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Home Explore CRJ 16 2 June 2021

CRJ 16 2 June 2021

Published by Crisis Response Journal, 2021-07-06 12:31:19

Description: This edition focuses on Solar Radiation Modification, Human-centred thinking, climate change preparedness, risk, resilience and leadership, security and cyber, search and rescue and communication.

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resilience own needs, and not being as cohesive as is necessary.  the focus on the process as an indicator. This takes back For this reason, it is crucial to create a common control and gives you influence over how decisions are being made, versus judging them in retrospect. Such a understanding about the situation to be managed. It is slight shift of mindset makes a difference in the confidence essential not to approach this as ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, but levels experienced by managers when they take decisions. more as a sharing of perceptions without forcing someone into relinquishing their own interpretations, while still Decision-making can be learned through regular finding themselves in the collective image of the critical experience, naturalistic training and guided reflections. situation. A common idea of what you are working towards The latter are also important once the results of a is thereby created, and usually everyone finds their own choice become clear, so as to reflect upon how the need reflected or addressed within this. It is important to decision was made in order to improve the process avoid assumptions, to be explicit and exchange different further. Decisions are still made by people and effective perspectives for a common understanding of ‘your’ crisis. crisis management lives off confident decisions.  Times of great stress create emotional responses In the beginning of April 2021, Rudolf Anschober and the term ‘crisis’ creates reactions and triggers resigned as Minister of Social Affairs, Health, from previous associations with the word. These Care and Consumer Protection in Austria. He are often subconscious and their effects can become acknowledged exhaustion and the challenges of indistinguishable from reactions to past situations. Yet his role during the pandemic, thus demonstrating they influence behaviour and how a crisis is handled.  the importance of crisis managers being aware of the dangers that are inherent in the role.  For some time, I followed the principle that rationality was the only way to manage crises effectively. But this only The ability to know yourself and reflect upon treats the symptoms. Working rationally has its advantages, your own physical and mental wellbeing is a crucial but not acknowledging and making space for emotions competency. It is vital to find ways to manage yourself can have negative consequences on crisis management.  in demanding situations and to find effective ways to recharge your batteries, especially during protracted crises. The biggest danger is to assume that we all experience Unfortunately, this self-awareness is regularly downplayed, similar reactions. It is also crucial to understand that owing to a sense of pressure and an exaggerated sense the respective individualities and emotions following of responsibility, which are usually self-applied. the development of a crisis can change over time.  Switching off Emotions need to be addressed before focusing on the tasks at hand because if they are not dealt with, Even more difficult than knowing how you feel, both they can interfere with a response and could become acute at an unforeseen or inconvenient moment. One physically and mentally, is the ability to do something must also manage one’s own emotional state.  about it, such as taking breaks, stepping away and Crisis contexts often present us with challenges that need to be addressed and problems to be solved. We truly switching off for some time. Most managers must find ways of communicating with a multitude of stakeholders, from those who are affected by the situation, know they should look after themselves, yet very few to those who manage it. Each stakeholder has different needs linked to their perception and role and this must actually do, and this leads to negative consequences. be reflected in how we communicate with them.  Anschober did not think he could give the role 100 per Crisis managers should not only know the message they are communicating and the context in which it is conveyed, cent any longer, so he stepped down and made space for but also have a good understanding of the audience. Any audience, even if considered in broad terms, such as someone who could. He combined self-awareness with companies, institutions, crowds, and so on, is still made up of individuals. To communicate effectively, it is essential the bigger picture. Acknowledgement of your own state to strike the balance between their roles and needs while acknowledging the limitation that messages are ultimately through shared vulnerability is the final step to managing always given meaning by the receiver and not the sender.  yourself. It is not a failure to walk away from managing Communication is one of the most important – if not the most essential – elements of crisis management. a crisis, because it is important to consider the overall Behind the messenger and the receiver, there are people whose needs, fears and methods of system and how you could affect it if not on top of your interaction need to be taken into consideration. game. Sometimes, stepping away can be the right decision. Crises are dynamic and having to take decisions is unavoidable. These decisions are often very difficult These points outlined above have proven to be and have to be made by people with a specific responsibility; many crisis managers report struggling highly effective when working with companies and with confidence in their own decisions, as they can lead to significant changes that will affect many people. managers to support them in their roles, not only during The key is to shift the focus from the end result to the an ongoing crisis and its aftermath but, crucially, in process of how decisions are made. This is achieved by eliminating the judgement of a decision by its result – building resilience. Too often we become lost in the which is a completely unforeseeable variable – and placing dynamic and ever-changing context over which we have no influence, and consequently feel overwhelmed. My experience is that this simple shift of focus onto the people dealing with the critical situation – including yourself – increases your scope of influence and avoids the white noise that can distract from solving problems and lead to unnecessary cost resources. If you know how to manage people and focus on this first, you will relieve yourself of the burden of Author all-encompassing responsibility. THOMAS LAHNTHALER is a Use your biggest assets and manage Crisis Innovation Manager a crisis collectively, rather than as a and CEO of The Crisis lone wolf. Compass Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 51

Shining a spotlight on security culture Nina Smith explains the pressing need for the aviation sector to embed a security culture across all its systems and workforces so that it becomes second nature to everyone working in the industry T he Covid-19 pandemic and its effects have up, established and embedded – particularly when inadvertently created a more widely recognised, compared to safety culture, which has been ingrained Wowomnom | new culture across society – one that prioritises in people’s awareness for a much longer period. 123rf public health, social distancing and travel restrictions – at least in the short term. Being less tangible, the concept of security culture is somewhat more difficult to define than traditional Existing safety and security cultures are vital physical security measures. The International Civil mitigation measures to keep the aviation system safe and Aviation Organisation (ICAO) offers the most widely used secure. But the concept of security culture is not fully and recognised definition as: “A set of security-related embedded in the sector in such a way that it could have norms, beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions that are prevented the pandemic from rattling its foundations. inherent in the daily operation of an organisation and Security culture is not new, of course but, prior to are reflected by the actions and behaviours of all entities Covid-19, it was arguably still in a phase of being built and personnel within the organisation.” Security should be everyone’s responsibility – from the ground up and the top down. The key element from this definition and the overall concept is the idea that security must be everyone’s responsibility and that it should not be seen as a burden or cost, but rather as a core value of an organisation, ingrained and present at every level, process and action. While initially planned for 2020, ICAO announced 2021 as the Year of Security Culture, providing an apt focus on the topic during a critical time of recovery for the aviation sector. Although the concept of security culture in general is less tangible than other more physical security measures, it is a critical mitigation measure as part of our overall aviation security ecosystem. There are very few security measures that run through an entire organisation in terms of who carries them out and who has responsibility, and the awareness created through a robust security culture within an organisation recruits the entire workforce to be alert to activity that may be unusual or even outright suspicious. One need only look at the much more established culture of safety that has become ingrained within 52 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

continuity the aviation sector and has become second nature, to everyday lives. We must recognise that we cannot – understand the great benefits from security culture and should not – simply expect the culture to return becoming as mature a concept. It is right for us to aim to its pre-Covid norms, values and assumptions. for a similar level of understanding and acceptance of security behaviours and culture, based on the As aviation activities restart, it is therefore critical development of safety culture; this is an achievable target. that the needs of its workforce are understood, so that they can be supported in their contributions to a Regulatory frameworks are becoming a stronger robust security culture to the best of their ability. For foundation for security culture too, with the concept each entity, this may mean that the building blocks now well embedded at ICAO level, as well as of its security culture need to be closely reviewed within the European Civil Aviation Conference and an assessment made of how best to proceed in (ECAC) standards and the common EU baseline the short, medium and long term (undertaking a gap regulation. This will aid the focus on the concept at analysis). For all employees, at all levels, those needs a national level – guidance material and practical will have changed over the period of the pandemic. assistance such as training courses are available and are being further developed at a fast pace. So, does it matter more now, as we are nearing the restart of meaningful activity in the sector? Arguably, Not only can this protect the aviation sector overall security culture has always been important, but given from external threats, including acting as a deterrent to those with malicious intent, but it also protects the Although the concept of security integrity of internal systems against the threat of insider culture in general is less tangible activity. Whether intentional or accidental – without intent than other more physical security or awareness – insider activity refers to the enabling of a measures, it is a critical mitigation threat through the actions of our own workforce, one that measure as part of our overall has largely privileged access to the security systems and aviation security ecosystem associated functions. Insider activity could be as innocent as an employee who has tolerated tailgating through an the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is critical that access-controlled door, or someone who shares too much restart activities are built upon the best security culture information on social media. But it can also be more foundation that we can put in place, in order to offer sinister, such as an employee who is exploited for their robust mitigation. It is vital that it is not now diminished access during a time when many lives are being turned as a concept simply because it is seen as a challenge too far. upside down or, in extreme cases, a disgruntled employee retaining critical access to the aviation security system. Invariably, we should be looking closely at the building blocks of what motivates our workforce The mitigation that a robust security culture offers and supports them to perform well when discussing to the aviation security ecosystem provides a constant security culture. This will allow them to contribute to that relies on sustained effort to achieve and maintain a positive culture of security. It might be argued that a standard where it carries maximum effectiveness. the workforce should simply be able to turn up to work However, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a seismic impact motivated and ready to perform, but this is simply on the sector, including its security culture. If we look not the reality of human nature and such an attitude closely at the definition of security culture mentioned would lead to a gap between expectation and reality. above, and its component parts as illustrated in the graphic overleaf, it is clear that no aspect has been left Ultimately, performance relies on a workforce being untouched. Organisations have had to make fundamental motivated, with the capability, ie knowledge, skills and changes to their structures, processes and operations. They proficiency; supported by the right accountability or have had to become masters of change management and environment, ie structure, processes and policies. have operated in crisis management mode for an extensive period, often with a smaller pool of resources than is ideal. Workforce capability can be supported through the right training, both initial and recurrent, including ensuring Masters of change management that during the restart of aviation activities, returning or new personnel are accommodated in accordance with Of course, every organisation had existing systems their needs. This may include additional training for new for managing those aspects, driven by national public health processes, which integrate with security and international frameworks. For instance, the processes and have not previously been required on a large implementation of Security Management Systems (SeMS) scale. Creating the right work environment is somewhat across the UK’s aviation industry over the past six years more of a challenging area at present, with significant sees security culture as the bedrock and foundation of changes taking place to accommodate public health an effective SeMS. This is a framework of operating measures, which themselves are still changing continually. principles and guidance, which enables it to enhance security performance by proactively managing risks, Motivation itself is quite an intrinsic concept, threats, and areas where there are gaps and vulnerabilities but it can be influenced positively or negatively by that may have a negative effect on performance. what we ask our employees to do in their roles and within the environment created for them, as well as Our employees, the heart of security culture, have external factors. Of course, it is also a highly personal been placed under stress in their personal and work lives concept and will vary between individuals, though at a scale that has few parallels in recent history. They may have suffered illness themselves or in their family, undergone economic hardship and instability and have lived with severe personal restrictions governing their Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 53

The component parts of a security culture SeMS team | CAA common areas do exist and can be exploited. allowing them to become key players in rebuilding and The theory of job design suggests that creating roles maintaining a robust and positive security culture. which, through their very nature include motivational aspects, can be of benefit here. This would include As with any crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic presents an building in task variety, feedback processes, an element of autonomy for the job holder and creating opportunity. It is a chance for us to stop, reflect, assess, recognition of the importance of the tasks that the individual performs, thus creating context. It may learn and move forward in an even more resilient manner not always be possible to review job roles to allow them to support motivation more naturally, but than before. Taking the learning from a crisis allows us it should be considered where this opportunity presents itself, particularly at this moment in time. to retain the positive developments that emerged from The working environment is equally as important – having to work so very differently. This can be the case the basic building blocks that allow our workforce to concentrate on their roles include, but are not limited with security culture – we can use this opportunity, not to, a positive working environment, job security, good employer-workforce relations and a living wage. to return to what we had in place before the early months From these basic principles, we also need to consider recognition of our workforce as professionals, marking of 2020 in terms of processes, values and assumptions, achievement, creating responsibility and providing opportunities for growth in order to increase motivation. but to recognise the effects on the culture within the These are all even greater challenges in the current sector and use this to build a more robust security culture climate, but they should not be considered as optional extras. Rather, they should be viewed as integral parts going forwards. It is an opportunity to utilise further the in supporting the performance of employees, ultimately integration of security culture at the heart of what we do, continue to embed it in organisations from top to bottom and benefit from the increased mitigation it will then offer. This is a significant demand to make of a sector that has been heavily affected by the pandemic, but not challenging ourselves to take this golden Author opportunity will leave us at risk of not NINA SMITH is Head of fully integrating security culture into Training and Human Factors, restart activities, and therefore not Aviation Security, at the Civil gaining its full mitigating effects. Aviation Authority 54 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

Join us now! The Emergency Planning Society is the UK’s leading body for those working within resilience. We provide a forum through our extensive network of regional branches to share knowledge, experience and discuss and disseminate good practice. The opportunities we provide to our members are designed to enhance and improve the profession and provide a voice for those working or studying within the field of resilience. Our members come from all areas of resilience/ emergency planning and across all sectors including public, private and third sector [email protected]  Develop knowledge and skills through www.the-eps.org local, national and international events #VoiceofResilience and training #resiliencehuddle  Access and contribute to academic research and online resources  Peer support and mentoring  Influence change through regular consultation with UK Governments  Wide network of support, knowledge and experience from seasoned professionals  Accredited evidence of competence via a formal Continued Professional Development Scheme  Professional Standards  Resilience Huddles – a safe space for members to gather and talk, share, learn and support each other  Discussion forums, webinars, conferences and seminars  Identify and learn lessons

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security Nefarious actors are also building back better... Andy Blackwell reviews recent activities by terrorists and other extremists, identifies emerging themes and warns that it is not only legitimate organisations that are planning to build back better as lockdown restrictions begin to ease E arly in the coronavirus outbreak, the United Nation’s to death at a station south-west of Paris by a suspected Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNCTC) and key Islamist extremist from Tunisia, who was shot dead by expert groups expressed concern, reiterated by other security forces. An Islamic State online publication in UN reports, that terrorists and violent extremist groups India called for its supporters to spread the coronavirus, would seek to exploit the global disruption caused by the saying: “Every brother and sister, even children, can pandemic. An unclassified briefing document issued by contribute to Allah’s cause by becoming the carriers of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also this disease and striking the colonies of the disbelievers.”  warned that terrorist groups, including white supremacist extremists, may try to exploit the coronavirus pandemic White supremacist extremists and other social media to attack already strained healthcare systems. The users have, according to US DHS reporting, advocated bulletin warned that violent extremists were seeking violence against a range of targets, including critical to exploit public fears associated with the spread of infrastructure and faith-based and minority communities, Covid-19 to incite violence, intimidate targets and in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Such extremists promote their ideologies. DHS officials assessed that: have also called for infected individuals to spread “These efforts will intensify in the coming months.” Covid-19 intentionally in diverse neighbourhoods and religious institutions such as mosques and synagogues. In July 2020, António Guterres, the UN Secretary General, speaking at a Security Council meeting on Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) and the UK the maintenance of international peace and security Intelligence Services have foiled three terror attacks – and the implications of Covid-19 – warned that the since the Covid-19 pandemic began, and the Senior pandemic may increase terrorist interest in using National Co-ordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing, biological agents. Non-state groups could gain access Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, to virulent strains that could pose risks to societies reports that terrorists have not stopped planning globally. There are also ongoing concerns that states attacks or radicalising vulnerable people online. weakened by the significant economic impact of the pandemic will be more vulnerable to terrorism. Attacks by ISIS, AQ and their affiliates have largely continued unabated during the pandemic, despite the Inciting hatred, calling for attacks reduced availability of some targets and severe restrictions on international travel. There are clear indications Most of the statements made by Islamist terrorist that ISIS is seeking to spread its malign activity to new organisations and right-wing extremists about the fronts. Extremist groups across sub-Saharan Africa pandemic incite hatred and call for attacks. Al-Qaeda are leveraging the coronavirus crisis as an opportunity (AQ), al-Shabaab and ISIS have all made comments to intensify attacks and increase civilian support. indicating that they see the pandemic as an opportunity to further their agenda and grow stronger. One such article Violent extremists are seeking to exploit public in an AQ online publication entitled Ways and Means of fears associated with the spread of Covid-19 to Exploiting the Corona Pandemic Against the Powers of Global incite violence, intimidate targets, and promote Unbelief, began by reminding lone actors living in the their ideologies. And terrorist groups are using West that the pandemic offered them many opportunities Covid-19 to reinforce power and influence. that they should not miss. Analysts also reported that media in the second edition of a new extremist magazine Terrorists and other nefarious actors have been Wolves of Manhattan, issued by the al-Malahem Electronic keen to exploit the uncertainty and confusion caused Army, which is supportive of AQ, announced a reward by the pandemic and the civil unrest in the West available to those who kill a police officer in Western triggered by racial and political tensions. They have countries if they provide a picture proving the targeted used the pandemic as a time for planning attacks, assassination. The magazine is described as: “A guide recruitment, education, propaganda and regeneration. for lone wolves in the Crusaders’ land.” Shortly after this announcement, a female police employee was stabbed A rise in the volume of terror-related content online has been noted at a time when lockdown conditions created prolonged exposure to susceptible people, increasing the risk of their radicalisation. There are concerns that reported rises in cybercrime could lead to increased Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 57

