Research project
Making municipalities fit for crises
Wuppertal researchers are helping local authorities with their crisis management so that they can act more effectively in the event of flooding, for example. // Photo Colourbox
Learning from crises, recognising and eliminating weaknesses
One focus of the nationwide research project "Crisis-Fit Local Authorities - Strategies and Instruments for Preparing for Multiple Situations" (KRISENFIT) is on improving cooperation, establishing effective communication structures and providing sufficient resources and flexible organisational models. For example, personnel and technical bottlenecks should be recognised at an early stage so that administrations can prepare themselves to react quickly and in a targeted manner in crisis situations. Rapid coordination with other stakeholders such as aid organisations and critical infrastructure operators (KRITIS) should also be optimised through clearly defined roles and communication processes.
In addition to determining the needs and requirements of the SET, the aim is also to identify interfaces for cooperation between administrations and the external municipal network as well as expectations of and opportunities for administrative action. Part of the analysis is also focussed on past crises.
Strengthening crisis resilience together
"Even if many crises seem to arise suddenly and unpredictably, comprehensive preparation helps to quickly assess them as such, react as effectively as possible and limit their devastating effects," explains Prof Dr Frank Fiedrich from the University of Wuppertal. With her interdisciplinary department for civil protection, disaster relief and property security, she is also the consortium leader of the nationwide KRISENFIT project. The common goal is therefore to strengthen the resilience of local authorities sustainably and in the long term.
Further information can be found on the project website.
The KRISENFIT project
The research project "Crisis-Fit Local Authorities - Strategies and Instruments for Preparing for Multiple Situations (KRISENFIT)" is being funded for three years as part of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research's (BMBF) funding guideline "Ensuring and Improving the Ability of the State and Administration to Act in the Event of Crises".
The project participants
The University of Wuppertal is leading the consortium with its interdisciplinary Department of Civil Protection, Disaster Relief and Property Security. The Crisis and Disaster Research Centre (KFS) of the Free University of Berlin is another scientific partner in the consortium. The consortium also includes the North Rhine-Westphalia Fire Service Institute (IdF NRW) as the central training and further education centre for disaster control in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and two municipal partners, the city of Duisburg and the district of Vorpommern-Rügen.
Associated partners are the Ministry of the Interior NRW, the Ministry of the Interior, Building and Digitisation MV, the State Command MV, the municipality of Schönkirchen, the Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs, Housing and Sport SH, the city of Wuppertal, the district of Warendorf, the University of Applied Sciences for Police and Administration NRW (sections Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund), the Kommunale Gemeinschaftsstelle für Verwaltungsmanagement (KGSt), the city of Celle, the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim and the Deutsche Komitee Katastrophenvorsorge e. V. (German Committee for Disaster Preparedness).
