August 2023: Amid a reputational crisis in British banking, Tony Jaques asks: Should CEOs be sacrificed when organisations face scandals?
July 2023: Shefalika Maini explores a new approach to drug discovery using artificial intelligence and molecular de-extinction, paving the way toward antibiotic solutions
July 2023: Matt Minshall draws an interesting comparison between elephants and humans, urging the latter to embrace harmony with nature for sustainability
July 2023: The tragic loss of the deep-sea submersible Titan is increasingly being presented as a crisis which didn’t have to happen
June 2023: Is AI the answer? Lina Kolesnikova explores the emerging concerns surrounding food security...
June 2023: David Wales explores two recently produced draft policy recommendation papers from the Engage project that may be of interest to CRJ readers
June 2023: 6.9 million lost their lives in the pandemic, highlighting the human cost, aggravated by the humanitarian fault lines. Kunwar Khuldune Shahid explores the role played by vaccine transparency
June 2023: Syed Farooq Iqbal discusses how dual-axis solar tracking systems can address Karachi's challenges of climate change and rising energy demands
May 2023: Lawyers are involved in just about every serious organisational crisis. Yet how much specific training do they receive about their role in a crisis as part of a cross-functional response team asks Tony Jaques
May 2023: Evie Lunn speaks to Maria Torres about the key features of the crisis simulation platform and its significance in reducing risks associated with cyberattacks and other crises
May 2023: Evie Lunn speaks with SaysLife founder Jennifer Thamm and Work Mastery Co-founder Dr Christine Fekete about employee wellbeing and how it ties into business resilience
February 2023: Matt Minshall takes a look at how new tools such as ChatGPT will revolutionise the world (or not)
February 2023: Tony Jaques talks about the use of few focused words at the time of crisis as the key to effective communication
January 2023: Lubna Jerar Naqvi dissects Flight 691’s unfortunate and gruesome plane crash that shocked Nepal.
January 2023: ‘No plan survives contact’ is a popular aphorism among military commanders. It could well apply to political leaders, and President Putin is no exception, says Robert Hall.
With cyber-attacks in the headlines, a new report provides a gloomy reminder of the deep and long-lasting impact when things go wrong in public corporations, says Tony Jaques
August 2022: There’s been no let-up in the crisis response world, writes Monika Al-Mufti as she outlines plans for this year's 30 days 30 ways preparedness month in the UK
July 2022: Tony Jaques asks if ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting is achieving its purpose
July 2022: Phil Trendall senses that both the media and the general public see terrorism as something that is a long way down the agenda of things to be worried about
July 2022: Mostafa Sayyadi outlines six styles of the Level Up leadership model, designed to increase and build rapport between leaders and followers
July 2022: Accepting responsibility and liability very early on is a critical aspect of effective crisis response, which can aid the victims’ healing and compensation process, says Tony Jaques
June 2022: Amanda Coleman asks: With today’s issues, are we failing to grasp the challenge of being more prepared for the crises that are just around the corner?
June 2022: Lina Kolesnikova looks at new crisis management training strategies to stay ahead in the changing cyber threat landscape
May 2022: Phil Trendall says we must stop hiding behind calculations of likelihood in emergency planning and that the UK needs to consider what civil protection looks like in the context of a war
April 2022: Mostafa Sayyadi explores how fostering a positive corporate culture can enhance company performance, how to enable better leadership strategies and also provides a new definition for knowledge management
April 2022: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be caused by a wide variety of situations, says Matt Minshall, who describes how a UK-based charity is providing much needed care and treatment for sufferers
April 2022: Mostafa Sayyadi offers advice to those in leadership positions in a post-pandemic world in terms of leadership skills, knowledge management and business adaptations
April 2022: Larry Lafferty, CEO of Group Salus – a CRJ Partner – introduces a four-part series on cybersecurity for small to medium size enterprises and offers a free assessment tool to CRJ readers
Serhii Ivianuta reports on the current destruction of the ecological balance and growing threats to environmental security caused by conflict in Ukraine
Andy Marshall says that in planning an exercise, people often tend to confuse what they are trying to achieve.
March 2022: CRJ Advisory Panel Member Phil Trendall offers his insights into the quality and depth of evidence and questioning when organisations conduct post-incident reviews
February 2022: Rodrigo Vanderlinde is Captain of the Military Fire Department of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. He speaks to CRJ Advisory Panel Member, Elton Cunha about his work
February 2022: Mostafa Sayyadi summarises six of the best practices of talent management in the post-pandemic crisis
January 2022: Phil Trendall digs deeper into the UK's House of Lords Select Committee’s Report: Preparing for Extreme Risks: Building a Resilient Society and discovers many questions that could be addressed in the emergency management profession
January: Two weeks ago the World Economic Forum (WEF) published the 2022 version of its Global Risk Report. Jelle Groenendaal discusses how crisis management capabilities can benefit from this and similar reports
January 2022: Movie Director Joss Whedon has given what must be the most ill-judged interview during a reputational crisis since Prince Andrew’s notorious television disaster. Tony Jaques investigates
January 2022: Owing to the relaxation of quarantine measures, influenza – which almost disappeared last year – is returning, according to international and EU medical authorities, writes Lina Kolesnikova
January 2022: In his latest blog, Mostafa Sayyadi aims to inspire a new wave of thinking in the fields of leadership and organisational studies and to help people achieve their plans and goals as they recover from the pandemic
January 2022: Tony Jaques explains how a school tragedy that occurred in Tasmania and a water-ride disaster in Queensland demonstrate ‘issue contagion’ – the rapid spread of a crisis throughout organisations
January 2022: CRJ Advisory Panel Member, Lina Kolesnikova analyses the challenges involved in protecting large crowds from vehicle attacks and she explores how the threat is evolving as technology plays a greater role
January 2022: CRJ Advisory Panel Member Patrick Lagadec examines the complex relationship between leadership and citizens in times of crisis, telling us that responsibility lies on both sides and giving us his thoughts on civil responsibility
December 2021: Roger Gomm outlines the key points from this month's report published by the UK Parliamentary Select Committee on Risk Assessment and Risk Planning
Bill Peterson explores supply chain issues ahead of a more in-depth article that will appear in CRJ 17:1 in March, 2022
December 2021: By 2050, half of the world’s population will live in regions that are experiencing water shortages, writes Lina Kolesnikova
November 2021: In a free-to-attend webinar on December 7, 2021, Amanda Coleman will share how to rebuild reputations after a crisis and the five steps to recovery
November 2021: Jason O’Connor discusses the value of networks and why security managers need to invest even more into building personal relationships with their peers
Lina Kolesnikova sounds a warning about the consequences of disappearing permafrost
October 2021: Chris Berry of CRJ Key Network Partner, Initsys, says that organisations should always be prepared for unexpected events and that there are ways to plan for incidents for which you cannot predict a time or location
October 2021: Criminals have devised ways to use fast payment technology to steal from citizens. Lina Kolesnikova investigates how they are doing so in Brazil
October 2021: Leaders and managers working in crisis response operations need to resist the slide into hypersensitivity if they are to avoid being caught in a tangle of personal issues, says Arran Heal
September 2021: Lina Kolesnikova analyses two shootings – one at a school and one at a university, looking at each attacker’s profile, their pre-attack behaviour and their plans
The growing importance of waste management is pushing society to consider it to be as vital as other CI sectors such as energy, and transportation, writes Lina Kolesnikova
September 2021: Lyzi Cota draws our attention to floods in her next two blogs on protecting animals before, during and after disasters. Here, she compares global facts and figures and distils key guidelines for the onset of a flooding incident
September 2021: In the third part of CRJ’s blog series discussing the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, Dr Kazi Sakib outlines the co-ordinated response by humanitarian and government agencies
August 2021: In the second part of this CRJ blog series, Hasibul Mannan explains the need for disaster risk reduction to focus on multiple hazards and outlines what measures are being – and could be – put in place to do so
August 2021: This week, the CRJ will mark the anniversary of this event with a series of blogs looking at at gender-based violence, disaster risk reduction in the camps and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic
Luavut Zahid, CRJ’s Pakistan correspondent, takes an in-depth look at the implications for those fleeing Afghanistan
August 2021: Chris Berry from Inistys explains how CCTV and the software its systems use can play a pivotal role in getting responses right and in improving overall communication between responders and authorities
Online data failures and ransomware attacks are emerging as leading threats to reputation – yet some organisations still treat them as IT problems. Tony Jaques explains why this needs to change
Haseeb Md Irfanullah looks at the origins of growing crops on floating plant rafts in Bangladesh and how the practice has evolved over time, asking what the next phase in the development of such agriculture will be
August 2021: Five years after his independent review of London's preparedness to respond to a major terrorist incident, Lord Toby Harris says he has been asked by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to assess how the city is currently prepared
August 2021: Monika Al-Mufti describes the campaign that involves an all-hazard themed daily programme, collaborated on and shared by a wide range of stakeholders and officials, NGOs and advocates
August 2021: Bruce Mann, Andy Towler and Kathy Settle from the National Preparedness Commission set out their journey to deliver an independent assessment of an important piece of government legislation on UK civil protection
August 2021: Phil Trendall explains why it is important to use inquiries as a learning experience and not wait until their legacies and recommendations fade into distant memory
July 2021: CRJ Partner, PIX4D explains how drone mapping helped an overpopulated island threatened by climate change off the Panama coast
July 2021: There are so many ways a kidnapping can go wrong for the victim and the victim’s family, writes Stephen Grossman, so it is vitally important to involve people who have experience in this field
Continuing her blog series, Lyzi Cota outlines the dangers for livestock during hurricane season, as well as the potential subsequent floods, and she provides steps for safeguarding animals
Charles Masser says that organisations must rethink how supply chain management can be brought into the 21st Century, using innovative tools to improve resilience
Chris Berry analyses recent events that should have taught us how crucial it is to plan for unexpected events, and how a lack of imagination can hinder risk planning
Scott Sunderman reminds us that there is a shared responsibility when it comes to mitigating risk and that managing travel risk should be holistic, appropriate and offer clear guidance for travellers
July 2021: Andrew Staniforth provides an insightful update on the pioneering programme funded by the EU
