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| A weekly newsletter zooming in on Europe through local perspectives. Every Friday, one topic explored by five independent newsrooms. | | IN THIS ISSUE | §01 · In focus — Crisis Preparedness
§02 · The local view — Berlin, Riga, Warsaw, Vienna and Zagreb
§03 · The podcast — Listen to the latest episode and join the conversation
§04 · From the newsrooms — Recent reporting from the lensEU network |
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| §01 · IN FOCUS | Crisis Preparedness and Civilian Protection: When Crises Compound Each Other | Europe is facing a growing number of crises: the impacts of climate change, such as heatwaves, droughts and flooding, are coinciding with geopolitical tensions, cyberattacks and the threat of sabotage.
Crises can also intensify one another. Flooding can knock out the power supply, while a cyber attack can target hospitals or water suppliers. For emergency services on the ground, the immediate priority is often to deal with the consequences, regardless of whether they stem from a technical fault, an extreme weather event or a deliberate attack.
How civil protection is organised | Although international cooperation is possible in civil protection, it is organised at national level. In Germany, responsibility for disaster management generally lies with the federal states. Districts and towns and cities that do not belong to a district organise emergency assistance locally and coordinate fire, ambulance, and relief services when a crisis occurs. This includes, for example, protection against natural disasters and other civil emergencies.
The federal government, by contrast, is responsible for civil protection – protecting the population against threats arising from war. The two areas are closely linked: in civil protection, the federal government draws on the federal states' existing structures and supplements them with additional equipment and support where necessary. The system can therefore only work if authorities at different levels cooperate and coordinate their responsibilities.
What the CORRECTIV investigation reveals
How well this system is prepared for crises also depends on what is actually available on the ground. CORRECTIV therefore surveyed all 401 countries and independent towns and cities in Germany about their crisis preparedness.
The investigation reveals significant differences: of the 266 local authorities that provided substantive responses, 38 stated they had no crisis plan. Another 97 had drawn up a plan but had not yet implemented any of its measures.
Staff shortages, limited financial resources and gaps in preparedness for prolonged power cuts and sabotage are also making it harder for many local authorities to prepare for crises. The findings show that crisis preparedness depends on more than the formal allocation of responsibilities under the law. It also matters whether plans can be implemented and whether the authorities involved can continue to operate effectively during a crisis.
Why international cooperation is becoming increasingly important
Many of these challenges affect more than individual local authorities or countries. Electricity grids, supply chains and digital infrastructure are interconnected across national borders. A disruption can therefore have consequences far beyond the region where it occurs.
Natural disasters can also affect several countries at once, while cyber attacks and sabotage do not stop at national borders. No country can prepare for every possible scenario on its own. Countries must therefore share information, develop common procedures and be able to organise assistance quickly when a crisis occurs.
Structures for this cooperation are already in place in Europe. Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, countries can offer assistance to one another during major emergencies, with support coordinated through the mechanism. The European Union is also working to bring civilian preparedness and security planning closer together.
Within NATO, the main focus is on collective defence. This also requires infrastructure, transport routes and supply systems to remain operational during a crisis, so that allies can be supported. The EU and NATO have different roles, but they complement one another in areas such as resilience, the protection of critical infrastructure and crisis preparedness.
Preparedness as a shared responsibility
The CORRECTIV investigation shows why crisis preparedness must be addressed at several levels. Local authorities need sufficient staff, funding and effective crisis plans. The federal government and the federal states must strengthen their cooperation. At the European level, reliable mechanisms are needed to coordinate information, resources and assistance across borders.
The public also has a role to play. Keeping drinking water, non-perishable food, essential medicines, a radio and a torch at home can help people cope on their own during an extended disruption and ease the burden on emergency services. It will never be possible to provide complete protection against every crisis. What matters is that authorities, emergency services, businesses and the public remain able to act – even when several crises occur simultaneously. | — Lilith Grull, International Reporter, CORRECTIV |
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| | | Berlin · Germany · CORRECTIV | How much spare capacity is left in a crisis? | How quickly a crisis can become a test of resilience is illustrated by the Rheingau-Taunus district. Last summer, several vegetation and forest fires had to be tackled there. Some operations lasted several days, involving around 1,500 emergency responders in total – most of them volunteers.
