Know disaster risks – in advance!

Timely and well-directed disaster prevention is only possible if you know the risks. By identifying, analysing, evaluating and treating risks the instrument of risk assessment and risk management is the essential key for a successful civil protection and disaster management. As first step of disaster prevention it is furthermore an essential and central part of the whole disaster management cycle. Risk assessment and risk management make you aware of the existing risks in your region as well as their likelihood and dimension. Based on this knowledge you will be able to set up better prevention and mitigation measures, to improve your disaster management plans, to adopt your policies and to raise awareness both in public and responsible authorities.

On EU level risk assessment and risk management are increasingly important components of the European civil protection and disaster risk reduction policy. The aim is to set up an overview of Europe’s future risks and to establish a coherent risk management policy until 2014. Therefore, Member States are invited to enhance their national risk assessment and risk management procedures and methods.

Have you paid adequate attention to risk assessment and risk management yet? Do you know how you can properly integrate those in your overall civil protection and disaster management initiatives? Are you familiar with the risk assessment process and its methods? Are you up-to-date with the EU’s advice and guidelines for risk assessment, mapping and national risk assessments? Are you well prepared to cope with shared risks across borders? Are you acquainted with geoinformation and risk mapping? And have you already established strategies for climate change adaption?

European Seminar for Civil Protection and Disaster Management Experts - Assessing & Managing Disaster Risks