July 2021: Phil Trendall comments on the importance of the call for evidence on the National Resilience Strategy and explores the opportunities that could arise from the process
Rob Fagan says that although restrictions might be lifting around the world, it is important not to let our guards down when it comes to taking up leisure activities - safety must always be a priority
The pandemic has affected all of us and uncertainty is mentally and emotionally uncomfortable. The last 18 months have been uncertain on a life and death coin toss for some. Dr Audrey Tang provides some pointers
July 2021: Lyzi G Cota provides practical advice and guidance on how to protect livestock and pets before, during and after a fire
Haseeb Irfanullah analyses the Bangladesh Government’s strategy for green energy and climate responsibility through the lens of its response to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Cox’s Bazar
CRJ’s strategic partner, the National Preparedness Commission, has been discussing the need to build effective relationships across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Sir Ian Andrews CBE TD explains
Lyzi G Cota introduces the first in a series of blogs that explore the importance of accounting for livestock and poultry during a crisis
Lina Kolesnikova investigates the phenomenon of bystanders filming and taking photos of accident victims rather than calling the emergency services for help, or clearing the way for first responders
The world is a spaceship travelling around the sun, but inside the air is getting stuffy and the crew are growing in number. Rupert Douglas-Bate uses this metaphor to elaborate on the causes of social unrest
Dr Tony Jaques analyses how a New Zealand supermarket chain dealt with a stabbing incident in one of its stores
Lina Kolesnikova describes the initiative that is taking off this summer in the hopes of increasing travel and boosting tourism and trade
For the entertainment industry, there are the Oscars… For the emergency services, there is the 112 Awards Ceremony, writes Marta Azevedo Silva, EENA’s Communications and Press Officer
CRJ Advisory Panel member, Rob Fagan describes the virtues of a comprehensive online package put together for disaster preparedness and emergency management by the NCDP
Lina Kolesnikova describes the implications of deepfakes being used by criminals to trigger civil unrest, influence political decisions and for large-scale fraud
EENA's Marta Azevedo Silva explores the merits of both digital technologies in emergency response and crisis management
CRJ is pleased to be working with the team at Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation
Graeme McGowan from CRJ's Key Network Partner Optimal Risk explains the need for businesses to establish solid defences to counter the growing threat of cyber fraud
Having an animal at our side during a crisis may help to develop resilience and help to reduce the demand for post-disaster services, says Lyzi G Cota
Amanda Coleman describes her first year in charge of running her own crisis communication consultancy
The challenge of white powder letters has resurfaced for emergency responders in Europe, writes Lina Kolesnikova
Lina Kolesnikova reports on the dangers of ransomware attacks that healthcare institutions face
Boards and individual directors are now in the crosshairs when their organisation is battered by an operational crisis or high-profile issue, writes Tony Jaques
Lina Kolesnikova explores the merits of the crew resource management (CRM) team training process first developed by the aviation sector
CRJ Key Network Partner, Pix4D investigates how a law organisation recreates detailed crime scenes and incidents for legal investigation
Organised crime involving fisheries is a severe impediment to the realisation of the UN SDGs, says Lina Kolesnikova. However, a new project will take a transnational approach to solve the problem
Rob Fagan reflects on his recent participation in NATO’s online Crisis management and disaster response course
Major incidents involving the malicious use of drones has highlighted that tackling hostile drone threats is a priority, says Andrew Staniforth
Rob Fagan explores the Emergency Planning College's (EPC) online resources for remote learning and training and finds that the organisation has moved swiftly and efficiently to adapt to the surge in demand.
Patrick Lagadec provides some thoughts to continue the work of reflection for criticism and testing in crisis management
A new book on drone technologies, co-authored by CRJ’s Advisory Panel member Andrew Staniforth and Garik Markarian, has been published.
In 2020, the risk of a pandemic became reality and governments, businesses, and societies are now seeking to respond and plan the recovery from Covid-19
Pandemic deaths have numbed our humanity and perception of risk, says Tony Jaques. On one terrible day in December, Covid-19 deaths on a single day in the United States – for the first time – exceeded the death toll from the terrorist attack on 9/11
The Covid-19 crisis is not an unprecedented or unpredictable event. Roger Gomm considers the difficult tasks ahead for crisis managers and asks: What lessons should be learned and what strategies can we use to move forward?
On November 11, the European Commission announced that it was the taking first steps to build a European Health Union, reports Lina Kolesnikova
“We are all here with the aim of navigating this ship through the storm successfully. We are not the representatives and defenders of each particular niche. If we play personal power games or act individually, we will have already lost."
During this global crisis, which is affecting everyone and every business, it is more essential than ever to communicate effectively and to negotiate like never before, says Stephen Grossman.
Many basic questions have remained unanswered, structural uncertainty and the streetlight effect (a type of observational bias that occurs when people only search for something where it is easiest to look).
Since March 18, stricter measures have been in place in Belgium and elsewhere to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Life has been different ever since. Unfortunately, so too is dying. Where we have put a lot of attention into being close with deaths in recen
There is growing concern among travel risk management practitioners about how efforts aimed at mitigating Covid-19 related risk are exhausting health and safety management plans, budgets and initiatives. Andy Janes, Security Director at Intertek Cristal r
How the lockdown exit will be implemented once the peak of the Covid-19 crisis is over, is a key question for political and economic decision-makers. The major risk is that it will severely destabilise the functioning of supply chains owing to a rapid rec
It is being widely reported that we were warned about the threat of a global pandemic. Yet on most fronts, we were still arguably behind the curve and caught unprepared. We will need to understand why this was the case, and what we need to do to prepare f
The Crisis Response Journal recently highlighted that in the United States one of our important ‘go to’ resources is the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Updated almost hourly, this very useful website is applicable to everyone in terms of knowing what
Europol reports that seven arms traffickers supplying explosives and weapons to conflict zones have been arrested and 18 properties worth about €10 million seized in the Spanish provinces of Alicante, Barcelona and Valencia.
Last Friday, November 13, France marked the fifth anniversary of terrorist attacks in Paris. Six multifaceted, co-ordinated attacks were carried out by nine IS suicide terrorists and gunmen, taking the lives of more than 130 people and leaving more than 3
Since the 1980s, the Recovery Model has been instrumental in changing the lives of those living with mental disorders or substance dependence. In an ironic yet wholly plausible twist, one UK mental health professional now believes the approach could be us
Alistair Harris describes how emergency response can serve as a promising conduit to a peaceful coexistence between countries with fragile relationships.
CRJ Advisory Panel Member, Lina Kolesnikova, reports on the worldwide phenomenon that has grown alongside our increased use of videoconferencing and calling during the global Covid-19 crisis.
New research organised by the RAND Corporation reveals key findings and lessons for Puerto Rico on supply chain management and recovery governance.
This is the third in a series of ongoing reports that aim to understand the current challenges faced by Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK, with the goal of supporting the ongoing development of good working practice. An
Everyone who passes a first aid course is familiar with the ABC protocol – airway, breathing and circulation – as a sequence of initial steps when dealing with a casualty. This protocol is a memory aid when dealing with someone who is unconscious or unres
CRJ Key Network Partner, Pix4D’s Caroline Bailey and Angad Singh discuss using drones and aerial mapping for crash investigation and other public safety projects with Aerial Metrics co-founders, Iain Lopata and Stan Taylor.
Phil Trendall comments on the details of the latest reports into the UK Government’s handling of the response to the Covid-19 outbreak and he stresses that although they might not attain the media attention they deserve, their findings are significant non
Covid-19 has affected all sectors, cultures, beliefs, ages and professions. Emergency management, first response and crisis response teams are no exception as they work tirelessly to respond in this global crisis, writes Lyzi G Cota.
Lina Kolesnikova explains the somewhat mysterious concept of ‘red teams’ in organisations seeking to improve their structures and processes.
Professionals in the fields of continuity, crisis, risk, security and emergency response have a chance to get their point of view across and share their reactions to top organisational threats, including extreme weather, cyberattacks, and Covid-19.
Chris Malpass, Executive Director of Helpful Digital, says that organisations can make the most of the Covid-19 crisis by making time for structured reflection and planning.
Christopher J Butcher from Eastern Michigan University in the US, says that most of the arguments for reopening schools in the autumn have validity. However, one aspect is currently being overlooked – the toilet situation.
Dr William Avis from the University of Birmingham in the UK and Maclina Birungi of AirQo, Uganda say that bold action and bravery are needed from policymakers to ensure that sustainability, inclusivity and equity are major priorities in the post-Covid-19
Swiftly springing into action with a well-oiled plan and a team that knows just what to do and when could, has historically been seen to be the heart of an effective crisis response. In 2020 however, it simply isn’t enough to have the plans, policies, and
Australia’s Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) were there to fight the bushfires. When the blazes were brought under control, they helped in the recovery process. In its latest blog, CRJ's Key Network Partner, Pix4D reflects on the collaboration betw
Beyond the myriad weaknesses and strengths in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, which are sure to be highlighted by experience reviews and inquiries at a later date, this blog shares some essential and immediate convictions. These thoughts are the accum
The Oxford Research Group (ORG) held a series of online roundtables to understand the risks and challenges remote warfare could present over the next five years and how the Integrated Review could address these. Abigail Watson, Research Manager at ORG's R
Evie Whatling of Ricardo looks at how crises that occur nowadays are subject to extensive and immediate media scrutiny and how the so-called crisis management ‘golden hour’ is now more like a ‘golden ten minutes’, if that. When all is at stake, stress bec
Senior management consultant, Mostafa Sayyadi explores the most effective leadership practices necessary to achieve success in such an uncertain global era.
CRJ is pleased to share details of the Emergency Planning Society’s (EPS) webinar series on which started on July 1, with further details on the second, including how to register for both.