Grandeduc | 123rf connectivity between terrorist and criminal actors. had been an ongoing intelligence operation. Investigations Terrorists and other malicious actors have consistently revealed that they had also tried to build a chemical weapon to disperse lethal gas against members of the demonstrated their imagination, innovation and public. Recent open-source reporting reveals that Islamic creativity when it comes to pursuing their goals. The State has shown an interest in biological warfare, by aviation sector provides us with several infamous recruiting doctoral-level scientists to study scientific examples. In response to a failed attempt to bomb a journals about biological and chemical advancements. commercial aircraft in flight on Christmas Day 2009, which involved an improvised explosive device (IED) Building back better for terrorists and other violent concealed in the operative’s underwear, al-Qaeda extremists could also include a rethink of their operational in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) developed and structures, activities and targets. As states fight to control subsequently produced an improved version of the the deadly pandemic, tasking of police, security and device. An AQAP bomb maker incorporated learning military resources are, in some cases, being diverted from from the failed attempt into the new build. Fortunately, their primary roles, creating vulnerabilities elsewhere. intelligence agencies were able to locate the source of The fact that the Covid-19 pandemic is prompting the second device and act before it could be deployed. shifts in security priorities for countries around the world is highlighted in the Annual Threat Assessment The terrorists’ desire for continuous improvement of the US Intelligence Community issued on April 9, and the agility of their modus operandi creates significant 2021, which states: “As militaries face growing calls to challenges for counterterrorism officials in what is cut budgets, gaps are emerging in UN peacekeeping often a cat and mouse game between those intent on operations; military training and preparedness; causing harm, and those seeking to stop them. counterterrorism operations; and arms control monitoring, verification and compliance. These gaps are likely to AQAP also orchestrated its Operation Haemorrhage, grow without a quick end to the pandemic and a rapid often referred to as the printer cartridge bomb recovery, making managing conflict more difficult – plot, in 2010. This involved two IEDs cunningly particularly because the pandemic has not caused any concealed in printer cartridges that were shipped as diminution in the number or intensity of conflicts.” air cargo. The devices were intended to explode while the cargo aircraft were in flight over the USA. The There is little doubt that terrorists and other malicious IEDs were intercepted and eventually made safe actors will exploit areas of weakness. Terrorism expert following intelligence inputs from the Saudi authorities. Olivier Guitta warns that owing to recent Islamic Counterterrorism officials reported that the devices were State defeats in the Middle East, one of its priorities some of the most sophisticated they had ever seen.   is building a new caliphate. Islamic State attacks in Africa increased by more than a third between Islamic State’s 2017 plot, Operation Silves, involved 2019 and 2020, and Guitta says: “The future looks the targeting of a commercial passenger aircraft in flight unfortunately bright for Islamic State in a continent using an IED concealed in a meat grinder placed in with a lot of fragile, corrupt, quasi-failed states that luggage of an unwitting brother of the two perpetrators. could allow the birth of a caliphate in mini territories The sophistication of the concealment was such that in Mozambique, the Sahel and possibly Nigeria.” it would be difficult to detect. Fortunately, the plotters considered it too risky to get the device through customs Africom General Townsend was also recently quoted as and security controls after check-in staff at Sydney Airport saying: “I do believe if the Islamic State can carve out a advised them that their bags were overweight. The new caliphate, they will attempt to do it in West Africa.” perpetrators were subsequently arrested following what 58 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

security Islamic State has a loyal ally in the region, Boko Haram, venues become crowded again. The deadly terrorist a jihadist group founded in 2002 and led by Abubakar attacks in Vienna and Nice took place on the eve of new Shekau, which pledged allegiance to Islamic State in lockdowns, and there are concerns that extremists will Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in March 2015. The pledge of target crowded places when restrictions are eased. As allegiance was accepted by ISIL and Boko Haram’s name the UN urges, serious attention needs to be devoted to was changed to Islamic State West Africa Province. In preventing the deliberate use of diseases as a weapon. the same month, an ISIL spokesperson released an audio message directing individuals who could not enter Iraq or The focus of legitimate states is on building back better Syria to travel to West Africa. In August 2016, owing to as they start to recover from the devastating impacts of a leadership rift, ISIL West Africa split into two factions, the pandemic, but they need to be mindful that their Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province. adversaries are also committed to becoming stronger. Of paramount importance will be the need to ensure security On December 3, 2013, Boko Haram claimed and counterterrorism capability is well funded and fit for responsibility for a raid on an international airport and purpose to fight bad actors. Underinvestment in these an air force base in Maiduguri, Nigeria, in which many areas will come at great cost. fatalities were reported and three aircraft, two helicopters and several vehicles were struck. John Campbell, writing References in a blog post for the Council on Foreign Relations, warned that: “The operation also appears to have been ■ (November 2020): Anticipating Rise in Extremist Activity amid a significant Boko Haram escalation. An attack on the international airport and the possible destruction COVID-19, Counter-Terrorism Committees Striving to Continue Work of aircraft will be of particular concern to both the Nigerian and the international business community.” Despite Severe Restrictions, Chairs tell Security Council, un.org; In August 2015, media reports cited that Nigeria’s ■ (June 2020): The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intelligence agency warned of a possible attack on the airport in its capital after disrupting what it terrorism, counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism, said was a Boko Haram cell. Authorities said that a 14-year-old boy had been arrested for spying on un.org; security procedures at Abuja’s airport, and the militants who tasked him were being sought. ■ (July 2020): Secretary-General’s remarks to Security Council Open Boko Haram recently claimed to have shot down a Video-Teleconference on the Maintenance of International Peace and Nigerian Air Force alpha jet in Borno State, Nigeria, a claim dismissed by the authorities as propaganda. And, Security: Implications of COVID-19 [as delivered], un.org; in April this year, airports in Nigeria were asked to review their security arrangements following an alert ■ (April 2020): COVID-19 threatening global peace and security, UN from the Ministry of Aviation warning of planned attacks by criminal elements on some airports in the chief warns news, un.org; country. Specific mention was made of the airports in Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kano, Abuja and Lagos. ■ Terrorism in time of the pandemic: exploiting mayhem, Splinter groups EurekAlert (October, 2020): eurekalert.org; A Congressional Research Report in March 2021 ■ New pro al-Qaeda magazine (Accessed April, 2021): tinyg.info; reported that some analysts believe that Boko Haram is seeking to expand into north west Nigeria by ■ Unclassified US DHS Intelligence Note – Covid-19 (March 2020): forming ties with local jihadists and criminal actors in the area. The extent and implications of this remain okhighered.org; uncertain. ISIL West Africa, Boko Haram, along with a separate splinter group called Ansaru, have all been ■ (May 2020): Extremist Groups Stepping up Operations during designated as foreign terrorist organisations by the US. the Covid-19 Outbreak in Sub-Saharan Africa, csis.org; Terrorists and malicious actors continue to demonstrate their agility and resourcefulness as they manage the ■ Oliver Guitta (2021): A New Caliphate in Africa? GlobalStrat; difficulties and exploit the opportunities the pandemic brings. Their intention to become stronger as a result ■ (October 2020): IS finds biological warfare best weapon amid is a potent warning that is ignored at our peril. ISIS actively seeks to spread its extremist activities to new pandemic: Study react, etvbharat.com; fronts, and history reveals that those with sinister intent invariably seek the path of least resistance. ■ (April 2020): How terrorist groups will try to capitalize on the The pandemic has created several vulnerabilities as coronavirus crisis, justsecurity.org; it inadvertently distracts focus from security to health protection. Some preferred targets of terrorists have ■ (April 2021): Islamic State Looks to Africa to rebuild following significantly reduced their activities, civil aviation being one example, but when services resume to a degree of Middle East defeats, theweek.co.uk; normality, there is a risk that malicious actors will once again want to demonstrate their unhealthy interest in the ■ ICPO (December, 2020): Terrorist groups using COVID-19 to sector. Similar risks will come to the fore when public reinforce power and influence, interpol.int; ■ (April 2021): Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community, dni.gov; ■ (March 2021): Covid-19: Three UK terror plots foiled during pandemic, bbc.co.uk; ■ (May 2012): Screening Test: Are al-Qaeda’s Airline Bombing Attempts Becoming More Sophisticated, scientificamerican.com; ■ (November 2010): Magazine details AQ plane plots, edition.cnn. com; ■ (April 2020): Inside the 2017 Islamic State Sydney Plane Plot, ctc.usma.edu; ■ UN Security Council (February 2020): Islamic State West Africa Province, un.org; ■ Congressional Research Service (March 2021): Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province, fas.org; Author ■ (December 2013): Boko Haram attacks a ANDY BLACKWELL is the Nigerian International Airport, cfr.org; former Head of Security and ■ (December 2013): Boko Haram attacks an Resilience at Virgin Atlantic air base in Nigeria, aljazeera.com; and is now an independent ■ (April 2021): Nigeria: Protecting Airports security and resilience consultant. He is Against Terrorist Attack, allafrica.com a Member of the CRJ’s Advisory Panel Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 59



EU project partners Protecting places of worship The rise of religious hate Andrew Staniforth and David Fortune introduce a new EU-funded project that promises to deliver the next generation of integrated measures to enhance the protection and preparedness of Europe’s places of worship I t was the holiest day of the Jewish year when, on October prison to ensure his retention in custody until his trial. 9, 2019, in the German town of Halle, a cantor at a Terrorist attacks and incidents of hate crime at places of 123rf synagogue leading worshippers in prayer glanced at a CCTV monitor and saw a gunman trying to shoot his way worship now represent serious security concerns across the into the building. As officials ushered the congregation world, as extremists and terrorists promulgating hate and into an adjoining room, the gunman, later identified violent ideologies continue to commit crimes against places as 27-year-old Stefan Balliet, threw explosives into the of worship with alarming regularity. Attacks on mosques complex and opened fire on the synagogue’s front door. and synagogues have been widely reported by European Recently reinforced, the main entrance to the place media, but a disturbing rise in the extent of attacks of worship held firm, saving the lives of those inside.  on Christian places of worship is only just emerging. Apparently frustrated by his failure to breach Shocking and depressing the entrance, Balliet turned his gun on a 40-year- old woman who happened to be walking past. The Following an arson attack that caused a devastating fire shooting of the innocent pedestrian proved to be fatal to rip through the Gothic Cathedral of St Peter and St and was followed by another unsuccessful attempt Paul in Nantes, France on July 18 last year, the secretary to gain entry into the synagogue. It is alleged that general of Justice and Peace Europe, Stefan Lunte, told Balliet then drove off and stopped a few streets away, Germany’s Catholic Dom Radio that around 1,000 throwing a home-made explosive at a kebab shop, and attacks occur annually on France’s 42,000 churches and shooting dead a 20-year-old man who was inside. chapels, as well as on cemeteries and other Christian sites, with an average of three places of worship desecrated Prosecutors believe Balliet to be a loner, an outlier daily. Lunte commented: “This is happening in all in his local community and motivated by antisemitism European countries, but France is particularly affected. and xenophobia, who planned to massacre those inside There are satanist cults here, as well as very extreme the synagogue. Counterterror police investigators have anarchist and libertarian groups, people often quite tried to assemble the pieces of Balliet’s life and explore unstable psychologically. Individual cases cannot always his motivations, but it has proved challenging. Family be explained, but overall, it is shocking and depressing. members, including his mother Claudia, who taught Something is happening in French society that has long ethics, German and general knowledge at a local primary been neglected but is becoming evident with these fires. school, refused to testify in court during his trial last year. The country is becoming de-Christianised and there are people who wish, for whatever reason, to vandalise Balliet had no partner, no friends and was never and destroy Christian symbols. The long-held strategy a member of a political party. According to police of keeping this under wraps simply does not work.” investigators testifying at the trial, his life revolved around the anonymous forums and imageboards that While the number of officially recorded anti-Christian have become an echo chamber for right-wing fanatics incidents has remained steady over the past two years, across the globe. Having self-radicalised on the Internet, according to figures collated by the Observatory on Balliet is believed to be a true lone-wolf, acting alone Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in without direction or operational support, using only Europe (OIDACE) in Vienna – which reveals 1,063 online content as his inspiration. He learned how to incidents in 2018 and 1,052 in 2019 – recorded incidents handle weapons during his time in the German armed rose by 285 per cent between 2008 and 2019. Ellen forces and completed his six-month military service Fantini, Director of the OIDACE has said that the trend in a Panzer grenadier battalion as an 18-year-old. of rising attacks was not confined to France, stating: “Most European countries do not provide statistics about Balliet fulfils the stereotypical characteristics of an anti-Christian incidents. Many don’t even record them as ex-armed forces white supremacist, even attempting to such. Another problem is that many church officials don’t escape from prison by scaling a three-metre fence during even report incidents. Among countries that do report, a recreation period. He was recaptured moments later by those numbers are rising as well. For example, according prison authorities and transferred to a maximum security Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 61

123rf to the data provided individually or in a community, in public or private, to the Organisation for through worship, observance, practice and teaching. Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) by the To protect this human right, the EU adheres to the UK, anti-Christian crimes 2008 Declaration on Religions, Anti-Terrorism-Extremism doubled from 2017 to 2018. We know they are Legislation. Moreover, attacks on places of worship are rising in Spain, Germany and Sweden as well.” contrary to the founding human rights and the rule of law Recent attacks on places of worship across of the EU. Article 10 of the EU Fundamental Rights Charter European member states have revealed the is the baseline for human rights protection in the EU and exploitation of their intrinsic vulnerabilities that offences against persons based on religion are punishable result from their open nature and public character. under criminal law where minimum rights, support and Threat assessments by Europol and the EU Intelligence protection of victims of hate crime are established. and Situation Centre confirm the focus of places of worship in Europe as a target selection, which is also As across the European Union, freedom of worship openly incited in online terrorist publications. remains a cornerstone of British life and the UK The rising tide of security threats at places of worship Government has stated its commitment to supporting of all faiths, which not only hold a special place in faith communities so that they are able to worship free from fear or abuse. Over recent years, the UK Attacks on mosques and Government has understood the need to adapt the way synagogues have been widely police and public authorities respond to religious hate reported by European media, but crime, recognising that no two religions are the same a disturbing rise in the extent of and that historical, cultural and theological differences attacks on Christian places of also shape attitudes and practices towards security. worship is only just emerging Acknowledging the need to better protect places the fabric of a local community, but also provide a of worship, the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), on behalf of the UK Home Office, last symbolic target for a terrorist to raise attention to their year launched a public consultation to address the concerns and vulnerabilities that worshippers feel when cause, now calls for sustained action and support of the attending their place of worship. Responses are being collated, processed and analysed by NatCen, and a Council of Europe, which protects individuals’ right to summary analysis will be published and shared with stakeholders in due course. While the results of the freedom of religion and belief under the provisions of consultation are yet to be published, early analysis Articles 9 and 14 of the European Convention on Human reveals the consistent and important message from Rights. Among others, this fundamental human right religious leaders is striking the right balance between worshipping openly, without fear, and providing comprises the freedom to manifest religion and belief, adequate security measures to protect worshippers. The Home Office public consultation followed the Places of Worship Protective Security Funding scheme, which was a major government commitment in the 2016- 2020 hate crime action plan. This scheme, which closed its final round of applications last year, provided £3.2 million funding for protective security measures at places of worship and associated faith community centres that were vulnerable to hate crime. Any crime motivated by hostility on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity was classed as a hate crime but, for this particular scheme, the Home Office focused specifically on religion. To be considered for funding, the applicant needed to demonstrate that their place of worship or associated faith community centre was vulnerable to hate crimes that target people because of their religion. The scheme has provided 90 grants for protective security measures at places of worship across the country, funding innovative projects to tackle hate and providing protective security measures to a total value of £56,000 per application, which has included the installation of CCTV, automated vehicle gates, security doors and locks, intruder alarms, access control and video intercom systems. The protective security scheme for places of worship has made improvements to the security of premises receiving the grants and should be considered for extension to allow more places of worship to benefit directly. But much more needs to be done to protect worshippers and their place of worship from violence, 62 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

