Learning lessons in crisis management

Vital information gained from previous disasters may not get to the crisis managers and first responders who need it most, leading to ineffective disaster preparedness. An EU initiative created an online platform consisting of relevant stakeholders where users can share their experiences.

Digital Economy

Disasters, whether natural or human-caused, are infrequent but very costly. While each case is different, all disasters have certain elements in common, from which responders can learn. Doing so requires collated information about previous disasters, which the EU-funded project 'Elicit to learn crucial post-crisis lessons' (ELITE)(opens in new window) sought to provide. Overall, the aim was to develop a 'living document' containing lessons learned from previous incidents in order to improve European disaster preparedness, response and recovery. In the first year, the project ran workshops on forest fires, earthquakes and floods where a considerable number of multidisciplinary experts participated to provide input about the management of such disasters and detailed requirements for the living document. Project partners analysed lessons learned during preparation, response and recovery that highlighted common problems, best practices and solutions. First responders, crisis managers, civil protection and policy makers among other stakeholders can use this integrated analysis to implement new and improved strategies and measures in order to transfer knowledge between disasters such as forest fires, earthquakes and floods. ELITE members developed a web solution called living document that contains a repository of the lessons learned and best practices. It also includes training materials, guidelines and tools to enable pan-European knowledge and experience transfer. By setting up a multi-stakeholder community, ELITE consortium has also established effective communication channels using social media (Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter) that facilitate communication and interactivity among people and organisations. The living document is available publically and is created by and within a community of practice (CoP) consisted of key crisis management stakeholders. The CoP will continue to maintain the document by updating best practices and guidelines even after project completion. Therefore, the living document should help avoid breakdowns in disaster preparedness communications, and facilitate an efficient learning and sharing process. Lastly, any remaining major gaps were identified and recommendations were made for future research.