The Crisis Response Journal is a proudly apolitical publication; this is one of our fundamental doctrines and we determinedly eschew partisanship, instead weighing up political events and issues, commenting upon and promoting only those that are judged to
AI technology can be used to predict the number and type of food and non-food items during a disaster. Here, the focus lies on cyclones, but the applications can be applied in other disaster types, write Dev Bharti, Juber Rahman, Xavier Torres, Rosana de
Andrea Bonime-Blanc and Maya Bundt say there is currently no way of gauging the cyber resilience of organisations, suppliers or service providers, as there is currently no information available. This has to change.
Dr Ayman Jundi, Senior Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Syria Relief, says that the challenge of dealing with a pandemic is compounded by degraded healthcare infrastructures in complex and v
This is the first in a series of ongoing reports that aim to understand the current challenges faced by Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) in the Covid-19 pandemic, with the aim of supporting the ongoing development of good working practice. An introductory r
Based on a series of interviews with first responders in the UK, researchers aim to understand more about the factors that affect collective working in the context of the Covid-19 response. This introduction will be followed by a series of briefing blogs
This is the second report that aims to understand the current challenges faced by Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK.
Evie Whatling and Gareth Black from Ricardo write that adaptive capacity, business recovery and long-term planning are going to be crucial in our changing world, and announce how to access their free webinar on living with Covid-19.
Abigail Watson from the Oxford Research Group (ORG) assesses how Covid-19 contributes to the domestic and international drivers of instability in weaker or conflict-affected states as their governments enforce challenging restrictions. She argues that the
The Crisis Response Journal has highlighted the crucial role of emergency planners several times over the last few weeks – their foresight and expertise are invaluable at times like these and we must remember to include them in our thanks, along with the
Ayman Jundi shares what drew him to the field of emergency and disaster medicine and what has prompted him – and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) – to launch its ground-breaking master’s course in Disaster Medicine this year.
Dr David Rubens, one of CRJ’s Advisory Panel Members, has teamed up with Emirates Global Security to deliver a series of free webinar programmes for the Level 4 Award in Foundations of Security and Risk Management and Level 5 Award in Corporate Risk and C
Much has been made of the brief respite in carbon emissions that coronavirus has given the world. But let’s not get too excited, says Fazlun Khalid, advisor to the UN on environment and faith.
Lina Kolesnikova examines why the recent wildfires near the Chernobyl nuclear reactor have led to old fears resurfacing.
Narrowly avoiding a close call with a disaster might make people more likely to evacuate or prepare for the next one. Or it might not. Risk perception can be a fickle concept based on a number of personal factors, but research also shows the nature of tha
Only a few months into 2020, every sector and market worldwide has been exposed to crisis, writes Kate Rawlins, CRJ Advisory Panel Member and Associate Director of Helpful Digital.
In the first of a new series of blogs, CRJ Advisory Panel member Rob Fagan explains how you can enhance your professional development and training in all hazards understanding, crisis leadership, and global emergency management topics writ large on a cost
Roger Gomm comments on the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) new report, Cybercrime Prevention principles for internet service providers, published this January.
Larissa Sotieva is a peacebuilding and humanitarian expert with over 25 years of experience working in academia, research and NGOs in the former Soviet Union. Until recently, she was Senior Advisor for peacebuilding organisation International Alert
Mark Yarnell from Refugees International reports that the Somali Government is taking positive steps to address internal displacement and while there is still a long way to go, the future is promising.
In November 2019, London’s City Hall hosted the launch of the Counter Terrorism Preparedness Network (CTPN) in response to the threat of terrorism in the world’s major cities. Claire Sanders attended the event – here’s her report.
Funding has been pledged to build several new hospitals in the UK before 2030 in what promises to be the biggest programme of hospital building in a generation, according to the UK Government. Ruth Wozencroft of Q-Bital Healthcare Solutions outlines her i
Helen Braithwaite, Head of Standards, Training and Exercising at the UK’s National Cyber Security Programme, and Member of CRJ’s Advisory Panel, has been responsible for the design, development and delivery of the Cyber Pathfinder Training Programme; hig
Crisis management professionals are invited to attend a unique international emergency management conference to be held at the Bluepoint Conference Centre in Brussels, Belgium on February 19-20, 2020. And it's free to attend! Stephen Prendergast from the
It’s time to add eLearning to your crisis preparedness programme writes Caroline Sapriel of CS and A International, a global risk, crisis and business continuity management consultancy.
What did you do this weekend? How did you fill that 48 hours? The weekly shop maybe, sports sessions for children, household chores, socialising or simply catching up on some rest? Ruth Wozencroft of CRJ Key Network Partner Q-bital Healthcare Solutions ex
Ruth Wozencroft of CRJ Key Network Partner, Q-bital Healthcare Solutions, tells us that on the face of it, the answer is simple – clean air and clean water.
If you follow the news, it’s impossible to miss the heated debate that is currently surrounding the trial and potential roll-out of automated facial recognition technology by police forces, says Kenny Long. However, the truth of the matter is that the tec
Rob Munro outlines the TERRIFFIC – Tools for early and Effective Reconnaissance in cbRne Incidents providing First responders Faster Information and enabling better management of the Control zone – project and the many benefits it will bring to the critia
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Beslan school hostage taking in North Ossetia, Alania (Russia), writes Advisor Panel Member Lina Kolesnikova. More than 1,000 hostages were held by terrorists for three days. The final death toll reached 356 peo
Dangerous events can take place at any time and are often unpredictable, making them a huge threat to your staff. In this blog post, Alan Coulter of StaySafe explores why a crisis is inevitable, what you can do to prepare and how to minimise the risk to y
In his latest blog, Matt Minshall, member of CRJ's Advisory Panel, asks the question: Has Freedom of Speech been hijacked as an excuse to lie?
Civilisation is a veneer of value that differentiates humans from other life forms. It is the protection that m
Globalisation and the increasing interdependence of our societal systems are generating multiple levels of stakeholders that are a challenge to engage with in normal times but that become a nightmare to manage in a crisis. Besides employees, regulators, p
CRJ was pleased to have been invited to the University of Wolverhampton’s Telford campus (CRJ Key Network Partner) to listen to renowned and acclaimed solicitor advocate, Mark Scoggins of Fisher Scoggins Waters, give his personal views and share his exper
Cold temperatures are not nearly as deadly as heat, with around two per cent of all deaths in Australia related to the latter, according to new research from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), writes Leilah Schubert.
Highly publicised spats between international leaders, an emotive social media storm of condemnation, manipulated ideologies, misinformation, fake photos, fake news… What is the truth behind this year’s fires in the Amazon? Elton Cunha, based in Brazil, u
Last June I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Terrorism and Social Media Conference 2019 (TASM 2019), hosted at the University Bay Area Campus in Swansea, which is right by the sea, writes Gianluca Riglietti of Panta Ray. The event saw the gathe
A new UK aid-funded programme directed by Sightsavers in collaboration with various cross-sector partners, has set out to overcome employment barriers that prevent millions of people with disabilities from accessing employment. To learn more, ahead of the
With the rise in temperature over the summer months comes an increase in the number of flying insects that can make their way into homes, onto food and on car windscreens. In everyday life, they are simply an annoyance.
David P Perrodin, PhD, examines how the shadow of superbugs - a host of tiny, unseen enemies - could be a far greater danger than security threats to schools than many people currently perceive.
The weather is one of those things that is often complained about – but severe weather can have extremely serious consequences for those living with long-term, chronic or life-threatening conditions.
In a world of every evolving cyber-threat there has never been a more significant time to consider your online footprint. David Eames provides a few pointers.
As the world rapidly warms and urbanises, air conditioning is becoming essential for public health and economic prosperity. ‘Comfort cooling’ is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity, write Helena Naber, Thanavat Junchaya and Jeff Gibson from World Bank.
Are you harnessing the true power of your environment to prepare for working in austere and hostile environments? This blog by Alice Bromage says that the great outdoors provides the perfect environment for crisis teams, leadership and resilience training
Rob Fagan introduces the US National Academy of Sciences’ LabX and its free series of exercises known as the 'Extreme Event Game'.
It is now a fact of life that during your career there will probably be more than one incident – natural or man-made – that could have a disastrous effect on colleagues in your business, writes Alan Coulter of StaySafe. How do you know who is potentially
In a modern, consumerised world, where disposable items and quick-fixes are always to hand and futuristic technologies steal headlines on a daily basis, it is often easy to overlook the history of civilisation and the role that culture plays
Close your eyes and think of a hospital. What do you see?
Fuelled by TV and film depictions, perhaps you see the busy environment of the Emergency Department? Or brightly lit operating theatres where surgeons and their teams carry out life-saving and
Drawing on its clients' years of experience, Conducttr has released a documentary series to generate discussion about how companies should make themselves more resilient.
Chennai, India faced a devastating flood in 2015 that killed hundreds of people and displaced many more. Today, the southern Indian city’s four main reservoirs are virtually dry, writes Raj Bhagat Palanichamy, Senior Project Associate at World Resources I
Anastasia Kyriacou outlines the discussions, held by representatives from AidEx and Amref Health Africa, which investigate the effectiveness of mobile health (mHealth) and the extent to which digital technologies are improving the quality and accessibilit
In January 1990, Dr Wayman Mullins and Dr Michael McMains threw down the gauntlet to challenge their respective neighbouring hostage and crisis negotiation teams to a friendly competition. The aim was to see which one was the better at negotiating under p
The CRJ team has been out and about these last few months, attending events, and helping with conference input, always listening and learning. Because this is the best – and only – way to find out the trends to watch, what is keeping our people awake at n
Nothing is quite as emotive as the image of a new-born baby and its mother. There is a level of expectation around pregnancy and childbirth – that there will be high standards of care and that the process will be safe.