EU project partners abuse and intolerance. Greater efforts to establish and extensive experience in policy development at step up co-operation between public authorities and faith-based leaders and congregations – including national and EU level to ensure project outputs have the establishment of clear communication channels and providing information about, and a better maximum impact at the highest levels across the EU. understanding of, all manner of security threats, from hate crimes to terrorism – would be positive progress In building the PROTECTOR programme in strengthening the protection of places of worship that remain integral to the fabric of modern societies. of work, consortium partners recognised that a Last year, as part of a broad range of measures multi-faith approach must be taken to create to tackle security concerns at places at worship, the European Commission, through the Internal Security an ecosystem of protective security measures, Fund for Police (ISFP), launched a call for proposals encouraging law enforcement agencies, academia and including amplifying co-operation between public the private sector to work together to enhance the protection of places of worship. More specifically, it has authorities, faith-based leaders and congregations made funding available for partnerships to establish or strengthen co-operation between public authorities through security awareness raising campaigns. and faith-based leaders and congregations, alongside the sharing of knowledge, tools and good practices on The PROTECTOR project partners also understand protective measures across different EU member states. that places of worship stricto sensu and religious places – Unique collaboration namely all places where people of religious organisations One of the successful projects to receive funding from congregate, including religious schools – should be the ISFP call is PROTECTOR (PROTECTing places of wORship), which brings together a unique group taken together. Combining this approach with the of law enforcement agencies co-ordinated by Saher (Europe). Commencing in April, the two-year project expertise of leading academic institutions, private sector includes police partners An Garda Síochána in Ireland, the Swedish Police Authority and the Municipality of organisations and police forces, the PROTECTOR Trento Local Police in Italy, joined by Antwerp Police in Belgium and the Policing Department of the University project will significantly enhance the protection of of Applied Sciences for Public Service in Bavaria, Germany. It presents a unique collaboration of police places of worship through the assessment of hate crime forces currently combatting threats to places of worship. and terrorism threats, examining protective security Working together, the PROTECTOR project consortium of police partners aims to deliver the next measures and law enforcement agency responses. generation of integrated security measures, which aligns with the approach of tackling hate crimes and terrorism The project will implement a protective security of the new EU Security Union Strategy launched last year. Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President for Promoting strategy, specifically designed for places of worship the European Way of Life, stated: “Security is a cross- cutting issue which goes into almost every sphere of of all faiths, which will be delivered with protective life and affects a multitude of policy areas. With the new EU Security Union Strategy, we are connecting security plans for 25 places of worship located in all the dots to build a real security ecosystem.”  five EU member states. To enhance the situational Supported by the G20 Inter Faith Forum and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute awareness and investigative capability of law enforcement (UNICRI), the PROTECTOR project will design, develop and deliver the next generation of integrated measures agencies, new technology tools will be developed and to enhance the protection of all places of worship. tested at 15 places of worship in three EU member The PROTECTOR project consortium is complemented by the inclusion of Fondazione states. The project will also develop law enforcement Bruno Kessler, the leading research institute in Italy, bringing exceptional technical expertise through agency, public authority and faith leadership protective the involvement of its Centre for Communication and Information Technology. The important role security awareness expertise through the development of Fondazione Bruno Kessler is amplified by the participation of its Centre for Religious Studies, and implementation of accessible training tools. which advances the critical understanding between religion and innovation in contemporary society. The project aims to establish and strengthen To support policy and strategy development, the co-operation between public European Institute in Bulgaria adds great value to the PROTECTOR project consortium, bringing authorities and faith-based leaders and congregations through an engagement strategy, underpinned by the design and delivery of a security awareness raising campaign, encouraging the reporting of suspicious behaviour and the promotion of appropriate responses to threats. The collective, sustainable impact of PROTECTOR outputs will significantly enhance the protection and preparedness of all places of worship across Europe, serving to increase the preventative and investigative capabilities of all EU law enforcement agencies in order to protect places of worship from all manner of hate crime, terrorism and emerging security threats. Authors The PROTECTOR project is funded by the European ANDREW STANIFORTH is Commission Internal Security Director of Saher-Europe, Fund for Police (ISFP-2020- Co-ordinator of project AG-PROTECT-101034216- PROTECTOR and Member of the CRJ’s PROTECTOR). To learn more Advisory Panel; about the PROTECTOR project DAVID FORTUNE is Director visit: www.protector-project.eu of Saher-Europe Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 63

What’s our next normality? Covid-19 has disrupted longstanding ways we work and shop, or access healthcare and information, says Lina Kolesnikova. Some of these changes may be with us to stay, while others must adapt and innovate to face future threats, and the essence of what we define as ‘critical’ infrastructure is being transformed D iscussion about how we are going to live in the post- Nick Lowndes | Ikon Images covid world abound. Decisions taken during the pandemic will become part of our next normality. While there are multiple directions and facets of the next new normality, this article will focus on critical There are different possible futures, all dependent infrastructure (CI), which usually includes: Energy; on society, ways of living, government actions transportation; water control; water supply and waste and more. Depending on the way we react to the management; food and agriculture; commercial; critical Covid crisis and considering what has already manufacturing; government facilities; defence; chemical; been witnessed in multiple countries, there are four nuclear; financial services; healthcare; emergency possible approaches listed by Dr Simon Mair: services; communications; and information technology. ■ State capitalism: centralised response, prioritising exchange value; However, the pandemic clearly shows that the ■ Barbarism: decentralised response, CI classification needs to be redefined to cope with prioritising exchange value; the new type and magnitude of threats. Within ■ State socialism: centralised response, this context, I assess the possible outcomes of the prioritising the protection of life; and pandemic’s impacts on CI sector operations. ■ Mutual aid: decentralised response, ■ Work: Lockdowns have forced people to do things prioritising the protection of life. differently. Remote work and video conferencing have become normal, with organisations expanding working from home. Supporting infrastructure has grown and 64 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

critical infrastructure matured dramatically. The expansion of online meetings will rules. Private companies apply their own policies, which can lead inevitably lead to a cut back on travel. Many offices will change their to state information being restricted or even banned, based on a raison d’être, focusing on space for meetings, team gathering, etc; company’s ethical or political criteria. Such compartmentalisation ■ More automation: Many organisations started their of policies and rules, coupled with commercially driven AI digital transformation journeys prior to the pandemic, algorithms, can lead to barbarisation by promoting fake but these changes have accelerated rapidly; news, and could lead to segmentation of society at a time when ■ Government services: Governments have raised public debt prompt communication and co-operative unity are critical. to smooth the effects of the crisis. This will have a lasting impact on recovery and further economic growth, while current extended There are multiple other changes or issues that need to expenditure is unlikely to decrease to levels before the crisis. be addressed. New protocols must be adopted to ensure that supply chains and critical sectors are not disrupted by sudden For health and safety reasons it was often impossible to enhanced health requirements. For example, there were cases deliver state-provided face-to-face services and it appears during the pandemic when emergency services simply did there is no intent to revert back from online provision. If not arrive when called upon. While lack of capacity is often regulatory reforms facilitating telemedicine and the provision of the ‘excusable’ reason, emergency services not being able to healthcare and other services, as well as increasing the speed of respond when requested because they do not have proper developing life-saving drugs, all made sense during the Covid-19 protection or equipment is a risk that must be remediated. crisis, some will call for these changes to be permanent; ■ Communication: Social networks and IT policies will have Burn-out and mental health must be addressed, not just in to bear much greater loads, including filtering problematic the emergency services, healthcare and law enforcement sectors, posts and countering misinformation and disinformation; but in others such as critical manufacturing, food and public ■ Trade and supply services: International trade and services, students, remote workers, last-mile delivery agents and, travel will be increasingly restricted, with supply chains being in general, for all those who are on the front line in a crisis. shortened. Stock management, particularly with regard to emergency supplies, healthcare materials and food, will Climate agenda dilemma be re-evaluated, and there will be an increase in electronic payments, e-commerce and remote commerce; and Critical manufacturing should be able to respond to the need ■ Health services: States and societies are better informed, for single-use products on a large scale and more attention which improves preparedness for the next pandemic. should be paid to localising, or at least regionalising, supplies. Telemedicine has gained traction and some doctors and There are two main methods for this – sufficient patients – though not all – welcome online consultations. stock management covering peak demands in critical products, or a localised supply chain that can feed critical We can therefore extrapolate several trends brought about by the manufacturing to produce the necessary products. pandemic. Ever increasing services and situations will be contactless or remote – digital service delivery is now the norm, where feasible. This raises a problem. Manufacturing more single-use products directly contradicts the climate agenda – a balance must be found Multiple services and industries dependent on globalised and it should involve the waste management and recycling sectors. operations failed to deliver quality outcomes and have moved to rearrange their operations, stock management Communication by government or command centres is and supply chains more locally or regionally. often a weak spot, owing to complexity and the fact that they often operate in situations of uncertainty and stress. However, Some businesses adapted, repurposing their production lines all efforts need to be made to ensure that qualified personnel or services; alcohol producers switched to making sanitiser, deal with analysis and communication in order for large clothing companies produced facemasks and banks channelled impacts to be highlighted and communicated. If people are government assistance. Such adaptability could open new left uninformed and expectations are not set or managed, the business lines now and in the future, and might become door is left open for negative surprises and reactions. mandated for some industries that are considered to be critical. Massive further digitalisation and improvements should also In the future, the scope of CI industries might be be developed so that more operations – such as postal or food expanded, particularly in the following sectors: delivery services – can be conducted in a contactless manner. ■ Education: As well as developing more diverse and developed Transportation and food sectors should integrate with last-mile remote education, this sector could help to develop qualified delivery; services and telemedicine should be developed further. human capital in case of need – shortages in medical and other personnel manifested in multiple countries during the Covid crisis; Finally, cyberattacks have become more prolific and ■ Science and research: This sector was at the front line. dangerous. Companies or organisations can become critical to Together with education, it should also be considered in terms national welfare overnight, and this changes the implications of developing available human capital when needed; of cyberattacks. Threat actors are moving fast, motivated ■ Waste management: Some countries did better by monetary, political, economic or another impetus. When than others, but experience has shown that this sector companies or organisations become critical, but are not properly is critical, especially in the case of a health crisis; prepared, potentially devastating effects could ensue. ■ Last-mile delivery services: Given that lockdown is one of the most effective methods in controlling health The pandemic has reconfirmed that physical reality is critical and crises, food and medicine distribution is critical; and that globalisation, while beneficial economically, is not necessarily ■ Information channels: With the rise of digital media and social the answer to all needs. Digital services are an indispensable networks, traditional channels, such as TV or radio, experienced a instrument in enabling and assisting our physical reality, so should decreased effectiveness in reaching wide populations. Information be as critical a consideration as any physical sector. channels do not all need to be state owned or localised, but should be co-operative and operate in a state-defined framework of Author LINA KOLESNIKOVA is a Consultant in international relations, security, risk and crisis management, Belgium and Member of the CRJ’s Advisory Panel Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 65

Kirill Makarov | 123rf Enhancing cybersecurity in critical infrastructure Recent cyberattacks on utilities companies in the US serve as stark warnings to the industrial sector. Keyaan Williams says that engineered and failsafe operations are key to improving cybersecurity in critical infrastructure I ndustrial control systems (ICS) and supervisory control incident are still emerging. Analysis of the Oldsmar water and data acquisition (SCADA) systems play a critical treatment plant event provides insight into the problem role in critical infrastructure and the industrial sector. and the solutions that should be considered in order to Control systems are used in industries upon which all protect the sector. The plant in Oldsmar, Florida is not nations rely, such as electric utilities, water processing, unique. Of about 148,000 private water utilities in the US, oil and gas, transportation, chemical, pharmaceuticals, 97 per cent serve populations of 10,000 or fewer. Generally, food processing and manufacturing. The February one in 1,000 people work in the local water treatment 2021 cyberattack against the Bruce T Haddock Water facility – for example, a utility that serves a population Treatment Plan in Oldsmar, Florida, and the May 2021 of 15,000 might have 15 employees, but only five to six ransomware attack that led to the Colonial Pipeline per cent of them work in information technology or Company shutting down the largest gas pipeline in the US, cybersecurity in any capacity. If the organisation is lucky, have increased awareness and concern about the cyber the IT department has one person equipped to support threats facing critical infrastructure and industrial sectors. major functions like the website, software installation and maintenance, network management, printers and Details surrounding the Colonial Pipeline Company 66 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

cyber cloud services. Even if support from a full-time employee performance and consistency of critical processes. It is is available in the first place, this person is highly likely not essential, but automation does reduce the amount of to be overworked and underpaid and cybersecurity will workload on the operator, taking a mundane task off his be one of their many priorities. Excluding the largest or her mind so attention can be paid to other important organisations, the example provided by small water activities – similar to consumers maintaining a vehicle utilities is the norm rather than the exception to the rule. with an automatic transmission without understanding how the 1,500 components within the transmission work. Preventing an inconvenience from becoming a full- Ignorantly approaching the situation from a cybersecurity blown crisis in such organisations requires an ounce perspective without considering how engineers and of grace and a full measure of consideration from operators are training and performing their duties, is not cybersecurity experts, who are accustomed to working solving the problem. Adequate training to ensure they in commercial organisations that depend primarily have a basic understanding of cybersecurity is imperative. upon traditional information technology. They must consider the impact of standard security practices There are good practices that can be implemented when they are applied to operational technology like to improve ICS security. First, education is important. SCADA systems, distributed control systems (DCSs), and Allowing smart engineers to design solutions by making control system configurations such as programmable educated and thoughtful decisions, based on incomplete logic controllers (PLCs) found in the industrial control sectors. In abstract, frameworks like the Top 20 If the organisation is lucky, Critical Security Controls from the Center for Internet the IT department has Security, the Cybersecurity Framework from NIST, or one person equipped to an Information Security Management System (ISMS) support major functions based on ISO 27000 are appropriate solutions to the cybersecurity problem. A plant or utility with limited information, will lead to poor results. Working through personnel will not have the knowledge, skill or expertise organisations like the National Council of Examiners to implement standard cybersecurity frameworks for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) in the United successfully. They will likely outsource the cyber effort to States, and the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) a third-party firm, which introduces an additional set of globally, to update educational standards for engineers considerations related to third-party risk management. and operators, is a good approach for making a long- term difference. On a smaller scale, organisations must What seems simple for information technology works invest in providing basic security training and testing in a completely different way for operations technology. to ensure engineers and operators understand the risks to which they are exposed and the right response to Adding modern cybersecurity controls to an ICS address those risks. Personnel responsible for ICS security environment is not as easy as it sounds. The milliseconds should consider professional certification and training required to process encryption algorithms and redundancy from reputable programmes like International Society checks that are essential for IT confidentiality, integrity of Automation (ISA)/International Electrotechnical and availability often require resources that are not Commission (IEC) 62443 Cybersecurity Certificate available to ICS because of how components are designed. Programmes, SANS ICS 410 – ICS/SCADA Essentials, Energy consumption increases in parallel with processing SANS ICS 515 – ICS/SCADA Active Defense and power and, in many cases, power is the most limited Incident Response, and ICS-CERT Training. resource in ICS. Tasks must be executed within a small, specific time frame on limited platforms that execute code Next, we have the prioritisation of good and effective on a microcontroller rather than a full computer system. control systems engineering. ICS environments should be configured to ensure specific limits are defined and Milliseconds count that alerts are triggered and routed to the right personnel when an exception is encountered. The best thing you can Microcontrollers operate on very low power because do is limit the controls to specific ranges so that anything they exist in environments where it is not uncommon outside the defined ranges triggers alerts. In addition to for temperatures to reach temperatures of 50-60°C. defining acceptable operational boundaries, engineering Heat destroys electrical components and cooling principles for ICS should lead to the protection of requires power. To operate in this environment, devices critical components. The PLC should be protected from must process numerous instructions in a short time unauthorised changes initiated by the human-machine frame and do it reliably, with very low power. Again, interface. The engineer’s development station should be milliseconds matter! By design, industrial control configured to ensure it doesn’t connect to all controllers systems are configured to fault when specific and simultaneously or execute invalid or unsafe instructions. narrow operational boundaries are encountered so as The PLC should remain in ‘run mode’ to prevent to increase safety and prevent damage to components. unauthorised programme changes. An ICS programme should be written defensively using frameworks like the The inner workings of operational technology Top 20 PLC Security Coding Practices from ISA. Limiting the (OT) and ICS require significant engineering network protocols entering and exiting the environment education and experience, therefore people must be and controlling local and remote access also serve as sound a part of the cybersecurity strategy. ICS operators and engineers are experts in their field. Most of the control systems they work with were acquired with automation rather than cybersecurity as the priority. Engineers and operators don’t need to know how everything works. They just want it to work and remain within acceptable limits. Automation in ICS improves Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 67

Gina Sanders | engineering practices to protect the ICS environment. screen, creating a situation in which all remote access 123rf Third is the adoption and implementation of standards requires support from an operator who is on duty and watching what takes place. Applying a timer to the designed for the ICS industry. Standards like Industrial VPN, which automatically disconnects after a defined Automation and Control Systems Security (ISA99) and time frame, takes the protection a step further to prevent the Guide to Industrial Control Systems Security (NIST excessive access. Procedures should require the remote SP 800-82) provide industry-accepted approaches for user to call the operator back, providing a summary protecting ICS environments with standard controls and of what was done and what to watch out for. Don’t just methodologies. For example, according to the Threat connect the environment to a VPN and hope for the best. landscape for the ICS engineering and integration sector from Kaspersky ICS CERT: “Computers in the ICS The processes in ICS are unique and operate outside the engineering sector that use VPN software clearly have experience of most people – especially IT and traditional a smaller attack surface and, in particular, encounter cybersecurity professionals. Furthermore, petroleum, fewer of the internet threats that are usually delivered water, metals and other processing or manufacturing that along with the content of web services.” This approach rely upon industrial control systems and SCADA will and segmentation of the ICS environment using the be unique, based upon the industry and the technology Perdue Enterprise Reference Architecture (PERA) are implemented by the organisation. Everyone must highlighted in professional standards for the industry. understand that the priority in ICS is to make equipment stable and failsafe, similar to the practices found in other Avoidable problems industries. For example, in aviation, manufacturers must prove their aircraft are dynamically stable. No matter Next, it is important to develop a relationship with what happens to the controls, a certified aeroplane should integrators who can keep control systems patched and recover by itself if it has enough altitude. Dynamic stability up to date. Many organisations fail to do this. They in automobiles should lead the vehicle to straighten out want the automation, but they don’t want to maintain over time once the steering wheel is released. This analogy it. This is like buying a car and failing to perform must also apply to ICS and industrial process. The Bruce regular maintenance. Eventually, you need to add fuel T Haddock Water Treatment Plan in Oldsmar, Florida and change the oil if you want the vehicle to continue is a success story because of the dynamic stability of the operating. Failing to maintain, patch, and update ICS environment and the failsafe controls implemented ICS and OT can lead to avoidable safety, operational by the plant. It is unlikely that anyone would know and cybersecurity problems. Few organisations about the remote compromise had the operator not been tolerate safety and operational issues. Cybersecurity looking at the screen at the time of the attack. Even should have the same priority and consideration. if the attack had been missed, the controls in place provided numerous opportunities to identify unsafe And finally, secure remote access. Remote access conditions and ensure that the public was not harmed. cannot be eliminated because vendors need access to provide updates, install patches, observe the environment Once dynamic stability is established with essential and measure how well everything is working. Proper controls and good training, organisations can conduct management of remote access is the key. It starts with deeper analysis of the risks they face and plan appropriate effective communication and co-ordination. Configure countermeasures. Review safety videos and incident the security control to require input from an operator reports and consider whether any of the issues could be who enables the connection with a button on the operator caused by a cyber event. Then, consider what controls are in place to prevent those events and plan to acquire additional controls to enhance the protections that are available. The response to cyber threats in ICS ultimately comes down to two important concerns – the effectiveness of engineered controls and regular testing for fail-safe controls to ensure they provide the expected alerts. Online resources ■ ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Certificate Programs: isa.org; ■ SANS ICS 410 – ICS/SCADA Essentials and SANS ICS 515 – ICS/ SCADA Active Defense and Incident Programs: sans.org; ■ ICS-Cert Training: ics-training.inl.gov/learn; ■ Top 20 PLC Security Coding Practices, ISA: top20.isa.org; ■ ISA 99, Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security: isa.org; ■ NIST SP 800-82 (May, 2015): Guide to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security: csrc.nist.gov; ■ Kaspersky ISC CERT (March, 2021): Threat landscape for the ICS engineering and integration sector: ics-cert.kaspersky.com Author KEYAAN WILLIAMS is the founder and Managing Director of Cyber Leadership and Strategy Solutions (CLASS-LLC), which helps global clients with cybersecurity strategy and risk management 68 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

