What if a prolonged power outage causes many familiar services to stop working, with lifts, lights, phones and the internet all unavailable? This autumn, The Hague will test emergency support points in four neighbourhoods to prepare for these kinds of emergencies and crisis situations: Transvaalkwartier, Scheveningen-dorp, Ypenburg and Benoordenhout.
The Hague has significant differences between its neighbourhoods. By running the pilot in areas that vary considerably in terms of population, mobility and type of housing, the municipality can investigate how the emergency support points function under different circumstances and how they can best respond to residents’ needs.
The pilot is now being prepared in the four neighbourhoods together with residents, community organisations and important local networks such as sports clubs, religious organisations and cultural organisations.
Practical exercises will take place in all four neighbourhoods in mid-October. During these exercises, temporary and simulated emergency support points will be set up at familiar and recognisable locations in the neighbourhood to investigate what does and does not work locally.
The trial is intended to help develop real local emergency support points where residents can go for information during an emergency, report a problem or emergency, and find and support one another.
Looking out for each other
Residents and community organisations are also preparing for emergency situations in The Hague neighbourhoods where no practical exercises involving emergency support points are taking place.
For example, neighbours can make agreements about what to do in an emergency. The municipality can provide support where needed.
Preparing for an emergency, such as a prolonged power outage, is largely about looking out for one another. Who are you in contact with? Who could you help? Who could you turn to?
Using a neighbourhood check, residents can make their own preparations and agree together how people in a street, apartment building or neighbourhood can support one another.
National programme: Think Ahead
The pilot in The Hague is part of a national initiative to gain experience with emergency support points.
The exercises will help determine what is needed in terms of organisation, staffing, equipment and funding to further develop these support points.
The Dutch government intends to use this knowledge to build a nationwide network of local emergency support points that can support residents and strengthen resilience during crises and disruptions to essential services.
During an emergency, assistance may sometimes take some time to arrive, particularly when important services are unavailable and there is no electricity because of a major outage or, for example, a cyberattack.
This is why preparation is important. As part of the national Think Ahead campaign, households across the Netherlands have received an information booklet from the Dutch government containing tips and advice on how to prepare for emergencies and disasters.
The development of emergency support points is part of this programme to improve residents’ ability to cope independently and support one another.
Haaglanden Safety Region
The Hague is carrying out the pilot in cooperation with municipalities within the Haaglanden Safety Region.
Leidschendam-Voorburg will also hold a practical exercise this autumn, while the connection between emergency support points and emergency services across the Haaglanden region will also be examined.
If the power is out for several hours, it becomes difficult both to call for help and to receive information about what is happening in the city.
The pilot in the four The Hague neighbourhoods will therefore also investigate whether emergency support points can be used to gather important information from neighbourhoods for the city and emergency services.
The results of the practical exercises will be evaluated by the municipality and Haaglanden Safety Region and shared with the Dutch government.
Source & Images: Municipality of The Hague
https://www.denhaag.nl/pers/pilot-noodsteunpunten-in-vier-haagse-wijken/
Translated to English by The Hague Online.
Further information
https://www.denhaag.nl/
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/terrorismebestrijding/vraag-en-antwoord/hoe-bereid-ik-me-voor-op-een-noodsituatie