In the UK, the current threat level from international terrorism is set as severe. Since the London bombings on July 7, 2005, we have seen an increase in both the number and types of attacks occurring where marauding or vehicle-based attacks target civili
Have you ever noticed any of these in yourself or a colleague, asks Andy Elwood. Irritability, aggression, tearfulness, inability to concentrate, indecision, loss of confidence? Perhaps this could be coupled with increased consumption of caffeine, alcohol
I have been re-reading the essays of Dr Burton Clark this week, writes Ian Greatbatch, as they relate to a lot of my current work, trying to figure out how you get people to change their behaviour and practices – ultimately to act more safely. Dr Clark us
The Uniformed Services University (USU) of the health sciences is the US military’s centre of excellence in research and practice for many different public health related disciplines, writes Rob Fagan. As such, it offers a number of health sciences educat
Lina Kolesnikova, member of Advisory Board of Crisis Response Journal and a Fellow of Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management (ICPEM), has been named as an expert within the Expert Advisory Board of PACTESUR (2019-2021).
In my latest blog I would like to attract the attention of terrorist attack responders to the Catch-22 dilemma and to ask for points of view on it.
Maintaining corporate security during a disaster and keeping employees safe goes hand in hand with returning to productivity, according to CRJ Key Network Partner, Dataminr.
The annual schedule of exercises set by the IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre is designed to test procedures to request or offer international assistance in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency.
Lina Kolesnikova took part in the Second International Conference on Risks, Security and Citizenship in Setúbal, Portugal, held from March 28 - 29, 2019. On behalf of the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management (ICPEM), she made a presentat
The value of using social media across all disaster phases is well documented with applications being used to disseminate preparedness information, gain situational awareness, and request donations following a disaster. However, the user generated nature
CRJ Key Network Partner, Markham, says that we have all heard about traditional kidnapping whereby a person gets taken (often violently) to a secure location and their loved ones are contacted so that the kidnappers can negotiate a ransom for the return o
Emergency management course offers flexibility and innovative experiential learning
Distance and online education change as quickly as the technology, pedagogy and adult education that support such learning morphs from one system to the next, writes Robert Fagan.
Larissa Sotieva looks at how, in the process of giving up our online privacy, we are actually in danger of making ourselves more prone to manipulation, and examines this paradox within the context of regions affected by violent conflict.
The mission of the London Office for Rapid Cybersecurity Advancement (LORCA) is to scale the most promising companies that can help ensure the UK is the safest place to be online, writes Lydia Ragoonanan
The second part of this series discusses updates in some pertinent cases of returning ISIS members and examines the implications of statements surrounding the issue made by leading political figures, specifically in how they affect government policy – and
Over my working life I have gained skills that have led me to where I am today. I have enjoyed working in a variety of roles, and one of the most wonderful experiences was to work in law enforcement. This gave me a chance to make a difference and experien
Corporate security is no longer a local concern, but a global one. In today's age of high-speed connectivity and communication, security teams must keep track of distributed offices and facilities on an international scale – 24 hours a day, seven days a w
The first part of this series by Casey Brunelle introduces the issue of ISIS members – both frontline combatants and support personnel – returning, or seeking to return, to Western countries, specifically Canada. A second feature will explore the politica
Major emergencies, including natural, human-caused and terrorist incidents, all demonstrate the need for resilience in both planning and response to crisis.
Robert Fagan looks at another free emergency preparedness resource for the Crisis Response Journal.
Happy New Year! I hope you’ve made a resolution and commitment to improve your readiness and preparedness levels for yourself and your family in all areas
Why would a high-profile company think it was a smart idea to launch a hashtag asking customers and the public to share photos and messages about how much they love the brand? Recent history is littered with the corpses of such epic social media fails, ye
Too often when deciding whether to make changes or not, we only see the cost of action and ignore the cost of inaction. This means we may often choose unwisely, writes Robert Pratten
The current threat level for international terrorism in the UK is Severe and has not been below this level since August 2014. Roger Gomm asks: Is it still justified?
The threat level for the UK from international terrorism is set by the Joint Terrorism A
Customers and employees say they want companies to take a stand on high-profile social and political issues. But that can come with a costly downside, says Dr Tony Jaques.
In November 2018, Advisory Panel Member Lina Kolesnikova took part, as an international expert, in the regional workshop on ‘The challenges posed by terrorist acts on critical infrastructure (CI) and soft targets in the Maghreb States’. The event was join
Any organisation that imagines that a business continuity plan makes it ‘crisis prepared’ is due for a big and costly surprise, says Dr Tony Jaques
Crisis management should be recognised as both a tactical and a strategic responsibility, which extends fa
In this month’s blog on free preparedness training and education it’s Robert Fagan’s pleasure to highlight the course Staying Safe: How to Be Prepared in the Modern World from the United Kingdom’s Emergency Planning College (EPC).
ALERTT is the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training centre in Texas State University, and it provides the best research-based active shooter training in the US, writes Brian Dillon. The ninth annual ALERRT Conference has recently concluded afte
Ahead of the 2018 European Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction in Rome, Rosalind Cook, Professor Sirkku Juhola and Jaroslav Mysiak take a look at the pressing need for Europe to meet the challenges of a changing climate.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Lina Kolesnikova took part in the 20th Homeland and Global Security Forum (Crans Montana Forum), chairing the session on Cybersecurity and the Governance of Information in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ahead of the 2018 2018 Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction, Erling Kvernevik, Teresa Rubino and Rosalind Cook say that delivering a financial system that reduces disaster risk is a critical contribution to a more sustainable and safer Europe
Direct and indi
In this blog Kirsty McKinlay-Stewart covers a training course that one of our latest CRJ Partners, Paradigm Human Performance Ltd invited her to attend.
This month Rob Fagan’s blog about free emergency management training and education focuses on a very timely and useful source: the Safe + Ready Institute.
Forty five years after the hostage taking that gave birth to the concept of Stockholm syndrome, Lina Kolesnikova says that emergency services workers need to be aware of the paradoxical phenomena whereby abused people develop emotional dependency on their
Mohamed ELsonpaty, Adel Aldaghbashy, Zeki Al-Droubi, and Hazem Badr examine the link between conflict in disease, in an article originally written for the Science and Development Network (SciDev.Net).
Ali Moore, Vice Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Melbourne, examines whether Australia is prepared for the next health outbreak.
A new study at Harvard has revealed a shocking statistic: CEOs spent just one per cent of their time working on crisis management. That’s pretty disturbing, considering nothing destroys reputation or market value faster than a crisis, writes Dr Tony Jaque
The ongoing rise in deaths in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria exposes the devastating consequences of inadequate planning for natural disasters and how miscommunication impedes relief efforts, says Anastasia Kyriacou.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Rob McAlister takes an inside look at Jordan's special forces training centre.
Welcome to the fifth blog in our Human Performance series and thank you for the feedback to the fourthblog in this series (if you have missed my previous blogs, you can catch up here). In this blog I am going to introduce you to the WITH Model (sometimes
Last May, the body of a murdered man was found in a warehouse in the neighborhood of Tepito in Mexico City. The victim was known to most as ‘El Rey Pirata’, or the ‘Pirate King’ and was a main source of counterfeit shoes and other products for many operat
The police are used to keeping records and use notebooks at incidents as a matter of routine, but not so other emergency responding services, according to Jon Chapman, who takes a short look at record keeping at and around incidents, and why this is so vi
In the first instalment of my blog on free international training and education to develop your careers, I highlighted the flagship of emergency management distance learning from the United States - the Emergency Management Institute. This instalment will
Our regular blogger Robert Fagan announces an international training exercise that looks at whole community resiliene and response planning in the face of threats to lifeline infrastructures.
Welcome to the fourth blog in our Human performance series by Teresa Mullen and thank you for the feedback to the third blog in this series (if you missed the blog, you can read it here). This blog introduces the reality of human error and provide a brief
Rob Fagan, our newest blogger, will be promoting free training and education in our chosen fields for everyone, regardless of nationality or location. In the vast majority of cases access to the various resources and courses does assume access to the Inte
On June 8, 2018 Nurses Reaching out (NRO) held a celebration event to launch its new status as a UK registered charity at the Anise Bar in London’s Cinnamon Kitchen, writes Brian Dillon.
Welcome to the third blog in our Human Performance series, writes Teresa Mullen, and thank you for the feedback to the second blog in this series (if you missed the blogs, you can read them here and here).
Laurence Marzell introduces CRJ's new in-depth, longer read blogs, by examining how a more unified and coherent approach to societal resilience might be achieved.
A research team from the University of Liverpool has provided evaluation and support to a multi-agency exercise, codenamed ‘Operation Raptor’, at the second busiest airport in the world, London Heathrow.
TSB bank in the UK has been experiencing severe computer issues, with customers unable to log into their online accounts or use the bank’s app and struggling to log in or make online payments. David Rubens looks at the issue from an organisational resilie
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Brigadier General Alois Hirschmugl describes a recent course held in West Africa that aims to break down walls between civil society, the military and police, so as to encourage more co-operation in times of crisis and disa
In the second blog in our Human Performance series, Teresa Mulllen examines how the slow slipping away from correct processes and procedures can be addressed.
Earlier this year, the World Economic Forum published its Global Risks Report, prompting this editorial comment in the latest edition of the CRJ. Here, Editorial Advisory Panel Member Patrick Lagadec looks at how senior leaders and their teams should act
David Rubens examines the supply chain disruption caused by Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) switching distributors in its UK operations, while Emily Hough makes some initial notes on how the company's social media handled the crisis
Despite the continued focus in organisations on cyber security and the technical methods to prevent breaches, the simple fact remains that too many people still think that the threat is purely technology-based, writes David Stewart.
David Stewart says he has seen a number of posts on various online sites recently about the importance of having a crisis communication strategy and plan. However, as with any element of the resilience cycle, treating communication in isolation is of no v
As regular readers of CRJ will be aware, we have often reported on how young people have been exploited by criminal and terrorist groups. In our current issue, just published, we not only look at school safety as part of crisis and resilience planning, bu
The field of human performance is relatively unknown outside large, high hazard organisations in many parts of the world, but it can help to predict human error and its consequences, playing a vital role in resilience, says Teresa Mullen
Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) have changed enormously over the last 10 to 20 years and yet, in some ways, have not moved on at all, says Ian Houseman. How can data and decision-making technology be of assistance?
