Emergency preparation and response: Resources for local government

Curated case studies on how councils are preparing and responding to emergencies and building local resilience, plus selections of policy reports, podcasts and interviews. Examples this week come from South Korea, Canada, Portugal and Australia.

Have your own example to share, get in touch!

Case studies on emergency resilience and prevention

SOUTH KOREA: Intelligent disaster prevention system implemented in Seoul
Last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government established an intelligent disaster prevention and safety system following the 2022 Seoul Halloween crowd rush. The system is based on population density data collected by security cameras, automatically informing authorities of any signs of risk. If high density is detected, the government’s district disaster prevention room, police and fire department are notified. The government has also synchronised its disaster prevention services across districts and implemented new crowd safety measures, such as greater pedestrian pathway options, making crowded alleys one-way, and closing select subway stations.
SmartCitiesWorld

CANADA: Major Toronto resilience project aims to flood-proof and rewild
70 years ago, the City of Toronto experienced its worst ever flooding in the wake of Hurricane Hazel. After decades of examining ways to prevent another disaster of that scale, the city has recently launched an ambitious urban resilience project designed to push the boundaries of green infrastructure. The Port Lands Flood Protection Project aims to reshape some 600 acres of Toronto’s Port Lands District, converting industrial wasteland into new floodable parks, wildlife habitat, and eventually housing for 20,000 residents. The initiative also features a massive project to reroute the Don River. The project has been described as pushing the boundaries of rewilding, green infrastructure, and urban resilience.
Bloomberg

PORTUGAL: Island city recognised for forest fire resilience
In 2021, the City of Funchal, capital of Madeira, Portugal, received an award for Good Local Practices in Promoting Resilience from ANEPC, for its Civil Protection Centre scheme. Madeira is particularly vulnerable to a range of natural threats, from forest fires to erosion. After a disastrous summer in 2016, the city created Civil Protection Centres, community organisations working on aa voluntary basis which allow for residents and communities at risk of hazards to build a collective, tailored response to emergencies, and build risk prevention and resilience. The city works with these centres in delivering training and intervention and evacuation teams.
The Mayor

AUSTRALIA: NSW council commended for pandemic response
Another council recognised for its grassroots disaster response, in 2022 Bellingen Shire Council received a Resilient Australia Local Government Award for its Pandemic Response Group initiative. The response group initially took the form of the council supporting community responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. From there, the council helped to lead a local response team featuring key local stakeholders, from chambers of commerce, community champions, and local healthcare providers. The council facilitated weekly virtual meetings for the group for a year, created message boards and videos, helped to run a non-funded Covid testing clinic, and supported and funded particular community initiatives. 
Government News

Resources on emergency resilience and planning

Article: How smart cities are taking action on natural disaster resiliency
This article published on SmartCitiesDive considers the importance of improving disaster resilience and outlines several funding avenues for resiliency upgrades in urban areas, ranging from modernised buildings, to more resilient buildings, to sustainable infrastructure.

Report: Building systemic climate resilience in cities
This paper proposes a four-pronged policy framework to disentangle the different elements of economic, social, environmental, and other systems operating in cities and build systemic climate resilience. 

Interviews: Building resilience in a time of uncertainty
Based on a 2022 panel discussion on building resilient communities, this interview features perspectives from figures in Australasian local government and urban planning on what’s most important in developing resilience.

Podcast: Disability and disasters
Considering that people with disabilities are more likely to be negatively affected by disasters, and left behind in the aftermath, this podcast from the Institute for Global Development examines how we can mainstream inclusive responses to disasters to ensure better security, safety and rights for all.

Looking for even more? Make sure you subscribe to LGIU to never miss out on this essential service for the local government sector everywhere.