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Modelling adversary behaviour in crowded spaces The current UK Home Office Protect Duty consultation provides an opportunity to review how we protect crowded places, says Mark Chapple T he consultation describes the breadth of the threat of the stakeholders may be operating in isolation, in attack type, as well as the attacker’s possible with different understanding and expectations. Some motivations. It also mentions a growing number of potential stakeholders may not be engaged at all. attacks by right wing or nationalist extremists, such as the Christchurch Mosque attacks in New Zealand. In the UK, local authorities and emergency services are already obliged to identify and plan collaboratively This article discusses how existing, defined and for a range of risks under the Civil Contingencies Act (CCA) repeatable decision support processes can be used 2004. Creating a view of risk that can be shared locally to to provide levels of confidence into how, where and create a common purpose remains an enduring challenge. when attacks take place. It is written in the context of the UK, but some of the principles are universal. To Collaborative common view optimise return on legacy investments, we advocate building on some existing processes and structures. This methodology provides a basis for that common view of risk, which can be used with venue operations The UK Home Office’s Contest strategy discusses and security staff, landlords and institutional another strand, that of Prepare, the stated purpose of investors, the local authority and emergency services. which is: “To mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack Armed with this common view, stakeholders can where that attack cannot be stopped. This includes work start to collaborate. One thing they will need to to bring a terrorist attack to an end and to increase address is how to communicate in a crisis. our resilience so we can recover from its aftermath.” Education and training are arguably the principal Below, I propose a process that will span means of forming a common understanding of the threat both the Protect and Prepare strands. and how participants fit into collective preparation and response. The need for wider education on security Society continues to place much emphasis on legislation, topics has been a recurring theme for decades. As noted policy and strategy to effect change. These levers in the journal of the Emergency Planning Society (August 2019, pp16-20) there are wider governance “The biggest single threat to and audit benefits for businesses, local authorities and security at the present time emergency services from exercising emergency plans. is probably a general lack of conviction that any substantial Individual, team and collective training can help threat exists. This attitude of to build confidence, as well as a collective culture. mind can be overcome only In a venue, this would span operations and security by a sustained and skilfully staff, neighbouring premises, last-mile transport directed educational effort providers and CCA responders like the local authority in the right quarters.”* and emergency services. Anticipation, assessment, prevention and preparation are all doctrinal stages seldom address how to change culture and it is in this of the emergency planning cycle with which local resilience area where I believe our culture needs to grow. authorities and the emergency services are familiar. Sharing the outcomes of the proposed process will help to bring Protect and Prepare stakeholders together. Training need not focus on terrorism alone; UK resilience thinking draws the need to consider However, there are challenges. Across a broad common consequences referenced under the stakeholder community there are widely varying views CCA, and paragraph 1.47 of the Contest strategy about what the threat may be; venues could range from document supports this. Exercises could consider a quiet country pub to a busy city centre transport one or more of the six stages of the integrated hub, shopping complex or entertainment venue. Many emergency management concept upon which UK civil protection is based: Anticipation; assessment; prevention; preparation; response; and recovery. For decades, adversary behaviour modelling has been used where there is a requirement to present decision- makers with a range of options to disruptive challenges. The importance of responders remaining open to a range of adversary options is an early learning point from the 70 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

terrorist response Manchester Arena Inquiry. The importance of decision-makers applied psychology comes into play, another is around where they retaining vision is one of the enduring cultural aspects I referred might choose to attack and where not. Finally, the psychology to above. The process draws on two broad skillsets: threat insight may identify certain trigger behaviours a self-radicalised attacker and applied psychology. In any competitive situation, collective bias might display during reconnaissance and just before an attack; can often overlook the reality that the adversary also gets a vote. ■ Response: In the threat scenario described earlier, self-radicalised attackers will generally be intent on The methodology involves a site visit, generally during martyrdom. Other terrorist groups may want to make peak periods, and can address several factors, including: good their escape. On both counts, the attacker will want ■ The physical layout: Adversary behaviour modelling looks to understand the effectiveness of any response; and at the ‘last mile’, beyond the perimeter of a site where long ■ Site Security: Good security behaviour by operations and underpasses, pedestrian queues or busy thoroughfares may present security staff, and overt armed policing tasks may well serve more attractive targets. Culturally, it is important to recognise that to deter a self-radicalised individual at the planning stage. organisations with responsibilities for adjacent spaces, such as local authorities and public transport operators, need to be engaged; Adversary behaviour modelling reports will indicate the most ■ Commercial operating model: A terrorist will want to likely points where and when an attack might take place. They will understand peak periods for the target, where they can achieve most suggest the kinds of behaviour an attacker will exhibit if caught off effect. Conversely, some attackers may also conduct reconnaissance guard in the planning stages or just prior to implementation. They in quieter periods where their behaviour may stand out; will assist planning and provide the following benefits: Providing a ■ Communication relationships: At the planning stage, potential common construct for operations and security staff within a venue attackers may look to see if and how a venue communicates security to plan, exercise and respond with emergency services; building messaging to the public; they could seek to ascertain whether confidence among employees and managers in their collaborative security and operations personnel have radios. Adversaries may response and what their role is at each stage; and demonstrating even want to see if there is a visible security culture at the site; good governance on the part of property owners, institutional ■ Public awareness: Public security awareness campaigns investors, occupiers, local authorities and emergency services. may reach an attacker before they reach a venue and while conducting reconnaissance. For instance, authorities may have The methodology can also be used to model instances of posted adverts about the presence of plain clothes officers. espionage, sabotage, subversion and attacks on physical, digital and ■ Customer demographics: These can change the viability of social networks. a venue as a target. For example, passengers from a vulnerable *Radcliffe report for the Security Commission 1962: Paragraph 115 religious minority may congregate at one particular rail terminus for two hours once a week, or a shopping centre Resources might provide special offers to pensioners on a specific day; ■ Threat: The adversary behaviour modelling process must start ■ CONTEST: The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism, with an agreed version of the threat, which will vary according Home Office HM Government (July, 2011): assets.publishing.service.gov.uk; to the motivation and ideology of the attacker and the equipment ■ Alert (AA20-133A) Top 10 Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities, Cybersecurity available to them. Currently in the UK, we work to vehicle-as-a- & Infrastructure Security Agency (May, 2020): us-cert.cisa.gov; weapon and bladed weapons scenarios. In a cyber context, one ■ Loss Prevention Standard LPS 1175 Issue 8.1, BRE Global Ltd. might draw upon on a list of common vulnerabilities; for a threat against high value assets, one could draw on physical attack Author standards. The motivation of the adversary is one area where MARK CHAPPLE MSyI is the Principal Consultant at SRSRM Ltd, a niche protective security and resilience consultancy, based in the United Kingdom Response Physical layout Threat overlay Adversary Weather Site security Behaviour Modelling Commercial operations Public information Customer Staff demographics communication Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 71

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partner Using the right words Communication and the vocabulary used during emergencies can have a significant effect on people’s behaviour. Jeannie Barr of the Emergency Planning Society investigates further There is a plethora of information and guidance available on how the timing of communication, appropriateness to its audience and its content are all extremely relevant. But what is ‘communication’ for those of us working in disaster or emergency management and resilience? Does it simply involve ‘telling’ people what is needed, what to do or where to find help? The Emergency Planning Society (EPS) has recently held a series of webinars in which communication frequently came up as a key discussion point; how are we as professionals communicating with people in our communities? How are we making sure that communication is two-way? How do we ensure we are using the right vocabulary? How do we determine our messages and make sure they are relevant? Dissonance Social media, for example, has been hailed as both a potential positive and negative. It is positive in terms of the possibility of engaging with a wide variety of audiences, gauging community sentiment, driving volunteering projects and community engagement. Conversely, it can also create dissonance and Novintito | 123rf be a source of disinformation, therefore requiring careful monitoring and timely action. EPS webinars have discussed how the use of vocabulary well as consideration of the intended audience and terminology has been concerning at times, and the potential effects on different people. particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Use of the It is essential to embed empathy in all messaging, word ‘vulnerable’ was raised as a potential barrier to those whether in a leaflet, part of an official briefing or who needed help. Simply put, many of the people public speech, or even when supporting who could be considered ‘vulnerable’ in terms Social media has someone on the front line – and this can be of being at risk of contracting Covid-19 simply learned and developed. It is also important did not associate themselves with the word and been hailed as a to remember that language used across therefore did not seek assistance. ‘Vulnerable’ potential positive command and control during collaboration – in is, therefore, a potentially alienating word. and negative meetings, documentation, working groups, or correspondence – should always be respectful In our most recent webinar, the Human and humanised. Mistakes can be made, which Aspects and Community Resilience Professional Working Group of the EPS was interested in can be damaging to responders, too. how the use of language, including unspoken All communication in these contexts should or body language, can also assist in recovery. address the humanitarian objectives in emergencies and Delegates learned that the use of words and phrases all those working in disaster and emergency response can have both an advantageous and detrimental and management should have an appreciation of the effect on people’s well-being, and in some cases – significance of appropriate communication. mostly unintentionally – the damaging effect of language that is used at the front line and in public Author speeches can be harmful and long-lasting. JEANNIE BARR is Director for Professional But communication can also provide a positive Standards and Learning at the Emergency Planning turning point for people’s recovery. Whether it is Society, a CRJ Key Network Partner verbal, written or translated – the fundamentally ■ To find out more about the EPS, to become a member or important aspects are timing, context and tone, as register for any upcoming events visit the-eps.org Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 73

Partnerships with natural first responders Marcus T Coleman says that when governments work alongside neighbours, caregivers and young people, the resilience of the whole community is strengthened. Here, he explains how such partnerships can be nurtured S upporting the mission of the Federal Emergency While there are longer term consequences of climate Management Agency (FEMA) and learning from crisis change that we must plan for, it pays to be smart leaders in countries from Sweden to Japan, I have seen about how we approach advancing equity and support what is possible when there is a tangible and actionable historically under-served populations in the present. commitment to unlocking the full potential of natural first responders. This includes investing in a whole If crisis leaders put measures in place to do this in community approach to disaster operations that affirms existing emergency management systems, it can build the importance of neighbours helping neighbours. social capital that can withstand disruptions from all hazards. When crisis leaders refuse to take this approach, neighbours and communities are left susceptible to compounding inequities in times of crisis. Climate change brings a sense of urgency to getting it right. In the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction report, Human Cost of Disasters, we get a glimpse of the scope and scale of human suffering: “Between 2000 and 2019, there were 510,837 deaths and 3.9 billion people affected by 6,681 climate-related disasters. This compares with 3,656 climate- related events, which accounted for 995,330 deaths (47 per cent due to drought/famine) and 3.2 billion affected in the period 1980-1999.” Crisis leaders have an opportunity to serve as standard bearers in organising, equipping, training and learning from the most natural first responders, which include neighbours, caregivers and young people. Working with these groups alongside all levels of government in partnership strengthens whole community resilience. So how do we do this? One perspective uses the advice from one of my The power of neighbours helping each other is invaluable in helping to advance equity, but this power must be nurtured Thomas Kuhlenbeck | Ikon follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

community favourite emergency managers, Former FEMA Inclusive Emergency Management with Immigrant Online resources Administrator Craig Fugate, to make it happen. and Refugee Populations, helps leaders identify and build a repository of resources and relationships ■ Human Cost of Disasters, First, think big: How bad could it be? The bigger with community-based immigrant and refugee UNDRR (November 2020): the problem, the greater the need for partnerships. service organisations. These may include undrr.org; One step towards thinking big is for crisis leaders refugee resettlement agencies, immigrant rights ■ The UN Sendai to co-create a memorandum of agreement with organisations, faith-based organisations or houses Framework for Disaster organisations focused on civil and human rights. of worship, local businesses, among others. Risk Reduction 2015–2030: Organisations like the National Association for unisdr.org the Advancement of Colored People, the League Finally, be smart about it and adjust as more ■ World Institute on Disability: of United Latin American Citizens or Amnesty information becomes available. Starting today wid.org; International are keen experts in addressing civil does not mean starting alone. Minority serving ■ Institute for Diversity Equity and human rights challenges in the context of crises institutions, which in the US include Historically and Inclusion in Emergency and disasters. By the very nature of their missions, Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Management: i-diem.org; civil rights and humanitarian rights organisations colleges and universities, Asian American and Pacific ■ Establishing and can be great collaborators on thinking big about the Islander serving institutions and Hispanic Serving Maintaining Inclusive consequences a disaster would have for communities. Institutions (HSIs), can serve as strategic partners Emergency Management for research, recruitment and implementation of with Immigrant and Refugee Second, go big; it is better to have too much than outreach and education programmes. This helps Populations: welcomingamerica. not enough. A lack of imagination is not a viable to ensure the agencies leading in times of crisis org; reason for failing to meet the needs of historically reflect the communities they are serving at the ■ Historically Black College under-served communities. Crisis leaders should front lines and the highest levels of leadership. and University Covid Awareness continue to build strong partnerships with disability and Resilience Day: huttc.org rights organisations. This includes going big on For example, in the USA, students, faculty and staff mobilising private sector partners as well. For example from more than 30 Historically Black Colleges and Author the World Institute on Disability, led by Marcie Roth, Universities (HBCUs), which consist of domestic and is co-lead for The Global Alliance, a call to action to international students, joined forces to hold the first MARCUS T galvanise disability-led organisations, foundations, in a series of HBCU Covid Awareness and Resilience COLEMAN JR is corporations and other allies to identify needs and Days (HBCU-CARD) – a day spearheaded by HBCU a Partner with link partners to accelerate assistance and resources, students that is dedicated to raising awareness and the Truman both during and after disasters. Roth notes: “People mobilising communities disproportionately affected National Security Project. with disabilities are two to four times more likely by healthcare inequities during the pandemic. The views expressed in than others to be injured or die in disasters, primarily this article are his own due to inadequate community-wide planning and Persistent, intractable force access to emergency and disaster assistance. The impetus for this effort is acknowledged: “Racial “The Global Alliance is a direct response to disparity remains a persistent, intractable force Covid-19, which is impacting multiply-marginalised that continues unabated in and around historically people with disabilities even more disproportionately under served communities in which many of our than other disasters, with devastating outcomes.” HBCUs are housed… Whether primarily by lack of access, to some hesitancy, or a healthy dose of Going big through coalition building helps mistrust towards the US healthcare system in general strengthen the network of natural first responders, and the vaccination in particular, data show that which includes formal and family caregivers. African Americans are dying from Covid-19 at higher rates than other ethnic groups. Conversely, Third, go fast – speed is key. Many governments this group is getting vaccinated at lower rates.” have taken various steps towards advancing equity in their disaster operations in an expeditious Instead of going it alone, these institutions were and thoughtful manner. For those new to the smart about co-ordinating their collective resources process, there are organisations and networks and effect as natural first responders to serve as trusted committed to helping advance equitable messengers and advocates, not only to their peers, but outcomes throughout the disaster cycle. also to close and extended family members, about how to safeguard their health – including mental health According to the UN, a key priority for emergency – against Covid-19. For those community members management is to: “Strengthen the design and still wondering whether they should get vaccinated, implementation of inclusive policies and social safety the conversation they have with HBCU students, net mechanisms, including through community alumni or supporters could be the deciding factor. involvement, integrated with livelihood enhancement programmes and access to basic services to find Building partnerships with natural first responders durable solutions in the post-disaster phase and is an ongoing process. Like the preparedness cycle, to empower and assist people disproportionately it requires investment in planning, organising, affected by disasters.” This is incredibly important as equipping, training and engaging your team and migration trends continue to evolve quickly as a result community. While policymakers and public sector of crises, disasters and impacts from climate change. leaders play a role in unlocking the full potential of nature’s first responders, there are organisations To accelerate planning and organising activities and communities already on the journey to promote in support of migrants and refugee populations, neighbours helping neighbours in a way that advances crisis leaders should follow the guidance presented equity and keeps the lived experiences of historically by the Institute of Diversity and Inclusion in under-served populations as the priority. Emergency Management and Welcoming America. Their guidance, Establishing and Maintaining Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 75