Anastasia Kyriacou speaks to the founder of a small charity, The Butterfly Tree, explains why its malaria prevention programme is so effective in the areas it has been implemented.
Wildfires tearing across Southern California have forced thousands of residents to evacuate from their homes. Even more people fled ahead of the hurricanes that slammed into Texas and Florida earlier this year, jamming highways and filling hotels. A viral
Susan Anson, Katrina Petersen and Hayley Watson outline several projects in which Trilateral Research – together with partners – has been examining the role communication, and particularly two-way communication, plays in crisis and disaster management.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Lina Kolesnikova suggests that perhaps the reactions of 'run', 'hide' and 'fight' could be harnessed to protect crowded places in emergencies.
The US NIMS update is based on experience from the unforgiving environment of real world events and uses these lessons to improve future performance. The essence of this blog is to highlight some of these points, writes Editorial Advisory Panel Member Bri
Martin Boyle says that operations in remote Polar Regions can be extremely challenging and demanding at the best of times, and changing environmental conditions have seen an increase in regional activity as sea ice records have been broken.
Mostafa Mohaghegh, Senior Adviser for Cooperation and Co-ordination, IFRC, and CRJ Editorial Advisory Panel Member, provides an initial short report on, and images of the response to, the earthquake that struck Iran on November 12, 2017.
This week marks the 15th anniversary of the Moscow Dubrovka theatre siege, where hundreds of people died during rescue operations after a group of terrorists stormed a theatre and took more than 900 people hostage. Lina Kolesnikova says many questions rem
When the need for ever-greater humanitarian action is required in so many parts of the world, is interest in helping others increasingly reticent? Anastasia Kyriacou of Aidex investigates why trust in NGOs is declining in many countries
Radiation is constantly being emitted into the environment. There are two main types of radiation: non-ionizing and ionizing. Non-ionizing radiation includes visible light, microwaves and radio frequency. These waves do not have enough energy to bump an e
Some Russian cities have been near-paralysed after being targeted by repeated, simultaneous mass bomb threats phoned through to police and emergency services, reports Lina Kolesnikova, who says that hackers are thought to be behind the attacks. But what a
Lina Kolensikova and Emily Hough say that criminal elements exploiting migration routes are hardening public attitudes towards the very people who need human assistance and compassion the most.
David Stewart, one of the Crisis Response Journal's Directors, looks at crisis communication planning in the light of the recent Ryanair cancellations.
As predicted by European security experts, this summer has brought more cases of terrorist attacks in Europe, as well as around the world, writes Lina Kolesnikova. Two recent terrorist acts in the Finnish town Turku and Surgut in Siberia, Russia, are part
Australia’s worst landslide disaster took place at 23:30hrs on Wednesday 30th July 1997, in Thredbo, an alpine village and ski resort in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales (NSW), writes Blog Editor Martin Boyle. For most Australians, the name ‘Thredbo
Two years ago, despite a life-long allergy and a sworn aversion to getting even remotely close to an animal of such size and power, my curiosity got the better of me and I sat on a horse for the very first time, writes Andy Marshall, who is a Member of CR
CRJ Editorial Panel Member Robert McAlister is in Oslo for the sixth Anniversary of the July 22, 2011 attack by far right extremist Anders Breivik. In this second blog Robert retraces the steps of Breivik, his victims, survivors and the response actions o
Robert McAlister, CRJ Editorial Panel Member, is in Oslo to attend the Sixth Anniversary of the July 22, 2011 Norway attack by Anders Behring Breivik.
Fiona Petty, who works in the field of preventing the radicalisation of vulnerable people, reflects on some of the lessons from the Manchester Arena suicide bomb attack
Lina Kolesnikova reflects on the ongoing situation in the Philippine city of Marawi, where thousands of residents have fled after fighting between the country's armed forces and rebels.
A new life-saving technology called the ‘Search and Rescue Network’ was recently tested by Vodafone and Police Search and Rescue in the Hunua Ranges near South Auckland in New Zealand.
Roger Gomm of our Editorial Advisory Panel, says the terrorist incident in Manchester - as well as attacks in other parts of the world - remind us that the threat is complex and evolving continually.
Patrick Lagadec reflects on the use of social media in a crisis, following the European Emergency Number Association’s (EENA’s) annual conference in Budapest earlier this April.
CRJ Editorial Advisory Panel Member Lina Kolesnikova recently took part in the annual Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience Europe conference in the Hague, the Netherlands. Here, she summarises her presentation on lessons learnt from the terro
Dr David Rubens of Deltar-TS looks at the recent WannaCry ransomware attack, likening its effects on the UK’s National Health Service to what he terms ‘Hurricane Katrina Syndrome’
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and XPRIZE are convening the world's most respected experts in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Sustainable Development for the AI for Good Global Summit to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, this
Jay Levinson and Abraham ‘Avi’ Domb say that more than 100 years after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, many of the issues the city experienced are still relevant today.
Martin Boyle speaks to Chris Boyer, Chief Operations Officer for the US-based National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) about the challenges of working across multiple states with different legislation and certification standards.
Nigel Ellway, Head of Secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Explosive Weapons, provides CRJ with some observations from a recent visit around Mosul, Northern Iraq.
When you think of the Cayman Islands you picture a tropical Caribbean paradise famous for its beaches, azure seas and watersports. Most tourists wouldn’t think twice about the islands’ search and rescue capability, writes Martin Boyle.
The terrorist attacks in Norway in 2011 were the most devastating attacks in Scandinavia after the Second World War. The events involved a car bomb in Oslo and an armed gunman storming a summer camp, killing 77 people, mostly of them young people.
Six people were killed and about 20 wounded after a gunman (or gunmen) opened fire at a mosque in Québec City on January 29, 2017, writes Lina Kolesnikova.
On the morning of Wednesday, January 19, 2017, the Abruzzo region of Central Italy was hit by four magnitude five earthquakes in quick succession, writes Martin Boyle, Editor of CRJ’s SAR blog.
Cyber attacks and data breaches are here to stay. As long as confidential commercial data and personal information hold a financial value on the black market, the battle between cyber criminals and corporations will continue.
“Look for the robots, because robots are coming to the rescue,” said Dr Robin Murphy, Director for the Texas based Centre for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue (CRASAR) in her enlightening TED Talk. It is entirely possible that in the near future you could
The special Security and Crisis Management Summit was jointly organized by ACI EUROPE and ACI ASIA PACIFIC and took place in Brussels (Belgium) on November 22 – 23, 2016, writes Lina Kolesnikova. It is very symbolic that this event took place in Brussels
The UK Government has published the National Cyber Security Strategy 2016 to 2021, which sets out the government's plan to make Britain secure and resilient in cyberspace. The new strategy is built on three core pillars: defend, deter and develop, writes
The current issue of CRJ is now available to subscribers in hard copy and online.
Public Health England has recently published a Cold Weather Plan, giving advice to help prevent the major avoidable effects on health during periods of cold weather in England, writes Roger Gomm.
On September 14-15, a high level meeting on disaster risk reduction and management, with a specific focus on innovation and technology, was held in Danang, Vietnam, writes Ørjan Karlsson. This turned out to be an interesting meeting between academia and p
This new Search and Rescue blog series will take a critical look at some of the innovative developments and new technology in the SAR sphere, explore trends and case studies, review events, and report on burning issues, says the blog’s Editor, Martin Boyl
Dr Behrouz Moghadasi, who has been training volunteers in disaster management across Nepal, presents some images of the Khoryug Nepal Project, which involved training 40 individuals from eight monasteries in Nepal in CERT.
Chris Phillips says that although the business community can do little about the threat of terrorism, it has a duty of care to look after its staff and customers should a major event occur.
Reita Waara describes how the inclusion of large numbers of volunteers in a large oil spill exercise in the Finnish city of Kemi is so important to future emergency responses of this type.
The human voice is an undervalued data source, but not for long: New technologies can identify moods and medical conditions from your voice through virtual communication. Voice-based tools are changing virtual patient care through the unique data and pati
On Monday, September 26, the EU Counter-Terrorism Co-ordinator Gilles de Kerchove told the members of the EU Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee that: "The terrorist threat has never been so high in the last 20 years.”
The Joint Committee on Human Rights appointed by the House of Lords and the House of Commons to consider matters relating to human rights in the United Kingdom has reported that there is no workable definition of ‘extremism’ and that for this reason the g
Writing for Security Debrief – a blog dedicated to homeland security, terrorism and counter-terrorism, intelligence and law enforcement that provides context to the debates, policies and politics that are playing out in Washington, DC, USA – Rich Cooper e
Nations on the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea have decided to bolster their tsunami warning systems by giving France, Greece, Italy and Turkey a region-wide alert role, reports Jonathan Fowler for the UNISDR.
Mark Quigley of the University of Melbourne and Josh Borella, University of Canterbury, describe new research in an article first published in The Conversation.
A critical incident review titled Bringing calm to chaos, looks at the San Bernardino public safety response to the 2015 terrorist shooting incident at the Inland Regional Centre, reports Roger Gomm for CRJ.
Assessments that tell policymakers how vulnerable and resilient their communities are to floods and other destructive events aren’t always accurate, according to the first-ever validation of a wide range of available tools.
The National Flood Resilience Review was established in January 2016 to assess how the UK can be better protected from future flooding and extreme weather events such as during December 2015, reports Roger Gomm for CRJ.
Ahead of next week’s Global Disaster Relief Summit, Founder and CEO of The Level Market, Stephanie Cox, says the aid industry is ripe for a customised, open ecommerce platform than the aid world.
A two-day workshop organised by the OSCE to strengthen cross-border co-operation in addressing irregular migration-related crimes in the Western Balkans opened on August 31 in Podgorica, Montenegro.
Tourist visitor numbers are down in Paris, following terrorist incidents, flooding (CRJ 12:4) and public strikes, report Rob McAlister and Emily Hough.