But the number of emergency responders alone says little about how much reserve capacity is actually available. During operations lasting several days, responders need to be relieved so they can rest and recover. At the same time, everyday emergency services must continue to function: even during a major forest fire, for example, personnel must remain available to deal with a road traffic accident or a house fire.
Another factor is that many volunteers hold several roles, for example in the fire service, ambulance service or medical sector. In a multiple crisis, they may therefore be needed in different places at the same time.
“When it comes to volunteering, it is not just the number of people available that matters,” says Christian Rossel, head of fire and rescue services and disaster management in the Rheingau-Taunus district. Good leadership, effective social structures and appreciation are also crucial. The case shows that crisis preparedness is not just about having enough emergency responders. What matters is whether the structures in place can continue to function over several days.
CORRECTIV investigated this case as well as the state of crisis preparedness and the resulting protection of the public, by sending out a questionnair to all 401 countries and independent cities in Germany.
Lilith Grull, International Reporter, CORRECTIV
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| | Riga · Latvia · TVNET | "We Are Totally Unprepared" | "The main conclusion is that we are totally unprepared." This is how Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs assessed the aftermath of a powerful storm that hit Latvia in August this year. But let's start from the beginning.
When your country borders Russia and Belarus, the phrase "emergency situation" is primarily associated with a military invasion or sabotage. In reality, however, the causes can be far more ordinary. The most recent example is the severe storm and heavy rainfall that struck Latvia this summer.
As a result, 277,000 households were left without electricity. In eastern Latvia, power outages were accompanied by disruptions to water supplies, mobile networks and internet connections. Shops closed, and ATMs stopped working. In some areas, the emergency lasted more than two days.
No politician was held accountable for what happened. However, to his credit, the prime minister acknowledged the problems in a rather emotional speech: "For four years, a war has been raging right next to us, yet we have been living in complete peace (...). This applies to absolutely everyone, including, unfortunately, the private sector."
Fortunately, people mobilised to help themselves and their loved ones. And it seems that the authorities are relying on precisely this approach: in an emergency, Latvians are advised to use a dedicated app to locate their nearest shelter in advance and prepare enough food, water, medicine and batteries to last at least 72 hours.
There is, however, a major problem with this approach: Latvia's shelters could accommodate only 496,000 people, just over a quarter of the population.
While the authorities work to address these shortcomings (or are they?), ordinary residents have little choice but to prepare themselves as best they can for whatever emergency may come next.
Andrejs Timofejevs, journalist, TVNET GRUPA |
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| | Warsaw · Poland · OKO.press | Poland Rebuilds Civil Defence for a New Era | Poland is rebuilding its civil protection and wartime civil defence system after decades of neglect. The Cold War-era model was designed primarily for a conflict between the Warsaw Pact and NATO, including a possible nuclear exchange. It relied on warning sirens, shelters, evacuation plans and specialised services prepared for bombing and contamination.
After 1989, the system was gradually dismantled as the risk of full-scale war appeared remote. In 2022, civil defence effectively disappeared from Polish law. Resources shifted toward everyday emergencies, with the State Fire Service and volunteer fire brigades becoming the backbone of crisis response. | Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exposed the limits of this model. Even a limited conflict could mean collapsed buildings, large-scale fires and attacks on medical and rescue infrastructure, while military resources would be needed for combat.
The 2024 Civil Protection and Civil Defence Act is intended to rebuild a nationwide system. Poland is now investing in shelters, warning systems, communications, emergency supplies and civil-defence personnel.
The new system combines state administration and emergency services with local governments and civil society, preparing Poland not only for war, but also for natural disasters, hybrid threats and major infrastructure failures.
Michał Piekarski, defence expert, OKO.press |
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| | Vienna · Austria · Die Presse | An EU-wide emergency services radio network from 2036 | The Viennese company Frequentis is supplying technology for pilot projects in Sweden and the Netherlands. Within ten years, all 27 EU Member States are to ensure that their emergency services can communicate seamlessly with one another across national borders when responding to incidents. In September, the European Commission presented two regulations designed to jointly establish the so-called European Union Critical Communication System (EUCCS). More than five million paramedics, firefighters, police officers and other emergency responders will then not only be able to communicate with one another via radio, but also send videos, images, text messages and location data via a reliable channel that is secure against cyber-attacks.