Design to the rescue The design process is an important, but often overlooked tool for humanitarian agencies and emergency services, says David Wales. It should be used wisely to encourage both innovation and creativity “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would for day-to-day incidents or in the event of a crisis or disaster, have said faster horses.” This famous quote attributed are typically established by a government by proxy on behalf to Henry Ford is frequently used to demonstrate of its citizens. In doing so, their purpose, remit and legitimate the limitation of asking the public to inform the functions are developed and enshrined in top-down legislation process of design. The suggestion is that the public and other forms of guidance. As a result, government also would have had insufficient imagination to think of anything assumes a responsibility for making sure that they operate in other than how to improve what it was already familiar with, a way that meets these explicit requirements, providing some namely the horse, on this occasion. Instead, it is suggested, the degree of clarity and stability to these important public services. progress of mass transportation relied on the singular genius Government can exert considerable influence on these of Henry Ford. There are many reasons I dislike this quote, the organisations, using various means to punish or create positive main one being that it encourages an insular approach, which incentives. These include the control of funding or the use of audits, in most cases will be detrimental to the intended outcome. reviews and inspection regimes. Whatever form they take, satisfying The image of the lone inventor having a these requirements will be seen as a priority and moment of profound inspiration contrasts with Compliance will be foremost in the organisation’s mind, to the evolutionary and inclusive ethos that is the extent that considerable resources and senior the foundation of academia. Here, research and conformity management time can be devoted to this activity. process and referencing protocol ensure that all Unsurprisingly, given their different progress, whether great or small, is recognised are more prized functions, services are typically assessed in as having been informed by the work of others. isolation of each other, using sector-specific than creativity criteria. Historically, governments tend to How things come to be is so important because design influences almost every part of our lives, favour quantitative assessments that relate to from products to services to environments. Done efficiency, effectiveness as measured against their well, it can transform and delight, but done poorly, it can frustrate or statutory responsibilities, and standardisation. In this environment, cause harm. Nothing exists in a vacuum and so understanding how compliance and conformity are more prized than creativity. things interact with their wider environment or systems must also be Interoperability reviews or the testing of mass casualty considered to understand the potential for unintended consequences. events provide opportunities for inter-service working The regulating effect of consumer choice in commercial markets to be assessed. However, these tend to be with a view to will generally ensure that poor design does not flourish for long. But improving the delivery mechanism, that is the services, public services, and those provided to individuals or communities in rather than to evaluate their combined performance against relation to crises and disasters, do not have this moderating factor. the end-to-end citizen experience and outcomes. My own realisation of the importance of intentional design Given this influence, it is not surprising that over came through the process of looking at the burn survivor journey. time, it is easy for the emergency services to see We quickly realised that the only person to ever see the end-to- government – national, or in its regional or local guises – as end process was the person who had experienced the burns. As their principal and most important stakeholder. a result, the survivor experienced a ‘sum of the parts’ process in Functional or transactional which most agencies delivered their part with limited knowledge of care elsewhere. Changes made by one agency, whether in It can be argued that certain features of the top-down model general practice or specific to burn care, were unlikely to be are necessary and beneficial to some extent. But they are known to other agencies, leaving survivors vulnerable to the certainly not sufficient on their own, as they represent a very risks inherent within an un-coordinated process. Even the base narrow and often functional or transactional perspective. expectation of ‘do no harm’ could not be confirmed, as the Ideally, they should be balanced by an equally strong bottom- organisations did not have a common map to work to. And with the up mechanism that provides a direct route for citizens to share absence of a single agency or forum owning the end-to-end care their lived experience and ideas for improving the services pathway, there was effectively no governance or accountability. delivered in their name. Of course, emergency services do Given the considerable resources and good intentions of care consult. However, in almost every case, the service decides if, providers, why is the result falling short of the mark? There are how and when. Communities certainly do not enjoy the same many reasons, but two that are of interest in relation to design are ability to be heard by the services that government does. purpose and diversity. In the current environment these struggle Without this, services are limited in their ability to understand the to find a place in the process of service development and delivery. citizen perspective on: Purpose – what is the problem to be solved; Organisations that provide core emergency services, whether capability – what communities can do and how they could be better 76 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

design empowered; and solutions – how to Matt Kenyon | Ikon Images access the vast range of experience and skills that reside in communities. widest range of perspectives are utilised. Design may be the key to doing that; not as an act of individual genius as suggested by Henry This disconnect is not confined to Ford – although it is possible he may never have said that after emergency services, as evidenced by all – but as an inclusive, collaborative and structured process. In the growing number of thinktanks doing so, it may just align and balance the top-down and bottom-up and public policy bodies that requirements in a way that current processes are failing to do. argue for the need to change the relationship between government Author and the communities it serves. Why? Because otherwise services will DAVID WALES, is Founder of SharedAim and Customer inevitably grow apart from their Experience and organisational improvement consultant. He is communities and this can create also a Member of the CRJ’s Advisory Panel (see this edition’s inequalities, social unrest and a failure news pages for full announcement) to support community wellbeing. And the ensuing consequences create further work for other agencies. It is also not surprising that many of these organisations see design in all its forms as the means to bridge the gap. As the meeting point between the state and communities, public service agencies would greatly benefit from making design a standard approach. This would provide a framework in which embracing diverse perspectives and creativity are much more likely to ensure alignment on purpose and the appropriate solution. In its 2020 to 2024 strategy, the UK’s Design Council states: “Our world is changing rapidly, bringing to the fore national and global issues that we all must urgently address. The need for us to innovate and find new solutions is critical. Design has a key role to play.” There are many design frameworks to choose from and each will have its own benefits or be suited to specific problems. All of them provide an iterative process and encourage creativity and the exploration of multiple options, however unlikely these may seem at first. Filtering narrows down the options to those most suited to the requirement. It is often noted that good design is inclusive, and the time taken to explore the needs of all users can often unlock features that benefit everyone. This is as true for designing environments and services as it is for products. For all those involved in emergency and humanitarian roles, design is rapidly becoming an essential tool. It is a tried and tested means to explore some of the most challenging and complex issues. But this will not be achieved unless a way is found to ensure that the Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 77

A decade of design- led exploration In the first article of this two-part series Jonathan Collie describes how The Common Room is a result of a design-led journey to discover service gaps in society to help people live more purposeful, fulfilling lives I f there’s one thing we have learnt in the ten years since we first set out to make a positive contribution We should never reach in this world, is that you cannot do anything of the age of 50 or 65 and significance or substantial impact alone. The lament that the dice have Common Room is a product of the participation become loaded, or the and contribution of thousands of people, of all ages, deck stacked against us backgrounds and walks of life, whose collective experience, wisdom and insights have informed the Otto Dettmer | Ikon Images creation of this original work. This achievement is shared and celebrated with all who have laughed, cried, argued, agreed, debated and explored with us. The Common Room is a result of our design-led journey to discover service gaps in our society to help people live more purposeful, fulfilling lives. Over the past seven years, we have pushed aside assumptions and stereotypes, engaging openly with real people, who are living real lives. Research has revolved around conversations, group discussions, workshops and co-design labs. Instead of relying on desk-based research or the research of others, we sought new truths – of the values, needs and wants of people navigating the challenges and turmoil of modern everyday life. A highlight of our design journey was the two-day exploratory event we hosted in London in 2014, where 130 debaters and 350 participants from 200 organisations discussed 27 provocations in the biggest exploration of life, ageing and work in the UK. We were on a mission to reimagine the concept and benefits of being ‘older, but not yet old’. The provocations debated over those two days covered the full breadth of life, exploring the opportunities in a society where we are living longer – across work, health, wellbeing, relationships, care, education, learning, money, consumerism, leisure and technology. From across these debates, six areas for action emerged, which offered the promise of a society without age boundaries, prejudices, stereotypes and exclusion – a society in which we all want to live. These six areas are listed below: ■ Language: We must change the language we use. We must stop inventing new euphemisms to hide the fact that society is ageing. We need to stop talking about ageing and being older in terms of decline, redundancy 78 Follow our In Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

design and lacking value. We need to reclaim regular succeed. We must think ahead, prepare, anticipate, language for regular people doing regular things; embrace, enjoy and thrive. From the moment we are ■ Stories: We must change the stories we tell and born, we get older every single day. So to succeed stop relying on older celebrities to change our in our lives, every day, we need to enjoy becoming perception of age. And we must stop the focus on older. Only when we finally become old will we the exceptional stories at the extremes of longevity. genuinely need care and support. But, until that We need to share the thousands of captivating time comes, let us burn the candle at both ends. stories of real people, doing real things; ■ Design-led: We must assign design and design- In the spring of 2016, we had conducted a survey led thinking the same status as research, policy and of 2,000 adults, aged 18 to 99 years, to ascertain analytics. If we are to create systemic change, we the extent to which people of all ages are united in need to open ourselves to new thinking from the arts commonality or divided by differences. We asked and creative sectors, and invite residents and citizens about the points of tension in their lives with questions of all ages and walks of life to co-create with us; like: Do you have enough time in your life to do ■ Generational divide: We must break this down the things that matter most to you? Do you find and move from ‘us and them’ towards mutual the pace of technological change uncomfortable? respect and appreciation of everyone’s value and How strong are the relationships you have with contributions. We must avoid the terms Boomer, your family? Could the generational stereotypes Millennial, Gen X/Y/Z… as oversimplified on which we depend be misleading or wrong? descriptions based simply on the year of one’s birth; ■ Life course: We need to reaffirm the concept of It turns out that we all have far more in common than ‘one life’ and not a series of separate disconnected we think, and certainly much more than the ubiquitous life stages. From birth to aged a hundred years or generation stereotypes would have us believe. over, life is a continuous state of flux – constantly changing, adapting, flexing, learning, sharing, Incredibly, analysis of the results showed no exploring and achieving. We need to create statistical difference between the ages of 25 and 65. supportive and inspirational mechanisms that enable citizens to live their lives to the fullest, There were also some significant discoveries throughout their potential ten decades of life; and between the youngest (18-24) and oldest (65+) ■ Work: We need to harness the collective experience, of respondents as indicated below: knowledge, wisdom, vitality and productivity of ● 83 per cent of younger people (18-24) and older older workers. We must change the recruitment people (65+) feel that they are not like everyone bias. We must overcome the stereotypes of tech- else in their age group, and want to mix with illiteracy, crumbly-health and redundant skills. people of different ages and generations; ● 77 per cent of younger people and 78 per The success of this event led us to repeat it in cent of older people want life to slow down; Manchester and London and to gain backing from ● 60 per cent of younger people and 58 per The Big Lottery to establish The Age of No Retirement cent of older people feel overwhelmed by as a movement for age-positive social change. the constant flow of new technologies; ● 79 per cent of younger people and 74 per More in common than we think cent of older people feel that politicians do not listen to or care about them; and In 2015, we were pretty clear of our purpose. ● 69 per cent of younger people and 48 per We were holding up a mirror to society and cent of older people feel that society does remonstrating against overlooked value and missed not value them because of their age. opportunities. We would lament the myopia of politicians, civic leaders and corporations. We This was a seminal moment. The findings of this would rail against the unconscious bias of society, study caused us to rethink and reinterpret ‘The Age defending and championing older people against of No Retirement’. We are indeed living in an age the injustice of a world stacked against them. of no retirement, with too much time and too little money available to us in later life. This reality is as But where does old begin? Are people really important to a 30-year-old as it is to a 50 or 70-year- wanting to be helped, rescued and supported as they old. To be successful across our much longer lives, we age? Or do people need help of a certain kind, at a now need to equip ourselves with greater capabilities certain time or situation in their lives, regardless and fortitude. We must be better prepared. of their age? What is it about being over 50 or over 65 that suddenly implies that we are in need of help, We developed The Common Room service to help sympathy and pity? What if you are 49, or 64? Are people do just that and will be exploring its design you not allowed to have the same needs or wants? in more detail in the next publication of the Crisis On your 50th birthday do you suddenly feel different, Response Journal. less valuable or less independent in some way? Author In reality, it is up to each of us, individually and collectively to sort it out for ourselves with resilience, DR JONATHAN COLLIE, MBChB, MBA, Encore flexibility, adaptability, lifelong learning, relationships and networks, and internal drive and passion to Public Voices Fellow, is the co-founder of The Age of No Retirement CIC and director of The Common Room, a new model for discovering purpose in life. He advises numerous organisations on the value of intergenerational thinking. He is based in London, UK Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 79

The aftermath of disasters Kjell Brataas’ new book, Managing the Human Dimension of Disasters, includes stories that have not previously been shared publicly about how people deal with the aftermath of crises and ordeals. He explains the rationale behind his decision to focus on a topic which, he believes, needs more attention T he aftermath of disasters has always interested psychologist re-arranged his schedule so that he could me. It might be because several times I have been invite me to his home near Beverly Hills, and a former tasked with organising and collaborating with policeman who had been instrumental in the support support groups, planning site visits and discussing of the bereaved after an airline accident in 2000 took a monuments after crises that have hit Norway and its plane from Seattle to Los Angeles to spend a whole day citizens. The largest chapter in my first book on crisis with me. Many of the meetings were emotional, and on communication therefore focused on victim support, several occasions the person sharing their story had tears and in its introduction I wrote that I had so much in their eyes – and I too was touched on a personal level material that it could easily have been a book in itself. when hearing their stories. The book includes several pages that detail ‘meeting sources’, mentioning them all I started researching Managing the Human Dimension by name and including a short description of our talks. of Disasters in 2018. I was lucky to receive a grant from a Norwegian authors’ association, and I spent Bereaved, survivors, responders all of it on travel. I believe in meeting people face- to-face and in the same room, and fortunately I was The subtitle of the book is Caring for the Bereaved, Survivors able interview most of my sources before Covid-19 and First Responders. From early on I decided on a struck. My first trip brought me to Indianapolis, where wide definition of first responders, and in addition to I attended a two-day seminar on victim support after police officers, ambulance personnel and firefighters, airline accidents. Granted, it was a topic with a limited I have included others who perform important tasks audience, but the organisers had brought together an immediately following a disaster. They include nurses impressive speaker line-up, which included airline and doctors, spontaneous volunteers and local heroes, CARE team members, airport officials and experts reporters and journalists, coroners and DVI experts. from the National Transportation Safety Board. A substantial part of the chapter on first responders focuses on leaders and it presents many lessons learned I travelled to the US for research purposes three times and advice regarding the human side of being a CEO in half a year. I spent almost two weeks in California and or a manager in times of crises. This includes always Nevada talking to people involved with school shootings, thinking about the people affected first and visiting airline accidents and the mass shooting in Las Vegas. My and talking to relatives, survivors and the bereaved, as third trip included meetings with a minister in Newtown, well as visiting and thanking those who handled the an author in New York, a curator at the 9/11 Museum, a crisis – not necessarily with a media entourage. In psychologist specialising in eye movement desensitisation addition, there is advice about cancelling your holidays, and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and an expert from combining words with action, knowing when to tell staff the Office of Homeland Security in Washington, DC. to take a break or go home and the need for honesty. In 2019 I was invited to be a keynote speaker at an The first three chapters are constructed along a international conference on crisis communication timeline of disasters that describes the first hours and called EMPA in Sydney. I took the opportunity days, the first year and subsequent years. My research to spend three weeks in Australia, where I met has proved that even if people experience different with some knowledgeable people from the Red disasters on opposite sides of the world, they have Cross, the Queensland Police Service and several many of the same needs and expectations, which universities in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. occur at roughly the same points on the timeline. What struck me after all of these meetings was a The first days are often hectic and confused, when profound willingness to share insights and personal accounting for victims becomes vital and organising a experiences. Many people told me they wanted to family assistance centre is a key objective. Spontaneous contribute so that others might learn from them memorials often spring up, and I describe the ordeals and not have to go through the same ordeal, while the people in Newtown faced when the small town was others said they appreciated a focus on matters inundated by donations from all over the country after that often are forgotten or taken lightly after the the school shooting at Sandy Hook in 2012. The first year blue lights subside and a new crisis occurs. brings challenges regarding support groups and monetary donations, while the following years involve anniversaries, That my sources were positive towards my project PTSD, therapy, discussions about monuments and was also proven by the fact that so many of them went to great lengths to meet with me. A well-known 80 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