The UK Government has released the statistics on the police use of firearms in England and Wales, reports Roger Gomm
The Institute for Environmental and Human Security, part of United Nations University published its annual World Risk Report on August 25, 2016. The report focuses on the consequences of possible extreme natural events in 171 countries, reports Roger Gomm
To coincide with the 350th Anniversary of the Great Fire of London, the Worshipful Company of Firefighters, a City Livery Company, has commissioned a unique book on the event, drawing on the expertise of its members, and produced by the Crisis Response Jo
Sergeant Steve Shepherd is a serving Devon and Cornwall Police Officer working alongside the UK Safer Internet Centre. In this article he explains what the Centre does and some of the resources available to professionals, parents and children. This year,
The cover story of this issue is that of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). On September 21, 2016, the United Nations is holding a high level meeting at the General Assembly on this subject – only the fourth time in UN history that a health topic will be dis
Truly committing to equity and inclusivity means providing disaster managers with the flexibility to behave in ways that are respectful of cultural differences across geographical settings, says Nnenia Campbell in a paper first published in Natural Hazard
The threat of harm to executives travelling and businesses operating globally has never been higher or less predictable (see CRJ 12:1 for Rob McAlister’s article on Fragile Environments).
Well designed and executed emergency warnings can save lives, so risk experts are urging steps to create the most effective warnings for hurricanes, wildfires, and other environmental hazards. The group of experts is proposing a new framework and research
This new edition of the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT), which Europol has produced on an annual basis since 2006, provides an overview of the failed, foiled and completed terrorist attacks that took place in the EU during 2015, and of ar
A ghost town in the UK will be used by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service to give its crews the best training possible. The 4,410-acre ex-Ministry of Defence (MoD) site in Bordon will be the area’s town centre and a housing development once work is complet
Editorial Advisory Panel Member and Security Correspondent Roger Gomm reports on how the Cabinet office has revised its definition of what constitutes a Major Incident, amid ongoing concern over the diversity and inconsistency of terms used by different r
A short commentary from one of our Editorial Advisory Panel Members, Christophe Libeau, on the latest attacks in France.
"Nobody wants to live near a hospital in Aleppo.” That's how Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel García-Margallo summed up the tragedy of a city devastated by five years of civil war in an article published in Spanish newspaper El País on 24 M
The UK Government has published a number of documents that provide guidance about the Investigatory Powers Bill. These will be of particular interest to those with an interest in counter terrorism matters, writes Roger Gomm.
Dr Hugo Slim, head of humanitarian policy at the ICRC, urges States negotiating Habitat 3 to remember the needs of large urban populations in towns, cities and informal settlements suffering the consequences of attacks, displacement and increasing impover
Thirteen years ago, American and British troops launched Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Iraqis were promised freedom from tyranny, but the subsequent destruction of the Iraqi state apparatus, as well as the cycle of violence that continues to this day, dest
The lack of risk assessments in the agricultural and environmental systems sectors has undoubtedly allowed them to become vulnerable to terrorist attacks, says Christoph Schroth, in a blog that will be expanded in a more detailed article in our next print
Considering the British desire to leave the EU, and the extremely harsh words used by its critics of Europe, European authorities take immediate and draconian measures, without the encumbrance of excessive legislation. These include the halting of all pay
A pandemic influenza outbreak in the United States could have widespread economic costs nearly double the total amounts experts have previously calculated, depending on how the public, government, and businesses responded to an epidemic, according to poli
The Euconcip (European Co-operation Network on Critical Infrastructure Protection) Final Conference was held in Brussels from June 8 – 9, 2016. This final event represented an interactive two-?day networking opportunity for the European Critical Infrastru
Michael McCabe says that although artificial intelligence brings real benefits in the security and resilience fields, it is unlikely that the human factor will become obsolete.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Lina Kolesnikova reports on a conference that looked at crime in the Balkans, including human rights, the impact of the refugee crisis, growing fears of radicalisation in certain countries - just a few of the serious proble
Soumya Balasubramanya and Yann Chemin describe how open-source mobile weather monitoring centres are being installed to reduce the risk of flash floods in Sri Lanka.
In a digital age when people have many information sources, during a crisis they will not always seek guidance from the government or other official channels.
Asfandeyar Niazi says that although Pakistan now has rescue teams and a respectable, and expanding, emergency medical service, there is still the need for a unified incident command system.
Dr Behrouz Moghaddasi, a physician from Iran and founder of that country's Search and Rescue Team, is now in Nepal, seeking to improve safety and preparedness by setting up a new institute.
Luavut Zahid, our Pakistan Correspondent and Blog Editor, commissioned this piece because: “Pakistan has a real problem in terms of child protection mechanisms. Child registration is a large part of how a child can fall through the cracks and not get acce
Jennifer Leavy, Senior Research Fellow at the University of East Anglia, UK, highlights the importance of communicating climate science effectively. This piece was originally published by The Conversation
The Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC at the end of March put the threat of ISIL using some sort of fissile and/or radioactive material right at the top of the international media terror spotlight, writes Hamish de Bretton-Gordon
The International Police Association (IPA) Forum for Global Anti-Terrorism was held in Macau, China recently. The IPA is a worldwide, growing and outward looking organisation for police officers and staff, both serving and retired. It is an NGO in Consult
Communities have a role to play in keeping where they live safe by reporting suspicious activity, says Roger Gomm
On February 15, three more healthcare facilities in Syria were bombed. With the sound of those explosions still ringing in our ears, we cannot say that we are doing enough. More than 60 per cent of Syria's healthcare facilities have been either damaged or
Today (March 18, 2016) the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) is celebrating its first birthday. The Sendai Framework was the first 2030 development agreement adopted by governments at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduc
Dr Alexander Breitegger welcomes the adoption of Resolution 4 on protecting the delivery of healthcare, but there is more to be done.
As reported in our CRJ blog of August 2015, the authorities in Pakistan’s Capital of Islamabad have begun a drive against 42 slum areas in the city, writes Luavut Zahid. Here, she looks at the harsh conditions experienced by Afghan refugees who live in th
Twitter claimed its crown as the undisputed king of social media for crisis communication last week, through a single line uttered in a press briefing in a soon-to-be demolished building in London, UK, writes Lorraine Homer.
Paul Somerville of Risk Frontiers examines the earthquake off Sumatra, Indonesia in early March, and looks at the breakup of the Australia – India Plate.
On March 2, 2016, an Mw 7.8 earthquake occurred in oceanic lithosphere approximately 600 km to the s
In an interview at the end of January, Europol brought attention to another very tragic aspect of the refugee crisis in Europe crisis, namely the disappearance of almost 10,000 unaccompanied children over the past two years after their arrival in Europe,
Dr Eric de Roodenbeke, CEO of the International Hospital Federation (IHF), outlines his thoughts on increasing the resilience of hospitals and ensuring they are safe havens.
Prince Michael of Liechtenstein draws comparisons between current global politics which, he says, are similar to those of 1910-1914 that led to World War I, and economic scenarios – similar to those of the 1930s – which led to the political circumstances
Increasingly complex and widening conflicts have taken a huge toll on children in much of the Middle East in 2015, with parts of Africa and Asia facing protracted and relapsing wars that show no signs of abating, wrote Leila Zerrougui, the Special Represe
In late 2015, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) ran a resilience essay competition on the theme of Reslience 2050: A blueprint for the future. An international sub-category of this competition was supported by Crisis Response Journal; the overall
Sea level rise as a result of climate change is destroying Pakistan's River Indus delta and water scarcity is becoming a major issue in the region. The deltaic communities, especially women, are the worst affected in the prevailing scenario, writes Amar G
Risk Frontiers’ PhD Student, Avianto Amri, is from Jakarta and was there last week doing fieldwork when the terror struck. In what follows, Avianto recounts his experiences and shares some of his thoughts on the event
Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children have been displaced or forced to flee into neighbouring countries following the civil war that erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, just two years after it became an independent state. Since the beginni
The so-called Islamic State is gambling on both the political and military fronts with its intention to declare a new state, but rather than being the precursor to some major regional crusade, Patrick McIlwee says we will see even more factionalism and in
Drones became front-page news for specialist operators, such as the police in Belgium, the fire service in the Netherlands and even during the terrorist attacks in Paris. And there is no doubt that the emergency services will use commercial drones even mo
Joshua Potts provides an insight into the increasing use of drones within the emergency services, and in critical situations.
Navigating through the Covid-19 storm. Navigating through the Covid-19 storm
On March 4, 2020, the Travel Risk and Incident Prevention (TRIP) Group hosted a Masterclass on Kidnapping Response at the Victory Services Club in London. The meeting also included a very informative update on Covid-19, with advice for travellers and for
During these trying times your own situational awareness matters a great deal. Unfortunately, owing to the very nature of this pandemic, there’s no one-size-fits-all common operating picture. However, we suggest starting from macro and working to micro in
The effects of stress are often underestimated and can still be perceived as weakness by the sufferers themselves, not to mention their employees, stoical family members or unsympathetic friends. Phrases such as “Don’t panic, it’ll all work out in the end
Eric Russell writes that acknowledging and then acting on our abilities and limitations in an immediate space around us, ie our ‘box’, can help us to cope with the overwhelming distress of the coronavirus pandemic.
During a crisis response, everything runs on fast-forward. Days roll into months, and as the stakes change, the response evolves to cope. When the storm passes and business returns to usual, the stress, trigger points and decisions behind a past crisis ar
In a crisis, when reality is changing by the day or even by the hour and when there is no way of knowing with certainty what lies ahead or the best course of action to take, there is no time for perfection, writes Rob McAlister, CRJ Advisory Panel member
Assessing and managing uncertainty while predicting future risks is something Rob McAlister, Director of Glenbarr consultancy, is very familiar with and he writes that all organisations and sectors can benefit from introducing a type of predictive mindset
This November, Editorial Advisory Panel Member Christo Motz was invited to act as an external observer on behalf of the CRJ for a 36-hour disaster exercise in Estonia.
