BRU Response is a programme designed to strengthen individual and collective capacity to overcome crises in the Brussels-Capital Region.
It is aimed at both professionals and the general public, and is structured around three pillars:
Integrated networks
Training and exercises
Citizen participation
Mutual support and the sharing of skills are crucial for effectively managing crises. Strong networks facilitate the smooth running of institutions and enable the exchange of best practices, essential for the development of each partner as well as the existing procedures.
The Brussels Regional Crisis centre RCCR (Regionaal Crisiscentrum Centre de crise Régional) is a multidisciplinary centre of expertise and information on security, public order and incident management. The RCCR is part of the network of regional crisis centres, which also includes CORTEX and CCVO, and aims to provide a harmonised vision of the roles and missions of each centre.
Safe.brussels works closely with all the Brussels' institutional players involved in emergency situations. To develop a crisis management culture and strengthen existing partnerships, safe.brussels has created a network of Brussels administrations.
In an emergency situation, the High Official - Governor for crisis management or the Mayor in charge of strategic coordination for the crisis must designate or confirm the Dir-PC-Ops (Director of the Operations Command Post). This certified operational manager leads an operational command post.
Launched in 2023, the Brussels-based Dir-PC-Ops network enables its members to strengthen their mutual knowledge and take part in feedback sessions, both in terms of exercises and real-life situations. This network is also setting up a multidisciplinary Dir-PC-Ops reserve.
Networks play a crucial role in crisis resilience. By facilitating cooperation and the sharing of expertise between institutions, BRU response contributes to:
BRU Response offers in-depth, multidisciplinary training for all those involved in crisis management.
In June 2023, two training days were organised for members of the regional administrations network. Emphasis was placed on an integrated, in-house approach to crisis management, with the aim of strengthening the resilience of the regional administrations themselves. These training courses will be organised on an ongoing basis, with the possibility of extending them to other partners.
A compulsory training day is organised for volunteers in the civil security citizens' reserves, in collaboration with the SIAMU/DBDMH. The programme includes:
Multidisciplinary crisis management requires optimum cooperation between the various services involved. Crisis management exercises are an opportunity to assess and improve the procedures and actions set out in the emergency planning framework. They enable partners to strengthen their mutual knowledge and learn how to work together effectively.
BRU Response also supports municipalities in organising exercises, thanks to a scenario specially created for the Brussels-Capital Region by safe.brussels, in collaboration with the Brussels-Capital Region Military Command (COMEX).
Following the COVID-19 crisis, the French-speaking Parliament of Brussels set up a citizens' decisions committee on the role of citizens in crisis prevention, notification, management and evaluation. Within this framework, BRU response supports and runs 3 projects:
It's crucial that everyone is aware of the risks that can arise in the Brussels-Capital Region, and of the first steps to take in the event of a crisis. Safe.brussels launches communication campaigns to raise public awareness of risks and crisis preparedness.
A society's resilience is based on knowledge and crisis management.
Safe.brussels organises citizen meetings in the Brussels municipalities, creating a place where citizens can exchange views with authorities and crisis management experts.
These meetings are also an opportunity for citizens to get involved and express their interest in joining the Communal civil security citizens' reserve (Réserve citoyenne communale de sécurité civile – RCCSC/ Gemeentelijke burgerreserve civiele veiligheid – GBCV).
Several municipalities are already involved in this BRU response project. Safe.brussels continues to organise citizen meetings so that the RCCSC/GBCV can continue to grow. The RCCSC/GBCV at a glance:
To create a real community of volunteers, safe.brussels publishes Newsletters, highlighting new partners, the reserve's activations, etc.
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