Anna Iagur | 123rf movies and documentaries about the tragedy. 81 The human dimension of disasters involves a variety of challenges and obstacles that ‘outsiders’ do not necessarily know about or consider. The book therefore describes the important work being done by police disaster victim identification (DVI) experts and includes many references to the vital job of locating, storing, cleaning and returning personal belongings after a tragedy. An old passport or a smashed mobile phone might seem of little value, but I have talked to many bereaved people after a disaster who describe how important it was for them to have such items returned. Traditional media and social media are both chapters in the book, and it is interesting to note that survivors and the bereaved often have mixed views of the media. On some occasions they feel journalists are too persistent or graphic in their descriptions of a disaster, but on the other hand they often use the media to shine a light on their side of a story or to push for changes or investigations. One example is the #neveragain movement that clever and persistent students organised after the school shooting in Parkland in 2018. I also describe the disturbing trend we have seen lately that involves the perpetrator broadcasting live from his killings. Using the terror attack in New Zealand as an example, the book chronicles how the event unfolded and how Facebook and YouTube tried to delete the videos from their websites. The last chapter of the book covers lessons learned from Covid-19. I realise that the pandemic is not over and that many countries are still struggling, but I wanted to include some findings from the human side of a different kind of disaster, so I describe organisational challenges, leadership examples and new forms of digital and remote grief. Author KJELL BRATAAS has been on the front lines of crisis communication during some of Norway’s most devastating crises. He held central positions after the South East Asian tsunami in 2004 and following the terrorist attacks in Oslo and on Utøya Island in Norway, on July 22, 2011. His new book, Managing the Human Dimension of Disasters: Caring for the Bereaved, Survivors and First Responders is published by Routledge (2021) Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-respo

Healthcare workers and Covid-19 Erik de Soir relates the experiences of nurses in emergency and intensive care medicine in Belgium, saying their stories of courage and strength, but also of fear, uncertainty and guilt, will provide additional insights into the psychosocial effects of a pandemic outbreak T he pandemic has posed a major mental health also provide information on how to deal with stress challenge in residential care centres, rest homes and resilience through adequate psychoeducation and hospitals. Perhaps now more than ever, the and training and gain insight into the prevention mental resilience of professionals is vital. of stress-related complaints during and after the Covid-19 crisis. Support must provide information From the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, about aftercare options for stress-related complaints healthcare workers (HCWs) were worried about the risks and prepare HCWs for future epidemic outbreaks. of infection and protective measures in their place of work. This led to psychological distress and indicated Policymakers and management teams should invest that action should be taken to enhance the psychosocial in better working environments and support for support of all those involved on a professional level. their staff during future epidemic waves. A post-Covid decompression period, based on The right care for HCWs spans various aspects: third location decompression programmes The identification of work-related problematic issues; for soldiers after an operational appropriate leadership policies, such as timely referral to deployment, could be considered for first peer support or professional counselling; psychoeducation responders and healthcare professionals. for self care; and creating a supportive work environment in which both physical and mental health are permanently From the beginning of the pandemic, monitored. It is also the responsibility of each healthcare mental healthcare staff – psychologists professional to monitor and maintain their own balance. and social workers – along with medical personnel from intensive care units and The objectives should include offering HCWs emergency departments, supervised by the author of psychosocial support to cope with individual stress this article, developed adequate collective support and and to maintain sufficient levels of resilience. It should Policymakers and management teams should invest in better working environments and support for their staff during future epidemic waves 82 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

trauma counselling, before and after working shifts in Covid departments, in a plastic body bag as soon as possible; body openings were as well as individual defusing or debriefing upon demand. covered up, inhalation tubes or IV equipment had to remain on the body and there was no time for families to say goodbye. Groups of HCWs have been offered post-Covid peak debriefing sessions to provide their lived experiences and to Fear of contamination develop ad hoc questionnaires for ongoing empirical research. Similarly, it was very tough working in departments where Group debriefings with mental healthcare staff from colleagues themselves became ill and in an environment where it hospitals and medical staff who worked during the Covid seemed that patients did not recover after intubation. It appeared crisis, have indicated that most hospitals developed some that those colleagues would also die, and this increased the form of support during the successive peaks of the pandemic. fear of contamination among caregivers. Medical staff in the Some hospitals worked with internal coaches, essentially intensive care units also experienced emotional difficulties since psychologists, who were on hand in the Covid departments. no one was allowed to visit Covid-19 patients. The fact that many patients had to die alone was considered very stressful for most In most hospitals, the start of the crisis was particularly HCWs because during the peak moments of the crisis, there difficult: there were too little protective materials available, were simply not enough personnel to ensure basic support for the there was too little information on proper protection dying. One said: “They died like animals: dying, death, plastic procedures and no targeted reception of Covid-patients. bag and away in a cooling container.” Medical staff found it difficult that they could not rely on the humanity they used to Standard operating procedures changed constantly and it show in normal daily routines before the Covid crisis struck. was difficult to deal with the numerous deaths properly. The coronavirus could remain active in a corpse for two or more days; people who died in the Covid department had to be put Vampy1 | 123rf Digital an 83

Vampy1 | 123rf Running parallel with these potentially traumatising from colleagues or even through WhatsApp messages images and experiences was the moral aspect at the from co-workers on the same medical unit. beginning of the crisis – having to work without proper protective equipment and adequate procedures. After several weeks of acute Covid distress, managers Previously, it was only military medical personnel who realised that there had to be more rotation of staff, had experience of mass deaths in difficult conditions and alternating between working in Covid wards and of working in a heavily biotoxic or contaminated area. deployment in other departments – one day working in The lessons learned by military medical personnel are the ‘dirty zone’ and one day working in the ‘clean zone’, as therefore of utmost importance in times of a pandemic. some put it. This was a worthy adaptation because it was good for medical personnel to see patients who had been ICU nurses and emergency services personnel reported cured and recovered. After all, the general impression had that the sudden and massive influx of infected patients been that once a patient was intubated on intensive care, was particularly hectic in the early days of the crisis. At there would be no improvement and it was sometimes peak times, some hospitals had to send many patients to erroneously assumed that certain patients would die. facilities in other provinces of Belgium because services were saturated and there were not enough supplies. Continually working in a department of the dying instilled feelings of resignation and the depressive nature The search for a way to work safely pushed psychosocial of this weighed on staff; this situation became even more needs into the background. Staff accumulated acute when personnel were also overcome by fatigue. experiences and impressions, but time was never really taken afterwards to think about them thoroughly. A number of nurses and doctors also indicated that they had a lot of difficulty with the spontaneous do not The impact, the realisation of the amplitude of the resuscitate (DNR) policy in Covid departments. This was crisis and of everything that had occurred came later, mutually agreed upon between doctors and nurses on the as is witnessed in soldiers returning from a military basis of age and pre-Covid medical condition in those operation. Often, in such cases, soldiers’ psychosocial patients who could not indicate their views on possible problems become most visible between three to six resuscitation. This is a choice based on the ‘survival months after returning home. Many will only be of the fittest’ principle, reminiscent of triage in war or ready to face up to it when they are on leave and rest, disaster conditions. In combat or in disaster situations, but now this has to be seen in a different context. medical triage elects only to save the lives of those who can be reasonably expected to live. It is evident that Medical personnel mention the deep impression left this may pose an ethical problem for civilian personnel by frequent calls with distressed relatives receiving who are not used to working in such conditions and this the bad news of a deceased loved one, often being policy can confront caregivers with moral dilemmas. informed sometime after their loved one had died. In those moments, many social workers felt alone and The initial chaos of searching for the most workable the only support during their shift came directly routine in difficult conditions, sourcing protective masks 84 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

trauma and screens, gloves, warm washable suits and adapting to a fixed to the overlap between both syndromes, many clinicians would process in handling infected patients also took some time to abate. not recognise the difference between PTSD or a moral injury syndrome incurred as a consequence of a disastrous event. Eventually, with experience, it became clear which patients should immediately be sent to the intensive care According to field experiences in two successive Covid unit – the ‘crash box’ – upon arrival at the hospital. peaks in Belgium in 2020, most hospitals and rest homes provided at least some support for the deployed HCWs Since doctors sometimes had to be everywhere at the before or during their shift, but very few had an employee same time, more pressure was put on nurses’ shoulders assistance programme in place prior to the Covid crisis. who, in some cases, were placed in medical moral dilemmas, having to make life and death choices. One aspect of support that did not work was that of psychologists waiting for the end of working shifts in order to During the peak of the coronavirus crisis, the most difficult ask exhausted nurses or doctors how they were doing. At such thing for both nurses and doctors was the permanent adaptation times, the staff only wanted one thing: to go home and rest. to changing guidelines and procedures. Owing to the relative unfamiliarity of working in these circumstances, it was Some hospitals fell back on a broad team of psychologists essential that procedures had to be frequently adapted owing and social workers from social or pastoral services who offered to ‘advancing insight’. A strong and unambiguous information some form of discussion, debriefing or ventilation at structured flow throughout the hospital was of great importance. moments. Others set up a cafeteria or chapel as a ‘zen lounge’ in which staff could relax before and after shifts, providing Moral injury syndrome some decompression before returning home. The casual environment allowed easy access to psychologists, social workers It became clear that only people who worked together as colleagues and chaplains and was seen as a very positive addition. in the Covid crisis could truly understand the situation and how things were going, which created a potential problem in terms Zen zones were sometimes also set near boards showing children’s of social support at home and among caregivers’ families. drawings, letters and thank you cards hung to boost morale. Knowing that support and encouragement were offered outside the It is also essential to consider the other patients who hospital – the daily applause at 20:00 hrs and even the music sessions continued to come to hospitals, often for urgent complaints, provided in some neighbourhoods – meant a lot to caregivers. with a problem unrelated to Covid-19. They might have been people who felt fortunate that they did not have Covid-19, However, the best way to support the Covid teams seems to but who feared contracting it in hospital and even dying be the systematic and permanent provision of short debriefing from it. Or they might have been people who came to the sessions – check-ins and check-outs – after each rotation. This hospital with a seriously ill child, but panicked and left when is also the case with first responders from uniformed services. faced with the hectic and frenzied Covid-19 reality. Given the lived experiences of HCWs and medical staff deployed It is this mix of professional and private stressors that makes in the Covid crisis over the last year, it is clear that adequate support this situation unique and so difficult for the staff. One can should be offered to these heroes before engaging them in the next assume that this context involves ongoing burden trauma, Covid wave; this is similar to the duty of care that the military has owing to the accumulation of all these experiences, images to its troops after a long-term deployment before sending them to and impressions, as well as a kind of moral injury. another war zone or engaging them in a new military operation. This indicates that mental healthcare providers should take the If the lessons learned from healthcare in crisis situations, disasters clinical image of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral and military operations can lead to better psychosocial support, injury into account when working with Covid-19 medical caregivers. each nation would be more able to show gratitude and recognition for the work carried out in this global pandemic. Moral injury in HCWs occurs when their core moral beliefs are shattered. In evaluating their behaviour negatively, it feels as if References they no longer live in a reliable, meaningful world and that they cannot be regarded as decent human beings. Anyone exposed ■ Khalid I, Khalid T, Qabajah M, Barnard A, & Qushmaq I (2016): Healthcare to such events and the aftermath of war or disaster – such as medics and body baggers – can experience moral injury. Seeing workers’ emotions, perceived stressors and coping strategies during a MERS- someone else violate core moral values or feeling betrayed by CoV outbreak, Clinical Medicine & Research, 14(1), 7-14; persons in authority can also lead to a loss of meaning and faith. ■ Lettini G (2013): Engaging the Moral Injuries of War: A Call to Spiritual Leaders, Reflective Practice, Formation and Supervision in Ministry, 40:37-46; In experiencing a moral conflict, people might judge themselves as ■ Moreno C et al (2020): How mental health care should change as a being worthless, or decide that no one can be trusted, thus isolating consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lancet Psychiatry Online (July 16, themselves from others; they might abandon the values and beliefs 2020) Doi: 10.1016/52215- 0366(20)30307-2; that gave their lives meaning and guided their moral choices. ■ Park J S, Lee E H, Park N R, & Choi Y H (2018): Mental Health of Nurses Some of these issues are already present in the accounts of Working at a Government-designated Hospital During a MERS-CoV HCWs who were engaged in the first wave of Covid-19. Next to Outbreak: A Cross-sectional Study, Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 32(2-6). the moral constraints of their world in the Covid department, Doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2017.09.006; they were confronted with terrible, sometimes shocking and ■ Yuhong D, Guangyuan H, Huiha X, Hong Q, & Xianglin Y (2020): potentially traumatising images, which may give rise to post- traumatic symptoms and, at a later stage, to full blown PTSD. Psychological impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) outbreak in healthcare workers in China, MedRxiv. Doi: 10.1101/2020.03.03.20030874. PTSD is a fear-based reaction to extreme life-threatening conditions, involving symptoms of post traumatic stress Author such as re-experience, avoidance, denial, emotional numbing, hyperarousal and depressive symptoms. MAJOR DR ERIK DE SOIR, PhD, is Research Manager Moral injury, however, is a negative evaluation of the use of Human Factors and Medicine at the Department of Scientific personal agency in such conditions – although not PTSD, it can provoke or intensify it. It comes from having a sense of empathy and Technological Research, Royal Higher Institute of for others and understanding moral reasoning and values. Owing Defence, Brussels, Belgium. He is also Associate professor in Psychotraumatology and Crisis Psychology and a Member of the CRJ Advisory Panel Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 85



search and rescue Helping make SAR effective CRJ Key Network Partner, PIX4D, explores the merits of using drones in time- sensitive missions, such as search and rescue operations, to save precious time and resources Using drones in SAR missions can reduce time spent by responders trying to access remote areas Image supplied by PIX4D In the past, firefighting teams helped co-ordinate search and drone and gather initial data in around half an hour for a small rescue (SAR) efforts, but wider public safety bodies such as area. Meanwhile, search teams can organise and prepare for the police and specialised teams are now also part of the deployment, wasting no time at the scene. PIX4Dreact then fast- equation. Drones make the entire search process easier – they maps the data in minutes without the need for an internet connection. provide a view from above and can search bigger areas Once the 2D orthomosaic is generated, it can easily be shared on quicker. An aerial perspective gathers information about a search smartphones or to relay information back to a command centre. area faster than any team on foot and can be deployed within Similarly, if thermal imagery is in use, this can be processed with minutes of arriving on site. The live feed from the drone’s camera more powerful software like PIX4Dmapper, which provides 3D is useful, but better yet are the images it collects. These can be models and a bigger range of outputs. The range of software gives compiled for use in software like PIX4Dreact, fast-mapping software SAR teams a choice in what they need to focus on for their projects. tailored for public safety. It uses the images to create a 2D map in minutes, which can be annotated by organisers deploying teams of The examples of drones in SAR are widespread. When Hurricane rescuers around a search zone. They can also use the software to Dorian struck the Bahamas in 2019, the NGO GlobalMedic measure distances, assigning specific units to certain locations, as flew out to Grand Bahama and used PIX4Dreact to fast-map well as quickly calculating areas, identifying risk zones or logging areas of the coast devastated by the storm. Its efforts saved the cleared locations. Depending on the weather conditions, drones government from ‘windshield assessments’, where authorities would can use thermal imagery to look for specific people at close range. have to drive by car to a location to assess the damage. Instead, GlobalMedic provided situational awareness in a fraction of the Although a live-stream video can be useful, the images are even time, using the drone to cover larger areas than people could more helpful. When looking at a video shot in 4K, individual access on foot and sparing assessors dangerous climbs through screenshots from that video will only be an eight-megapixel debris areas. GlobalMedic used this same rapid technique several image. This is not a very high resolution and might not be useful years before after a landslide in Mocoa, Colombia, in 2017. for mapping or for looking for signs of missing people. However, most drone cameras are currently capable of producing a far Fast, actionable data is critical in helping to make SAR effective. more detailed 20-megapixel image. The insights from a higher It’s more than just pitching up with a drone – understanding how to image resolution can help users to spot critical information for gather the right data and processing it with the right software is the the recovery efforts. Emergency responders on site can deploy the difference between missing and finding the key details of a site. ■ PIX4D is a CRJ Key Network Partner; visit pix4d.com for more details Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 87