Gary Villeneuve, Director of Education at DRI International, outlines how an all-hazards approach is crucial for protecting an organisation and the people that make it valuable
The Joint Civil Aid Corps is a voluntary emergency support organisation looking to become a modern day Civil Defence Corps, explains Colin Harmsworth.
When you are planning for how you’re going to cope with an emergency, or when you’re in any kind of exercise scenario, you’re not simulating reality if you’re not factoring in social media, says Lorraine Homer
On the 30th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Disaster this time last year, Crisis Response Journal told the story of Bhopal’s Twin Disasters, explaining how the abandoned and unremediated Union Carbide pesticide factory, with its thousands of tonnes of highl
The next issue of the Crisis Response Journal is out now: Here's a look at what's coming up; click here for article summaries (or full articles for subscribers).
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Robert McAlister is back in Sierra Leone to complete the Disaster Management Training Programme for The Office of National Security with Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre colleagues in the form of a national
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Christo Motz has been back to the north-western border region of Romania and Hungary, to advise on the organisation and implementation of the second set of training exercises (click here for previous blog).
Set against the background of high security alerts across Europe and the recent lockdown in Brussels, Belgium, the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) in the UK has been hosting a National Counter Terrorism Awareness Week 2015 from Novembe
Pakistan Correspondent and Blog Editor Luavut Zahid says that the country needs to find an effective and sustainable path, leading towards increasing the resilience and adaptive capacity of communities and natural systems, as well as contributing to globa
Advisory Panel Member Robert McAlister has been in Sierra Leone as part of a team effort from Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre to provide senior officer training for the Sierra Leone Office of National Security as it prepares to take up d
CRJ’s Pakistan Correspondent and Blog Editor Luavut Zahid commissioned this piece after a trip to Nepal where she observed first hand damage caused by this year’s earthquake. The author, Sana Jamal, looks at an important aspect of rehabilitation after an
November 3, 2015: A joint statement signed by several international organisations, including the ICRC, IFRC and the World Medical Association, was issued today calling for an end to violence against health-care workers, medical transports and facilities.
Ethiopia is yet again facing a humanitarian crisis that looks set to devastate much of the country's population, says Courtenay Cabot Venton.
In the early hours of Friday, October 23, 2015, a traffic accident between a timber transportation truck and a coach carrying people caused 43 casualties, burned alive, including the three-year-old son of the truck driver, writes Editorial Advisory Panel
I commissioned this piece by Hurmit Ali Shah because it helps give a better shape to understanding what really happened in Swat, how a place that was known for its beauty was turned into a chaotic hotbed of terrorist activity. Swat helps teach Pakistan ma
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Robert McAlister, is back in Sierra Leone and presents his fourth blog, which examines training in the critical infrastructure sector.
Software-defined radio (SDR) has evolved considerably in the last 30 years to play a significant role in wireless communication. Once considered to be expensive, it’s now a cost-effective and commercially viable digital communications device for use acros
Luavut Zahid is on assignment in Nepal; here, she reports on how the poorer citizens of Nepal are struggling to get back on their feet after the earthquake earlier this year.
In this last blog of this series from Sierra Leone Editorial Advisory Panel Member Robert McAlister and the Director of the BUDMC are out of the Freetown area and heading north through Wellington towards Port Loko.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Robert McAlister, who is in Sierra Leone with the Director of Bournemouth University’s Disaster Management Centre, presents his fourth blog, which looks at recovery efforts.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Robert McAlister is in Sierra Leone with the Director of Bournemouth University’s Disaster Management Centre, delivering a series of Disaster Management training sessions to The Office of National Security. This is his thir
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Robert McAlister visits the National Stadium in Freetown, which is currently housing thousands of people who have been displaced by flooding, in this second blog from Sierra Leone.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Robert McAlister starts a short series of blogs from Sierra Leone, where he is delivering training to the country’s Office of National Security.
What is the personal experience of women who work in the civil contingencies field? Does gender ever emerge as an issue within the traditional command and control context? Are there barriers, seen or unseen, to women in civil contingencies? Emily Hough pr
How a government agency adapts and responds to disasters determines its ability to continue to fulfil its mission and provide essential services, says Gary Villeneuve. Good contingency planning meets that need.
Crisis Response Journal 11:1 is now live. Here's a look at what's inside our biggest issue ever, or click here for article summaries.
The British Red Cross, creator of the award-winning First Aid app, has launched a free Emergency app, available to the public for download from September 23, 2015.
For over 60 years, the Land Rover Defender has been one of the vehicles used by the British Red Cross and International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies around the world. Here are a few examples of how the Defender has been used for emergenc
In conflicts and upheavals worldwide, violence disrupts healthcare services when they are needed most. Civilians and fighters die of injuries that they should survive, while the entire population can be deprived of essential services, such as vaccination
The reason for commissioning this piece was simple, writes Luavut Zahid, Editor of our Pakistan blog. Pakistan does not have a favourable track record of taking care of its children.
Pakistan already has an abundant supply of refugees and temporarily displaced people, so why it would chose to add to those numbers through its own actions is confusing to say the least, says Luavut Zahid. Here, she investigates the controversial slum cle
Christo Motz provides some initial observations on a cross-border exercise designed to improve disaster preparedness and strengthen co-operation between professional and volunteer emergency services in the Hungarian-Romanian border region.
Imad Mouline, CTO of Everbridge, says we must not overlook the huge opportunity for the industrial IoT to affect the world significantly, especially in critical situations.
Crisis Response Journal is delighted to be supporting a sub-category of this prestigious new prize, organised by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
In this blog post, Dominic Cockram, conference chair and managing director of specialist crisis management and business continuity consultancy, Steelhenge, discusses crisis leadership and the characteristics effective crisis leaders should demonstrate.
Ebola is not defeated in West Africa but appears to be off the radar for the mainstream news media, writes Editorial Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm. Although the peak of the outbreak has passed, transmission continues in several areas in Guinea and Sier
Dr Dave Sloggett provides his thoughts on the implications of the latest terrorist attacks in Tunisia for the UK's Prevent Programme.
Access to healthcare is a problem that seems to make itself obvious every few weeks in Pakistan, says Luavut Zahid, who has commissioned this blog. People in urban centres often complain of the quality of healthcare and facilities available, and the situa
Advisory Panel Member Christophe Libeau describes how the brave actions of a firefighter at the scene tragic attack on a factory in central eastern France helped prevent the incident from becoming even worse.
Evacuation is never a simple procedure even under seemingly ideal circumstances. Procedures are all the more difficult when evacuating populations with special needs.
Behrouz Moghadassi, Head of Search and Rescue in Iran, went to Nepal to assist as a member of the IFRC, before joining volunteer groups to provide further assistance. Here are his thoughts on, and photos of, the relief and response effort.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Christo Motz is part of a European-funded disaster preparedness programme to strengthen cross border and inter-sector operability. This is his report.
In this regular blog, researched and commissioned by CRJ’s Pakistan correspondent Luavut Zahid, Hurmat Ali Shah – a freelance columnist and PhD candidate – looks at the issues facing Internally Displaced Persons in Pakistan.
In CRJ 10:4 Editorial Advisory Panel Member William Peterson reports on the continued drought in Calfornia, USA. Here, in his monthly blog, he looks back on a variety of record setting weather phenomena all across the globe.
The impact of a changing climate on the frequency of natural disasters means cities must take more responsibility for understanding and managing their risk if they are to remain attractive to inward investment, say Greg Lowe and Julia Brickell, ahead of t
CRJ's Director Colin Simpson presents a round-up of photos taken on day one and two of the Interschutz event currently being held in Germany.
The disaster risk reduction community is increasingly emphasising the vital need to include marginalised - and the most vulnerable - groups so as to help build greater resilience, while other groups are looking to the role of women to help counter violent
As the entire territory of Nepal lies in the very high seismic zone, the risk of a mega-level earthquake was always great. The main active fault between the Indian and Eurasian plates, and dozens of other fault lines across the country, have always posed
In this regular blog, researched and commissioned by CRJ’s Pakistan correspondent Luavut Zahid, freelance environmental writer Amar Guriro describes the continued plight of former agricultural workers displaced by Pakistan’s ‘Super Flood’ of 2010.
Final day of the course starts with a students structured debrief, identification of key learning and what it all means in the future.
Day eight of the course comprises a review, or debrief, of the strategic command exercise, says Editorial Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm.
After the last few days of frenetic activity on the exercise, today we are back in the classroom to discuss the 'threat from terrorism', says Editorial Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm.
Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm says that on day two of the strategic command exercise, we held a short period of reflection on the exercise process, challenges faced so far and learning in the command roles.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm's weekend report from Rwanda, where he is delivering a two-week 'Policing Operations' module to the SE and Central African Police Strategic Command Course at the National Police College, with his colleague Huw Go
Today is the start of the three-day strategic command exercise, a key part of the course. It is a paper feed process based on the operation the students planned last Friday in class.
Roger Gomm outlines how the Strategic Command Course students have prepared for next week’s three-day exercise, which is the keynote of their course; an opportunity to test all the elements of command.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm says that students focused on how Gold, Silver and Bronze come together to form the command structure for incidents and events, and describes how he has been avoiding Muzungu traps.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Bill Peterson introduces a regular blog on weather-related disasters, crisis preparedness and response
Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm says that students were given the opportunity to put the past three days’ learning into practice with the first serious exercise of the course.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm describes how the second day of the course involved looking at the role and requirements of the Gold/Strategic Commander.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Roger Gomm is in Musanze, Rwanda, to deliver a two-week 'Policing Operations' module to the SE and Central African Police Strategic Command Course at the National Police College, for the third year. This year’s course has s
One of France’s most illustrious medical schools, the Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, was host to an equally distinguished group of doctors who were on the frontline during January’s attacks, hostage-taking and sieges in Paris.
Built environment professionals should engage with local communities to help build city resilience, particularly in disaster and preparedness response, says Sir Brendan Gormley KCMG, MBE.
