergency management and leadership response
• Establishment of a crisis management center
• Creating mechanisms to work by the 24 hour clock
• Performing simulation of training and practice in real crisis situations
• Providing the means of reducing gaps
• Building a secondary leadership team to support  the primary leadership
• Establishment of the dynamics toaid the population in times of emergency
•  Recruitment and establishment of volunteer teams