Strengthening Iran’s USAR capacity Owing to its location, Iran is a disaster-prone country, but has high quality existing response capabilities. Here, our authors describe how these capabilities are being enhanced by international co-operation A mong the 40 different types of natural hazards, 31 have been identified in Iran, including frequent Iran is prone to natural hazards, serious earthquakes, floods, droughts, landslides, particularly earthquakes desertification, deforestation and storms. According Moein Rezaalizade | Unsplash to Iranian national data, earthquakes have killed more than 180,000 people over the last 90 years. The National Comprehensive Plan for Relief and Assistance was developed by 11 ministries under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior with the assistance of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS). Whenever a disaster strikes or in the event of an industrial accident, as the implementing partner of the state, the IRCS has primary responsibility for the provision of humanitarian assistance and for rendering search and rescue (SAR) services. As Iran’s existing response capabilities are of high quality and in some areas are equivalent to, or even surpass international standards, both Iran and the international response system would benefit from allowing interaction through Iran’s participation as a full member of Insarag. Insarag’s vision is to save lives by promoting efficiency, enhancing quality in support of an affected country and supporting capacity-building at the international, regional, sub-regional and national levels. In this spirit, Austria is ensuring that two Iranian urban search and rescue (USAR) teams prepare to undergo the Insarag External Classification (IEC) to gain a deep understanding of the expected planning, preparation and delivery requirements. Iran has the capacity and the potential to build on its future USAR teams’ classification and to develop the function of a regional training hub over time. Because of the long-lasting relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Austria, the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has initiated a bilateral sector partnership on USAR. The Austrian Centre for Risk and Crisis Management (CRC) acts as the implementing partner on the Austrian side. In February, 2018, during the ninth International Conference on Integrated Disaster Management (INDM 2018) in Tehran, CRC representatives introduced participants to the Insarag system and addressed the importance of building and maintaining international networks to increase efficiency in international disaster response. Although Iran’s natural hazards response system operates at a high level, future large-scale disasters could require outside assistance. To streamline working together between national and international USAR teams during disasters, Iran’s rescue organisations need to be familiarised with international standards, such as those from Insarag. Therefore, as part of the INDM 2018, Farsi translations of the Insarag guidelines were made 88 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

search and rescue available to conference participants. The MFA/Austrian several times by significant disasters. The UN In-person embassy sponsored INDM 2018, as well as supporting therefore recommended building capacities workshops the first translation of the Insarag guidelines into Farsi. to carry out humanitarian needs analysis such as this according to the MIRA framework. are now being Following this, an Iranian delegation visited Austria transformed into to observe an EU module exercise (Modex) in May At the same time, the need for this capacity in the virtual classroom 2018, where the delegates could see how international event of the potential earthquake disaster that geologists training, owing co-ordination and co-operation can be achieved through anticipate became evident; both the emergency aid to the Covid-19 facilitating communication opportunities between organisations and the local UN office asked for this to be pandemic different USAR teams. They were also introduced to established in the country. To this end, the CRC designed the Austrian disaster response system by representatives a virtual introductory seminar on MIRA over two days Author image of the Ministry of Interior, as well to the response last November, entitled Introduction to International systems of two provinces – Vienna and Lower Austria. Humanitarian Response and Needs Assessment Techniques in Disasters. The event was funded by the It was then decided to organise a USAR training course Austrian MFA and organised by CRC in co-operation in Iran, focusing on Insarag. This event was planned with the Iranian counterpart Pars Development Agency by the Tehran Disaster Mitigation and Management (PDA). Eighty-three participants were introduced Organisation (TDMMO) in close co-operation with to the international response environment, the on the CRC and on behalf and with the support and site operations co-ordination concept, assessment sponsorship by the MFA and UN OCHA. Forty-five methodology and especially the MIRA, which is widely IRCS representatives and the TDMMO took part. The used in international disaster response operations. main objective was to introduce the UN disaster response mechanism and internationally agreed standards, with A very short MIRA exercise was conducted at the end of a special focus on the role of Insarag in strengthening the seminar to apply the theory into practice. Participants the effectiveness and co-ordination of international came from a broad range of Iranian civil society, as USAR assistance. The purpose was to explain the well as from humanitarian organisations dealing with importance of Insarag standards for effective national and disaster response, representing NDMO, IRCS, TDMMO, international disaster response and assistance. During PDA, Norwegian Refugee Council, Society for Recovery four days of training, participants were highly engaged Support, WHO Iran, Iran’s Children Charity and Tehran and raised many structural questions, which indicated Fire Services. Six Iranian universities and three Iranian the vital need for such training courses to update the industrial or corporate organisations were also present. knowledge of USAR practitioners and experts in Iran. The audience was actively involved and hoped to get more training on these topics to prepare for the future. IRCS proposed mutual co-operation between the Iranian organisations and Austria to facilitate the As a result of the Covid-19 situation, the future focus development of several USAR teams. As a result of this will be on online training activities – virtual classroom training session, Iran’s National Disaster Management training – starting in June 2021. During these courses, Organisation (NDMO) approved the formation of two topics such as the international response environment, co- heavy USAR teams according to Insarag standards. The ordination, Insarag methodology and international USAR IRCS and the TDMMO were appointed as implementing operating procedures will be covered, among others. partners. To facilitate and support this process, Austria was also asked to become a partner in this project. Practical training and real time exercises in Iran are expected to be resumed in 2022. Mutual co-operation Authors An inception workshop was held in December 2019 at TDMMO’s headquarters in Tehran. Participants came DR STEFAN SCHOLZ is MFA/Austrian Ambassador to Iran; from TDMMO, IRCS, the Tehran Fire Department and CRC. During the event, the Austrian representatives BG ret NORBERT FUERSTENHOFER is President of the were familiarised with the Iranian disaster management system, the key stakeholders, the status quo of available Austrian Centre for Risk and Crisis Management (CRC); Dipl USAR resources and their capabilities, USAR training plans and available equipment. After discussions Ing JOHANNES GOELLNER is Chairman of the CRC; and between representatives from the MFA, CRC and Iranian interlocutors a detailed workplan for the period ARNO UMFAHRER, MBA is a Member of the CRC 2020–2023 was developed that included all necessary activities to reach the goal of having two deployable heavy USAR teams ready by the end of 2023. The project is also supported by UN OCHA’s regional office. Unfortunately, owing to the coronavirus pandemic, all timetables that had been agreed upon had to be readjusted, as travel for Austrian trainers to Iran and Iranian trainees to Austria was not possible. Instead, an online planning meeting was organised and moreover, as a complementary activity, a multi-cluster/sector initial rapid assessment (MIRA) course was held with broad participation of civil society organisations. In 2019, the Islamic Republic of Iran was hit Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 89

Living at risk in a multi- hazard country Disaster scientist Burcak Basbug reflects upon the very dynamic and frequent disasters arising from socioeconomic imbalances and hazards in her home country of Turkey, saying that they can be viewed as a way of immunisation against surrounding risks S eismic risk, economic risk, social risks, terrorism learn opportunity for an event that is yet to occur. risk, environmental risks, the current pandemic The learning from past events should serve as a risk, flood risk, human influx risk, technological risks… Living with these dangers certainly raises guide for preparedness in future by understanding awareness in terms of being a crisis responder. the philosophy of resilient recovery. Implementing resilient and robust strategies in the rehabilitation/ Before the most devastating earthquake in the history recovery process leads to building back better, helps of Turkey in August 1999, which is a milestone in disaster with resilient recovery and creates resilience in terms of and emergency management policies, the main focus of individuals, households and neighbourhoods – locally, almost all disasters was based on response. Since 1999, regionally and globally. This cannot be achieved by a the focus has shifted towards investment during the single person, country or institution alone. There is a ex ante period, being both proactive and mitigating. need for strong coherence between all stakeholders, from individuals to the private sector, from academia to local Looking at the significant disasters since the government, from national governments to NGOs. 1990s listed in Table 1, the variety of human- caused, natural and technological hazards is easily A popular term often used today is that of ‘disaster risk observed. Each of these needs a different approach in governance’. Efficient and effective governance can only terms of the preparedness, mitigation, response and be achieved when all merge their forces and resources. recovery phases. Drills and practices are crucial to improvements at operational, tactical and strategical Turkey has made good ground since 1999 in terms levels. Each event should ideally become a lessons-to- of search and rescue, psychosocial support, drills and training, setting up financial risk reduction mechanisms, On November 1, 2020 an earthquake in the Aegean Sea caused a tsunami at Seferihisar Izmir. This yacht was stranded following the tsunami Arda Savaşcıoğulları | Alamy Stock Photo 90 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

quakes human resources, equipment and digitalisation. But, there Year Type Location is a long way to go and a need to place more emphasis on 1992 Earthquake Erzincan the road to resilient recovery, disaster risk governance, 1995 Earthquake Afyon-Dinar community engagement and stakeholder management. 1998 Earthquake Adana-Ceyhan 1998 Flood Bartin The biggest change in the Turkish Disaster Risk 1999 Earthquake Marmara Region Management System is the unification of the former 1999 Earthquake Duzce-Kaynasli General Directorate of Disaster Affairs, General 2003 Earthquake Bingol Directorate of Civil Defence and the Turkish Emergency 2011 Earthquake Kutahya-Simav Management Authority under one roof as the Disaster 2011 Earthquake Van-Ercis and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) in 2009. 2011 Human Influx Syria This aims to shift the centralised top-down approach to a 2014 Mine Accident Soma decentralised bottom-up approach and give more power 2019 Earthquake Elazig to local authorities. AFAD has its Headquarters in Ankara, 2019 Avalanche Van along with 81 provincial directorates. Between 2009 and 2020 Earthquake Izmir 2018, AFAD was directly linked to then-Prime Ministry 2020 Pandemic Global to cut down on bureaucracy in decision-making processes. However, after the 2018 Presidential system change in or explosions. In 2012, tsunami hazard was added to Table 1: Significant Turkey, AFAD now operates under the Ministry of Interior. This is considered by disaster and emergency related the coverage; any other losses such as building contents disaster events in stakeholders to downgrade AFAD’s collaboration and co-ordination powers under the law. In the case of disaster and injury treatments are excluded. There are 15 tariffs Turkey since the and emergencies, AFAD is connected to a ministry, yet there are other line ministries such as Health, Family, applied by the TCIP, calculated on three building types 1990s Environment etc, where all seem to have equal power. (reinforced concrete, masonry and other types) and five Author Turkey has good practices in terms of reducing seismic risk, for example, the Istanbul Seismic Mitigation and seismic zones determined in the Seismic Hazard Zone Emergency Preparedness (ISMEP) project, which aims to retrofit or reconstruct public schools and hospitals. The Map of Turkey, which was revised by AFAD in 2019. hospitals, designed with seismic strength in mind, have been opened as pandemic hospitals during the Covid-19 The earthquakes in Van (2011), Elazig (2019) and Izmir surge in Istanbul. One such establishment, formerly called the Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital, was re- (2020) were an important test of the system’s effectiveness, opened on March 30, 2020 as Prof Dr Cemil Topuzoglu City Hospital, named after the first medical doctor to and it seems to work efficiently. As of May 2021, the pass away owing to Covid-19 at the beginning of the pandemic. This facility has become the hub for Covid-19 penetration rate is 57.8 per cent, with 10,218,195 policies patients and is the most high-tech hospital in Turkey. sold across the country. In the past 20 years, the insurance ISMEP is also working to enhance the earthquake resistance of public schools as a huge contribution towards pool has paid out more than 30,000 claims caused by 696 a safe school policy in a highly seismic city. Kadikoy Ataturk Science High School (Kadikoy Ataturk Fen tremors or earthquakes with a total of $32 million. The Lisesi) is one of the best examples of a seismically strong school. It has been recognised for its energy saving design, TCIP’s total payment capacity is almost $2.5 billion. which will be replicated across the city for sustainable development in the education sector. The ISMEP project The examples of ISMEP and the TCIP are significant started with the World Bank in 2006 and has been funded by other international financial institutions since then. and unique mechanisms. However, the risks are not Another good practice is the start of the Turkish just limited to earthquakes or Istanbul, the whole Catastrophe Insurance Pool (TCIP) as a financial instrument to mitigate seismic risk. According to an country must be prepared for multiple hazards. OECD estimate, the 1999 Marmara Earthquake caused a deficit in the national budget of approximately $16- Whatever we do in terms of disaster and emergency 20 billion USD – between five and seven per cent of GDP. As seen in Table 1, the frequency of earthquakes, management and crisis response for our own localities, our as well as their possible economic effects on country’s financial resources, are signs of the urgent need to ultimate aim is to contribute to sustainable development initiate a financial system to compensate for disaster losses. The 1999 earthquake led to the launch of the and leave resources for future TCIP in September 2000 – the first example of a public- private partnership in an emerging market like Turkey generations. Since 2020, we have – aimed at providing compulsory insurance for dwelling units within municipality borders. This insurance entered a new world, a new life. The Author only covers only structural losses caused directly by an earthquake or consequent losses from floods, landslides Sustainable Development Goals BURCAK BASBUG is (SDG) 2030 agenda is still valid. SDG Academic Director of ICPEM, 17 suggests international collaboration Special Advisor to former and its enhancement. Wherever we Turkish Prime Minister are, we need to think globally and Professor Ahmet Davutoglu in Disaster, support each other for a resilient Emergency and Crisis Management, future for all humanity. Living at risk and is Disaster Risk Management in a multi-hazard country is a further Working Group Lead at Ankara City motivation for this. Council, Turkey Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 91

Revolution or evolution? Mission critical communication The new, fifth generation technology standard for mobile telephone networks provides even faster broadband connectivity. But should public safety and mission critical organisations switch to 5G now, or wait until coverage is improved and standards are fully established? Mladen Vratonjić investigates The European Telecommunications Standards Institute leveraged for mission critical networks around the world. (ETSI) in its article Why we need 5G, states several But these networks no longer meet all the needs of mission critical key reasons why 3G and 4G (Long Term Evolution – LTE) will soon be unable to meet the growing needs users in the broadband world. In line with the growing challenges of both private, corporate and government users and of society, such as the increased risk of natural hazards, global operators efficiently and optimally. Mobile data traffic is rising medical challenges or crime (and cybercrime), the communication rapidly, mostly owing to video streaming and as users tend to needs of security and rescue workers are growing. Increasingly, own multiple devices, each has a growing number of connections. they need reliable transmissions and the ability to process large The Internet of Things (IoT) requires networks to handle billions amounts of data and video material. There are many such more devices. Network operators therefore need to increase both user cases and needs, especially now, when citizens using the traffic capacity and energy efficiency, while remaining under capabilities of the next generation 112 can report emergencies pressure to reduce operational expenditure as users are used to by voice call, as well as by sending data and videos. It is no flat rate tariffs and don’t wish to pay more. Finally, new revenue longer just a question of capacity and speed of transmission, but streams for operators can be opened up as mobile communication the immediate execution of commands, mass communication technology enables new use cases (eg for ultra-low latency or between devices and then the selection, analysis and processing high reliability cases) and new applications for the industry. of useful information using artificial intelligence systems. To enable these improvements, new technological solutions have Standards for critical communications have become part been invented. Among them is support for new, higher spectrum, of the global standards for 4G and 5G networks, and they are delivering Gbps+ data speeds, new antenna arrangements and New being developed by the Third Generation Partnership Project Radio (NR) which, combined with edge computing, lower latency to (3GPP) with the help of its market representation partners milliseconds. Also, adoption of cloud-native platforms and service- (MRPs). TCCA is the MRP for critical communications. based architectures will enable highly scalable and dynamically configurable networks, which will make it possible to fulfil diverse Enriching device ecosystems requirements requested by a particular user’s applications. LTE is being adopted among users of critical communications. However, despite the large number of new functions, structural Nationwide LTE systems for public safety are proceeding with differences and new technological solutions designed to enable the roll-out of the Emergency Services Network (ESN) in these improvements, 5G technology is essentially an evolution the UK, FirstNet in the US and SafeNet in South Korea. In of 4G. It will be deployed in many different architectural models, addition, regional and local 4G networks have been successfully which are expected to change over time as the market adapts. installed for public safety in territories such as the Middle East. So how can mission critical communications benefit from While LTE offers a step change in terms of capabilities for 5G networks? To meet the requirements of public safety and critical communication operators and users and already provides other mission critical organisations, various types of special considerable benefits to mission-critical users, 5G is expected features are implemented, different from what the public to provide evolutionary enhancements in terms of performance, uses – push to talk, group communication, different priority greater range of use cases and quality of service network controls. levels, pre-emption – and safety, reliability and resilience are The key objectives underpinning development of 5G standards also enhanced. There are dedicated technology standards include: Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) performance, that have been used for many years such as TETRA, P25 providing substantially improved throughput and capacity; and Tetrapol; all are well-established narrowband systems massive machine-type communications (mMTC), connecting sensors and physical assets, enriching device ecosystems, enabling 92 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

comms Melponen | 123rf additional use cases and improving situational awareness; location of an event, since processor capacity is deployed in the and ultra-reliable low latency communications (uRLLC), network, and where devices or tablets only need to act as clients. enabling critical machine-type communications (cMTC). 5G could allow enhanced operational flexibility by providing more advanced mechanisms for shared network security. This And how can the mission critical community benefit from all would permit secure cross-border or network communications these technological capabilities? With mission-critical 4G LTE, for effective co-operation between countries and organisations. many use cases can already be addressed and deployed, or are being deployed. Capabilities – including situational awareness In addition, 5G will enable the usage of autonomous vehicles – will be enhanced further by using 5G. Body-worn cameras for intervention in hostile environments and will provide and cameras in police cars will be able to connect to command real time AR content overlay, typically mapping information centres to identify what is happening at an incident and to gain to firefighters’ glasses. AR can also improve how firefighters an overview of the situation as it unfolds. Video surveillance can see in a smoked-filled, zero-visibility environment. and analytics are another benefit. In addition to cameras hosted in and around emergency service vehicles, cameras can also In terms of next steps for mission critical organisations, should operate on remotely controlled drones or unmanned vehicles for they invest in LTE or wait for 5G standardisation to be completed better awareness of urgent situations in areas that people cannot and equipment manufacturers to reach a mature stage? As easily access. Then there is the capacity for remote control and a scalable network solution, LTE offers an upgrade path to monitoring. With the introduction of 5G NR, ultra-reliable and 5G; for example, LTE evolved packet core (EPC) can also be low-latency communications, new applications will pave the way to reused in non-standalone 5G arrangements delivering NR. assisted driving and fully unmanned automated vehicles and keep the network reliable when multiple remote-control applications LTE already provides major transformational benefits, especially coexist in the same location. And finally, there is the capability for customer solutions in public safety, transport, defence and for immersive applications for first responders. The introduction smart city markets. Starting with a critical communications of mobile broadband with low latency, combined with edge 4G network, the migration path to 5G will be a smooth computing, opens new possibilities for deploying command and transition that keeps pace with the maturing ecosystem. control capabilities. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will reduce the amount of desk space used by multiple display By 2022, 5G coverage will be more widely available, but still screens and allow emergency organisations to equip workers with behind that of 4G. Critical communication services using mission wearable solutions like smart glasses to access data at the scene. critical data and mission critical video will be in use over 4G and 5G. Mission critical push-to-talk services will largely remain In the case of 5G technology, it is expected that new possibilities operating over 4G, given the availability of wide area coverage, that have not yet been envisioned will appear. 5G will provide broadcast services and the ecosystem of compatible devices. the opportunity for mMTC designed to provide penetration for hundreds of thousands of devices per square kilometre, Therefore, initial investment in LTE solutions could result in allowing command and control systems to monitor an almost early mobile broadband benefits without losing the option to evolve unlimited number of sensors. 5G infrastructure will allow device to 5G in the future. With this in mind, TCCA would advise all processing and data offloading, running applications much users of critical communications who need broadband: The future closer to end user operations and leveraging edge computing is here, act now! techniques. This means that first responders can use advanced applications for data analytics and communications at the Author MLADEN VRATONJIĆ is Chairman of the Board and Director at the Critical Communications Association (TCCA), Vice President, EENA and Member of CRJ’s Advisory Panel Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 93