At the heart of this new system is a mobile broadband technology called MCX. This utilises 4G and 5G networks and can ensure that the various national emergency services radio systems – which are already gradually being switched over to broadband – are able to communicate with one another. All of this will make use of conventional mobile networks. Where these networks have gaps in coverage – for example, in remote regions – EU satellite systems are set to step in. In particular, the IRIS2 system, currently under development and intended to create a European civilian and military alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink, could be a suitable option.
The Commission and 15 Member States have been working on this project for just under a decade. The impetus for this came from the wave of Islamist terrorism in 2015 and 2016. At that time, “the lack of communication between emergency services in major crisis situations” became apparent, as stated in the explanatory notes to one of the two regulations. Austria is not currently participating in this initiative.
A test version of the system is already being used to simulate real-life situations, such as fires in border regions, human trafficking or drug smuggling. In November 2024, the 15 national governments participating in the EUCCS test consortium awarded contracts to four companies to develop the necessary technology. These include Airbus, Leonardo and Teltonic, as well as the Vienna-based company Frequentis. It is responsible for providing services to the Swedish Civil Defence and the Dutch police.
Oliver Grimm, EU correspondent, Die Presse |
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| | Zagreb · Croatia · Telegram.hr | What went wrong? Nobody cares | Talented individuals, sheer determination, and a knack for improvisation may work wonders on the football pitch, but they fall drastically short in the face of major natural disasters. Yet in Croatia, that is precisely how things operate.
Local emergency preparedness is dismally low. Firebreaks are rarely maintained, roads—especially along the coast—are hopelessly gridlocked, and a healthcare system that barely functions under normal conditions is pushed past the breaking point each summer with the arrival of millions of tourists. | The national Early Warning and Crisis Management System (SRUUK) is a story in itself. Despite a price tag exceeding eight million euros, it has been clear from the outset that the system does not work. During nationwide testing in 2023, 20 per cent of the population received no alert at all, while the rest were directed to broken links. The government declared the test a resounding success anyway.
This spring, a life-threatening storm battered Zagreb. The system finally sounded the alarm – a full day later – merely to notify residents that schools would be closed. The authorities did not even consider investigating what went wrong.
This August, a massive wildfire broke out near Omiš, bringing even greater chaos. Nobody knew which way to evacuate, roads were paralyzed, and people were forced to leap into the sea to save themselves. SRUUK remained silent. The next day, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković claimed an alert was unnecessary because everyone could plainly see the fire. Six people died. The authorities still show no intention of examining what went wrong.
Jasmin Klarić, journalist, Telegram |
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| §03 · THE PODCAST | | Crisis Preparedness: Be Ready Before Crisis Strikes | The central message is this: we should not wait until a crisis hits before taking action. We should prepare in advance and learn from others' experiences.
Or, as Oleksandr Sienkevych, the mayor of Mykolaiv, puts it aptly: “Clever people learn from the experiences of others – rather than waiting to learn from their own.” | |
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| What happens when a heatwave lasts for weeks, followed by severe flooding – and suddenly the power goes out across an entire district? What if drinking water also becomes scarce, roads and transport routes become impassable, and communication networks are overloaded?
It sounds like an extreme scenario. But the effects of climate change and geopolitical tensions are already presenting cities and local authorities across Europe with new challenges. And sometimes, it is not even immediately clear what has triggered a crisis: an extreme weather event, a technical fault – or a deliberate attack?
In this episode of lensEU, we explore how well local authorities are prepared for such crises – and what people themselves can do to prepare.
Because when a crisis hits, it is not just about the fire and rescue services. It is also about electricity, water, communications and shelters – and whether the authorities and the public know what to do. This episode looks at how well prepared Europe is for these challenges.
CORRECTIV asked all 401 districts and independent towns in Germany about the state of their crisis preparedness. The findings reveal gaps in many places. Shortcomings include emergency plans, staffing, financial resources, shelters and preparations for prolonged power cuts. | The team also spoke to local emergency responders and a mayor in Ukraine about the issue. | Our colleague Cátia Vilaça from the Portuguese publication Gerador reports on a series of severe storms that hit Portugal at the beginning of the year. Many families, particularly in the centre of the country, lost their homes or suffered extensive damage to their property.
From Poland, security expert and OKO.press writer Michał Piekarski reports on efforts to rebuild crisis preparedness. |
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