New training on common standards in crisis intervention in V4

A new V4 training module has been created for non-state actors and professionals in disasters, humanitarian crises, and incidents resulting from natural hazards or man-made activities. Seven partners from the Visegrad Platform agreed upon this training module during a two-day preparation meeting on 21 and 22 March 2024 at the crisis management simulation centre at the Faculty of Security Engineering in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

The partners agreed on minimum standards, responsibilities, and qualifications that should be adopted by any responsible organisation involved in disaster response and preparedness. The educational curriculum will focus on the humanitarian principles of disaster response, the self-protection of first responders in the event of CBRN, and minimum psychological principles focused on self-protection and respect for victims’ needs. Frontline members of non-state actor teams and academic experts should also know how to distribute tasks when monitoring and assessing needs immediately after a disaster.

It also offers knowledge about data collection, proper monitoring approaches, and protection mechanisms derived from common humanitarian standards like Sphere, OCHA’s approaches to urban search and rescue (INSARAG), crisis coordination and role distribution (LEMA), and CBRN protection guidelines. The module suits humanitarian workers who want to be better prepared to work effectively in a team.

The courses for frontline humanitarian workers, mayors, and other crisis managers will be delivered in all four countries of the V4 platform: Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The development team includes the Slovak Samaritans, Society Development Institute, Crisis Management Board of Olomouc, Technical University of Ostrava, Ambulance Wish, Maltesian Order of Hungary, and the International Centre for Chemical Safety and Security. If you are interested in attaining a course in minimum disaster response protocols, please get in touch with us at sdisk@sdisk.eu.