Gcalin | 123rf Gathering momentum: Next generation 112 Freddie McBride from EENA explores the merits of implementing Next Generation112 in emergency services’ communications and summarises a three- day event that showcased the technology T he international emergency services community recently these different types of communications. It is widely joined the European Emergency Number Association considered that NG112 will lead to more efficient (EENA) for a virtual event entitled Next Generation handling of emergency communications and, ultimately, 112 (NG112) – from theory to reality. The event took a more effective and timely emergency response. place over three afternoons in April 2021, with over 320 participants from a broad range of stakeholders. It is over eight years since EENA published its Long Term Definition Document for NG112 which called for ‘a new The ‘Next Generation’ moniker in NG112 suggests technology with a new architecture’ to enable citizens something mystical and futuristic, but the reality is that to contact emergency services: “Using the same types the technology itself is nothing new. The innovation of technology as those they use to communicate every and the novelty lie in how it is used. This event aimed day.” Significant developments in standardisation and to dispel this myth and foster the implementation of legislation have taken place in the intervening period NG112 to transform how citizens contact emergency and the way people prefer to communicate has also services using voice, video, messaging and other media evolved in response to technological developments. This and to enable emergency services to receive and process new architecture now exists and EENA recognises 94 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

comms that citizens’ needs and the operational needs of the emergency Romania also emphasised the human element and the services would be better served by the deployment of NG112 challenges of retaining staff and filling important positions within sooner rather than later. The theoretical discussion has taken place the PSAP. Vasilca stated that in challenging times, a difference and the concepts have been proven. It is high time to shift to the can be made with: “Continuous and large-scale investment in realities and practicalities of wide-scale deployment in Europe. employees’ knowledge and certification in new technologies.” Participants were surveyed about their understanding of The common message during day two was the need for the concept of NG112 and about plans in their own countries multistakeholder collaboration to define requirements and typically for deployment. As you would expect, there was a greater this starts years before actual implementation projects begin. understanding of the concept among the vendor community, The event wrapped up on day three with a regulatory perspective while most participants had only a basic understanding. Public on NG911 implementation from Canada. Etienne Robelin of the safety answering points (PSAPs) and public authorities that have Canada Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission already started planning for NG112, or that are already in the (CRTC), also reiterated the importance of stakeholder collaboration. implementation phase, had a more advanced understanding of the The Canadians have taken a novel approach to the deployment concept, while those participants with little or no understanding of the Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet), a key component were interested in learning more. The in the NG112 architecture. Network findings of this short survey confirmed operators referred to as incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), essentially ‘Next generation’EENA’s initial view that there was a need for further education and awareness- carriers that have a dominant position raising to move the discourse away suggests the technology to serve a particular region prior to from theory and towards deployment. is mystical and futuristic, market liberalisation, are obliged The first day of the event focused but in reality it is not new to roll out and operate the ESInet infrastructure. It makes sense, given on what NG112 is, why it can meet the needs of citizens and emergency services that ILECs have a ‘mission critical and how it could be deployed. Luca culture’ in deploying, managing and Bergonzi and Wolfgang Kamplicher, EENA Tech and Operations monitoring network infrastructure and this type of culture was Committee co-chairs, described NG112 architecture and features, highlighted by several speakers as being essential should the as well as providing the background on the successful development emergency services decide to deploy and manage their own ESInets. of technical standards and conformance testing of those standards. Of course, in Canada and the US, the capital and operational NG112 expert Michael Pröstler then presented his inside-out cost of next generation technology is substantially covered by approach to NG112 deployment, based on the seven milestones for a ring-fenced fund raised through surcharges on consumer deployment detailed in EENA’s NG112 Implementation Steps. telephone bills; this funding model is not available in Europe. The practical experiences from implementation projects were Some interesting and thought-provoking insights were presented on day two, and it was apparent that the operational revealed at the event. These were probed and reflected upon by requirements that can be addressed by next generation technology EENA’s team in a final interactive session with the audience. are equally as important as the new features that the technology One of the most interesting audience engagements can bring. Speakers from France and Romania in Europe (NG112), during the final session was on participants’ perceptions of and from Connecticut and California in the US (NG911), placed NG112 implementation barriers. Out of six possible options, strong emphasis on operational needs in their implementation legislative and/or standardisation gaps were perceived projects. Michel Monneret from the Digital Agency for Civil to be the biggest barrier to NG112 implementation. Protection in France, expects to benefit from consolidation One obvious reason for this conclusion is that the European and rationalisation in the ongoing NexSIS project – a French Commission will implement delegated acts at the end of 2022, which flavour on NG112 if you will – to ensure the more effective use will impose obligations and provide further guidance on what of all available resources throughout the country. This allows member states must do to provide appropriate access to emergency for call handling capacity in one region to be utilised when there services in the future. ‘Funding’ ranked fourth in the survey, which is a crisis in another region and for a more even distribution was lower than EENA expected, but perhaps this is to be welcomed. of emergency communications between PSAPs. This will A lack of understanding of NG112 ranked second, which lead to benefits from the use of new technology with better provided a segue at the event for EENA to announce its NG112 interoperability and scalability at a reduced operational cost. Education Programme. EENA intends to engage with national Existing technology, new architecture level stakeholders, one country at a time, to raise awareness and educate on all things NG112. Finally, participants were asked for Continuing this theme, Sorin Vasilca, of the Special their views on when NG112 should be implemented. ‘In three to Telecommunications Service in Romania considered the high cost five years,’ was the popular choice, which makes sense given the of maintaining legacy equipment and sourcing spare parts. This perceived legislative and standardisation gaps and the advice from was echoed by US presenters William Youell, Office of State-wide speakers that stakeholder collaboration should start well in advance Emergency Telecommunications, Connecticut, and by Budge of implementation. It seems that the message about stakeholder Currier, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, California. In collaboration was well and truly delivered and national-level fact, one of the speakers provided an anecdote of legacy spare parts stakeholders should now get together to put their NG112 plans in that had been sourced on eBay, which is probably not the most place. Things are now definitely moving on for NG112 in Europe. prudent approach for maintaining a mission critical solution! ■ Visit eena.org for more information about NG112 If anything, the focus on operational requirements and cost demonstrated that the opportunity cost of not Author migrating to next generation technology was a significant FREDDIE MCBRIDE is a senior telecoms expert with over 20 factor in proving the business case, a salient point to years’ experience in the ICT sector. He currently works at the note for those embarking on their NG112 journeys. European Emergency Number Association (EENA) Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:2 | June 2021 95

Alexey Borodin | 123rf Evaluating exercises effectively CRJ Advisory Panel member, Tomasz Zwęgliński reports on the findings of a conference held to assess evaluation mechanisms with a focus on emergency services, search and rescue, security and healthcare facilities T his April, the Main School of Fire Service based methodological instruments to optimising (SGSP) in Warsaw, together with WSB Academy exercise evaluation processes to make them more in Dąbrowa Górnicza (Poland) and six other transparent, exercise aim-driven and objective. European universities, organised an international scientific conference on Evaluation Mechanisms Topics included: The theoretical model of exercise in Safety and Security Related Exercises. evaluation; statistical methods for evaluating exercises; good scientific practices applied to the evaluation of The conference’s honorary patronage was held firefighting exercises; specificity of exercise evaluation by the Polish Chief Commandant of the State Fire at healthcare-based facilities; national approaches to Service – National Civil Protection Executive Director exercise evaluation in the Netherlands, Sweden and General Andrzej Bartkowiak. CRJ Advisory Panel Poland; good practices from implementation of the member Lt Col Tomasz Zwęgliński, PhD, chaired Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Programme the conference’s scientific committee, supported by administrated by the US Federal Emergency Management two deputies – Prof Bernard Wiśniewski and William Agency; and evaluation rules applied for search and Peterson, also a CRJ Advisory Panel member. rescue teams for UN Insarag certification purposes. Speakers shared their knowledge and experience The conference’s findings confirmed that exercise from national and international exercises in two evaluation is the key, overarching and consecutive plenary sessions. The practitioners and academics process over the entire cycle of exercise organisation, discussed the problems of applying scientifically- starting from design, through to preparation, 96 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

events execution and then evaluation. This process must drive the July 11 – 15, 2021 October 18 – 22, 2021 aim of the exercise forward, while the aim itself is formulated Natural Hazards Center: International Airport Summit 2021, based on practitioners’ needs and exercised system’s gaps. Workshops and research meeting Virtual Event These are deduced from evaluations of previous, logically hazards.colorado.edu internationalairportevents.com connected exercises – a concept called rolling exercises – and from findings revealed during real emergencies and crises. July 12 – 13, 2021 October 19 – 22, 2021 Disaster and Emergency Milipol Paris 2021, Paris, France In general, exercises’ aims can be twofold. On the one hand they Management Conference, Gold en.milipol.com can be driven by capability building purposes, on the other, but Coast, Queensland, Australia not excluding the former, by response readiness checks, including anzdmc.com.au November 1 – 12, 2021 development aspects of testing new protocols, solutions and so UN Climate Change Conference on. Thus, achieving an exercise’s aim justifies the argument that July 14 – 15, 2021 UK (COP26), Glasgow, UK it was a success. However, it is not legitimate to make such a claim Cyber Strategy Retreat, Virtual ukcop26.org if a robust and systematic evaluation process is not in place. Event and in Atlanta, Georgia, USA November 9 – 11, 2021 There is, therefore, a crucial need to implement an exercise cyberstrategyretreat.com IFSEC Southeast Asia, Kuala evaluation method, techniques and tools, to match the purpose Lumpur, Malaysia of the exercise’s aim and its end goal. Such methods should July 28 – 30, 2021 ifsec.events provide objective, reliable, fact-based evidence, including data Fire-Rescue International, acquired during the exercise, such as observations, recordings Charlotte, North Carolina, USA November 16 – 18, 2021 and documents – this is primary data. When this has been iafc.org Resilient and Responsible collected, decoded, ordered, analysed, interpreted and Architecture and Urbanism, judged, the question of whether the exercise was achieved can August 18 – 19, 2021 Selangor, Malaysia be answered. Hence, the evaluation process begins with the Australian Disaster Resilience ierek.com decision to organise an exercise and determine its purpose. Conference 2021, Sydney aidr.org.au November 24 – 26, 2021 Correct design, preparation, organisation and testing of the European Forum for Disaster Risk evaluation method in a pilot trial are prerequisites for the evaluation September 7 – 9, 2021 Reduction, Matosinhos, Portugal process’s success and of the exercise as a whole, at the execution Commercial UAV Expo Americas, undrr.org and debriefing stages. It is important to understand the significance Las Vegas, USA of this process, to learn the basic principles and methods of expouav.com November 24 – 25, 2021 evaluation, as well as practical aspects of their implementation. Digital Construction Week, September 8 – 9, 2021 London, UK In this way, services, guards, inspections and other crisis International Conference on digitalcontrsuctionweek.com management and civil protection professionals can identify the Sustainable Development, Rome, strengths and weaknesses of their actions during exercises, including Italy November 24 – 25, 2021 co-operation with other entities. ecsdev.org GEO Business, London, UK geobusinessshow.com Author September 13 – 14, 2021 Fire Rescue Canada, Virtual Event December 1 – 3, 2021 TOMASZ ZWĘGLIŃSKI is an academic leading the Internal cafc.ca National Disaster Resilience Conference, Clearwater Beach, Security Institute at the Main School of Fire Service in Warsaw, September 14 – 16, 2021 Florida, USA K-Safety Expo, Seoul, South flash.org Poland and a member of the CRJ’s Advisory Panel Korea ■ For more information, visit wsb.edu.pl k-safetyexpo.com December 7 – 9, 2021 Commercial UAV Expo Europe, Cyber strategy retreat September 21 – 23, 2021 Amsterdam, The Netherlands NEEDS 2021: Imagining Futures, expouav.com/Europe The Cyber Strategy Retreat is a business strategy event Östersund, Sweden that features executive panels, roundtable discussions needs2021.com December 7 – 9, 2021 and keynote presentations from Eric McNulty, Amsterdam Drone Week & Cathryn Marshall, Lee Haney and Keyaan Williams. This October 6 – 8, 2021 UAM Summit, Amsterdam, The sixth conference will continue the mission of CLASS-LLC to EENA Conference 2021, Riga, Netherlands promote cross functional collaboration between executive peers Latvia amsterdamdroneweek.com – especially those who are responsible for cybersecurity risk. eenaconference.org February 6 – 8, 2021 The monetary damage caused by cybercrime has been October 11 – 16, 2021 AEC Next Technology Expo & increasing exponentially since the Internet Crime Complaint 14th International Conference of Conference, Denver, Colorado, Center (IC3) started tracking statistics in 2000. IC3 reports the European Academy of Design USA that almost 800,000 internet crime complaints in 2020 eadresearch.org aecnext.com led to losses exceeding $4.2 billion in the US alone. See more dates on our online calendar The Cyber Strategy Retreat offers an appealing experience at www.crisis-response.com for participants, no matter how they connect. The live event will be broadcast from the Buckhead Club in Atlanta, Georgia on July 14 – 15. In addition to integrating questions from virtual attendees into the panel discussions, dedicated roundtable sessions have been scheduled to ensure the virtual audience has the same premium experience as live attendees. ■ For more information, visit cyberstrategyretreat.com Digital and print editions for subscribers www.crisis-response.com Crisis Response Journal 16:1 | March 2021 97

frontline To infinity and beyond Claire Sanders speaks to Lord Martin Rees about his career in astrophysics and his extensive ongoing research into existential threats and risks L ord Martin Rees is the 15th Astronomer Royal and Baron He has spent much of his career at Cambridge of Ludlow – the English town where he grew up as a University and is Director of the Institute of Astronomy. “I Lord Martin Rees’ child. He studied for a PhD in astrophysics at Cambridge have always been engaged with politics and was involved projects include a University. “As this was in the 1960s, I was lucky because in various campaigns. In 2005 I became President focus on technical it was a time when the subject was just opening up for of the Royal Society. It is part of my job, as well as a innovations to the first evidence of the Big Bang and black holes and pleasure, to engage with policy work.” Rees became help address the also the race into space,” he says. His enthusiasm is more involved in environmental issues, researching climate crisis clear: “The advice I give to young people contemplating extreme risks from environmental threats, as well as a career in research is to pick a subject where new things the misuse of biotechnology, cyber and AI. He meets Author photo are happening – with emerging techniques, new data and weekly in a House of Lords Select Committee to take new ideas.” Rees also suggests that people must be able evidence about risk assessment and mitigation in terms to adapt quickly, as technology is evolving constantly. He of how the UK could cope with massive cyberattacks. jokes: “I feel I’m really a cheerleader in that sense, because I think I’m probably too old a dog to learn new tricks, so Rees finds it frustrating that there is sometimes a big that’s an area I feel I should leave to the younger people!” gap between talking about things and getting them done. “It’s hard to get politicians to prioritise issues like climate change because they tend to focus on what’s immediate and what’s local to the country or their constituency – to get them to care about something that will have its biggest effects on Africans 30 years from now is a big ask. That’s why it’s very important to encourage young people to get involved in campaigns and demonstrations.” And it is vital to have charismatic figures on board; Rees highlights a quartet of people – Pope Francis, Sir David Attenborough, Bill Gates and Greta Thunberg – who form incredible collective influence. Climate change would not be as high on the political agenda had it not been for these four individuals energising their followers: “Now these issues are high in the press and the inboxes of politicians. This must happen with long-range issues,” he stresses. Rees uses the UK’s legislation on banning single-use plastic drinking straws as a parochial example. “But the concern about plastics in the ocean wasn’t an issue among the public until Attenborough’s Blue Planet 2 series was aired,” he comments. Had it not been for the programme and the influence it exerted, the environment minister might not have decided to spend capital on introducing the law. Rees continues his work on astronomy – his latest book, Do we need Astronauts? will be published later this year. Existential risks and threats feature highly on his agenda, and he plans to write more on climate change. He also wants to focus on innovations that technically advanced countries can help to implement in expanded programmes for populous countries so that they can leapfrog directly to clean energy without building more coal-fired power stations, thus reducing their global CO2 emissions. Lord Rees has a lot of things on his plate; each one of them a vital concern for our future global health. Author CLAIRE SANDERS is Assistant Editor with the Crisis Response Journal 98 Follow our LinkedIn Company page for updates: The Crisis Response Journal follow us on twitter @editorialcrj

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