Sitting in the cold, windowless basement of an apartment block that he shares with his wife and two young children in Amman, Abu Ahmad describes himself as "one of the lucky ones."
In CRJ 10:2 Bernie Gravett looked at human trafficking as a societal crisis, examining how this crime feeds upon vulnerability, creating instability and affecting every country in a variety of forms across Europe.
From a consequence management perspective, the effects of a cyberattack on a city or town are chillingly similar to a flooding scenario and could have a significant bearing on individual resilience and community cohesion. So says Andy Marshal in the next
On February 11, 2015, 300 migrants drowned at sea. Their flimsy rubber rafts supplied by smugglers fell apart in the large waves. While the Italian Coast Guard dispatched ships from Lampedusa, the merchant ship charged with monitoring the distressed dingh
A two-year project to document the long-term impact of conflict on communities around the world has been launched by photographer by Giles Duley. Legacy of War will cover topics such as long-term refugees, PTSD, disability, Agent Orange, UXO and landmines
A system combining the use of a Smart UAV, computer-based analysis and 3-D modeling has been developed by researchers in Salzburg to help first responders and incident commanders at complex disasters. CRJ will be looking at the system in detail over the n
Seventeen months after an earthquake devastated the district of Awaran in Balochistan, promises of reconstruction and assistance appear to have floundered, writes Adnan Aamir. And this is dangerous because the area is already epitomised by mistrust of the
Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, shared his opinions on what is at stake, ahead of the plenary session ‘Tackling Climate Development and Growth’ at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos this week.
Water kills millions of people every year, says Paul Giraud, in the first of CRJ’s NextGen commentaries, which give a platform to voices from the future of resilience, emergency preparedness, crisis response and humanitarian action.
Dr Dave Sloggett explores the wider implications of the alleged cyber-attack on the Sony Film Studios in Hollywood.
Ian Dunbar, Rescue Consultant with Holmatro, shares his thoughts on managing risk in an extrication context.
This video clip is 21 years old. The incident happened in Dayton, Ohio, USA in 1994. Thankfully everyone involved made a full recovery
Lee Howell outlines the key findings of a recently-released report assessing the impact of arson to society in the UK.
Paola Albrito looks forward to the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai City, Japan, which takes place in March this year providing her thoughts on the Zero Draft document that has been issued ahead of this year’s event.
Patrícia Pires provides an overview local level resilience in Europe, and how priorities set under the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 should be continued and evolve in the future.
The winter edition of the CRJ has now gone to press. This is what's inside...
News: New Editorial Advisory Panel Member, Paola Albrito, Head of the UN office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Europe; UK/US Cybersecurity initiative; Catastrophic mass mortali
Can logging be beautiful? Seen from above, it creates the most delicate patterns, but the story behind it is scary – large parts of the rain forest are disappearing every day.
To help future-proof world cities, an international conference will take place in London on October 9-10, 2014. Organised by London First and CIR Magazine, this two-day event will take a holistic look at how cities can be made safer, more secure, smarter
The modern UK Fire and Rescue Service is about putting fires out, right? Well, not entirely, writes Editorial Advisory Panel Member Andy Marshall in a preview of his full article in the Winter edition of Crisis Response Journal.
We are working on the next issue of Crisis Response Journal, which is published in December. This is a quick summary of some of the features, though there are many more in the pipeline and this list is not complete – a full update will be provided very so
Every year storms, floods, droughts and other extreme events affect hundreds of millions of people around the world, with economic losses estimated at $100 billion, writes Paul Venton. These all-too familiar scenes of loss and destruction are referred to
In an attempt to explore the question of ‘What brings us together?’ photographer Chris Terry went in search of the ingredients of the family meal. He visited families receiving food assistance under the partnership of the European Commission's Humanitaria
Patrick Lagadec, Former Senior Research Scientist at the Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, France, and Mike Granatt, Founder and first Director of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat, Cabinet Office, UK, say that institutions and leaders must embrace strategic
As you will know, the current UK threat level from international terrorism for the UK is assessed as SEVERE, writes Roger Gomm
SEVERE means that a terrorist attack is highly likely.
Syria: Just over a year ago, this volunteer from Northern Aleppo lost a leg to a barrel bomb in horrific circumstances while trying to rescue civilians trapped in rubble after bombing raids on their homes.
In a shortened version of a longer article that will appear in the next issue of CRJ, Tony Moore looks back at the incidents that occurred in 2004, the year that Crisis Response Journal was launched (our first ever front cover is pictured below)
The next issue of Crisis Response Journal marks a decade of publishing, bringing the world's emergency responders and planners, business continuity and disaster risk reduction experts together to share experience and learn from each other.
Roger retired in from the Metropolitan Police Service after a successful 34-year career in 2012. He has a unique background in operational command, having been pivotal in all major events in London for over 14 years. He led the Casualty Bureau team in New
Jay Levinson analyses the emergency response to recent unprecedented snowfall in Jerusalem.
Following my previous blogs, this one looks at the third evening of training for 20 firefighters from the VRR/IJsselland cluster, writes Christo Motz. This training was held in the Lage Bergsche Bos in Bergschenhoek from 19:30 to 22:00hrs.
Further to his previous blog entry on a series of training exercises in the Netherlands, Christo Motz presents part II of his three-part blog.
A few months ago, the Commander of the VRR-Oost Firefighters cluster, Ilka Schot, asked me to prepare a set of three exercises with chief officer Hans Sevenstern and herself, writes Editorial Board Member Christo Motz.
I watched an ominous report on BBC News today, which was filmed on August 6, 2013, regarding the enormous amount of highly radioactive water that was contaminating the ocean at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Roger Gomm, Fellow of the ICPEM, who is writing an article on public order policing for the next issue of CRJ (published September), shares his thoughts on recent events in Turkey, after analysing the issues in an interview for the BBC.
Crisis Response Journal, Issue 8:2 has now gone to press and will be published shortly. Here, we give a preview of the comment column.
On page 38 of the next issue of Crisis Response Journal, Phil Wood, MBE, Head of the Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK, says that the disciplines of crisis and disaster response usually deal with real-time i
Education, training and practice - the well-known trinity within the worlds of firefighting, crisis preparation and operational emergency assistance. This is generally organised from a specific hierarchical standpoint whereby the trainers and instructors
In the next issue of Crisis Response Journal (Volume 8, issue 2 - published this week) Emily Hough examines how reliance on now-common technology could well have created even greater vulnerability in a crisis
Christo Motz looks at a recent course organised by the Estonia Defence League, which aims to teach participants how to achieve self-sufficiency in times of crisis.
Editorial Advisory Panel Member, Alvaro Pemartin, works as a Remote Site Officer for International SOS - a challenging, yet immensely rewarding role.
The cover story on this issue of Crisis Response Journal is an interview with Philippe Baumard who sounds a global warning that strategic governance is losing touch with reality, that command has become a matter of: "Mastering the figures, not the facts;
A warm welcome to BrigGen Mag D Alois A Hirschmugl, who has agreed to sit on Crisis Response Journal's Editorial Advisory Panel.
Mr Hirschmugl is currently Humanitarian Affairs Advisor to the Austrian Chief of Defence Staff, with more than 30 years of mi
Hospitals, ambulances and healthcare workers are coming under increasing attack as they tend to the sick and wounded in areas of armed conflict and violence. Dr Robin Coupland, advisor on armed violence for the International Committee of the Red Cross in
Recovery after a major disaster is often overlooked - after the heroic rescues, the tales of human suffering and endurance, the statistically-impressive clean-up efforts, the media moves onto the next event, national and international attention dwindle an
For several years, Christo Motz has been organising pilot projects on urban survival for citizens and policymakers with the fire service and the Ministry of Security and Justice in the Netherlands. More recently, he took part in an urban survival training
Editorial Advisory Panel Member Christo Motz covers the military urban survival course he attended from September 18 – 24, 2011, in the area around Halmstad and deals with practical solutions and strategies to survive a worst-case scenario during a massiv
The recent week has been very intense. On the morning of Friday, September 9, a meeting took place in the centre of Stockholm with Mr Anders M. Johansson and Mrs Leni Björklund, representatives of the Swedish Civil Defence League. We discussed the possibi
Andy Marshall, Director of Civil Contingencies for Staffordshire, UK, writes: Staff at the Civil Contingencies Unit (CCU) in Stafford (UK) are currently preparing to run a CBRN response and recovery exercise to validate Staffordshire’s multi-agency CBRN p
Today, Wednesday, September 7, I arrived in Stockholm, for an 18- day working visit to the south of Sweden, during which time I will take part in training and a number of meetings on resilience and urban survival during crisis situations.
The chapters in this well-edited book give a very comprehensive overview of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and it is clear in reading this publication that disaster responders should have at least a basic understanding of tsunamis and their characteristics
We're putting the finishing touches to the August issue of Crisis Response Journal. The main feature will be looking at climate effects on emergency planning and response. We also have reports from Russia, Northern Ireland, Belarus, South Africa, UK and U
As CRJ went to press last week, news began to emerge of the Grimsvötn volcanic eruption in Iceland, and fears of further aviation disruption have now materialised, though these were not as severe as during last April’s crisis and most flights have now ret
I am at the IAFPA Conference at the Raffles Hotel, Singapore, which is proving to be a fascinating and extremely well-organised event in a fantastic setting.
I’m delighted to announce that Professor Edward Blakely will be starting an in-depth series looking at recovery management in the next issue of CRJ.
I wouldn’t normally write a news update like this on our blog as there is no shortage of excellent and up-to-date information on the earthquake in New Zealand – the main value of CRJ lies in analysis and reflection. But I thought it might be useful to pro
I was interested to note the recent BBC report that the Sun has unleashed its strongest flare in four years triggering warnings of Geomagnetic storms. This echoes the article by Dr Tony Phillips and Dr Madhulika Guhathakurta of NASA in our last issue (6:3
Welcome to the Crisis Response Journal blog, which we’ll be using to update you with news, event launches, event reviews and emerging themes and topics. We’ll also be giving you updates on our editorial board members and partners.