Enhancing capacities in disaster risk reduction by facilitating public-civil cooperation
The Baltic Sea Region is experiencing various disturbances, such as floods, droughts, pandemics, and conflicts. These pose significant challenges to the resilience of EU Member States and highlight the need to strengthen disaster risk reduction capacities.
Disruptions have shown that the actions of state actors alone are not sufficient—support from local communities and informal actors is also needed.
SPEK is participating in a three-year project funded by the EU’s Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme: CREWS – Enhancing capacities in disaster risk reduction by facilitating public-civil cooperation. The project will be implemented from 1 March 2025 to 29 February 2028.
Outputs: a cooperation model and a digital tool
The project will develop a cooperation model and a digital tool to enhance smooth collaboration between authorities and volunteers and enable more efficient coordination of resources. A particular focus is on the effective use of spontaneous volunteers in various tasks.
The cooperation model and digital tool will be tested in two project scenarios: a military exercise and an extreme weather situation. A snowstorm scenario will be carried out in Finnish Lapland in February 2027.
In addition, the project will produce educational materials and a training concept to support the wider dissemination of the cooperation model and the digital tool.
Project partners
The project is implemented by 13 project partners from countries around the Baltic Sea, including authorities, voluntary organisations, and universities. In addition, 26 associated organisations are involved.
SPEK is one of the lead partners, alongside the Council of the Baltic Sea States and the City of Hamburg. The project is coordinated by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, District Office of Altona.
Finnish partner organisations include the Finnish Air Rescue Society, the Finnish Red Cross, the Finnish Association of Fire Officers, the Finnish Voluntary Rescue Service Operators Association (Svap ry), the Ministry of the Interior, and the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County.
Contact:
Kaisa Eskelinen, researcher