Preparation and crisis management

The Brussels Fire Brigade works daily to strengthen its preparedness and resilience, both for small incidents and for major crises. 

We focus on: 

• Risk analysis
   We continuously map out the risks that occur in the Brussels-Capital Region. Think, for example, of industrial risks, tunnels, large events or complex buildings.
• Planning and emergency procedures
   If serious risks are identified, we advise the competent authorities – such as the mayor or the senior official – to draw up a specific emergency plan. We actively participate in the preparation and implementation of these plans. We have a strategic role before and after the crisis.
• Operational preparedness
   We ensure that we can scale up quickly in the event of major accidents. That means: coordinating people and resources well, following clear procedures, and preparing everyone well through training and exercises.
• Research and development
   We closely monitor new risks, technologies and innovations. In this way, our interventions remain efficient and adapted to a changing society.
• Mobile deployment 
  We monitor our response times by entering into a timely dialogue about mobility plans or infrastructure projects. Because with every intervention, every second counts. 

In a context of increasingly diverse and evolving risks, fire services invest in research and innovation to increase their effectiveness. 

This translates into, among other things: 

• The development of new equipment that is safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly,
• The improvement of crisis management software and risk maps,
• Testing operational procedures in new contexts (extreme weather, confined spaces, etc.). 

Thanks to this approach, Brussels Fire Brigade strengthens its capacity to meet the challenges of tomorrow with resources that meet today's needs in terms of safety, health and the environment. 

In our profession, every second counts. The speed of intervention is often decisive for saving lives, limiting damage and controlling a hazard. That speed depends directly on our ability to reach the scene of the incident without delay. 

This requires: 

• Easy passages designed for the purpose of providing assistance,
• A thorough knowledge of the territory,
• A fast and reliable transfer of location information,
• An adapted road infrastructure and digital infrastructure. 

Mobility issues are therefore at the heart of the risk culture: anticipating traffic jams, keeping emergency routes smooth, working with the City, the municipalities and the Region to adapt the urban space to the needs of the emergency services, etc. All these measures significantly enhance the quality of the operational response. 

When a serious emergency occurs, the Brussels Fire Brigade takes action with well-prepared procedures and a clear structure. 

In the event of an exceptional situation – i.e. an incident that requires more resources and coordination than usual – the Brussels Fire Brigade takes on different roles, as part of a multidisciplinary approach. 

Our actions during crisis situations include: 

• Intervention Management (OPS)
   We coordinate the firefighting and emergency medical emergency interventions entrusted to us.
• Scaling up (PREP)
   In the event of major disasters or pre-estimated high-risk events, we organise the scaling up of personnel and resources. We activate our own command structure through the Plan Red.
• Multidisciplinary coordination
   As Discipline 1 (fire brigade and technical assistance), we take charge of the multidisciplinary command post (PC-Ops) when necessary. This is done in consultation with other disciplines such as the police, medical assistance and psychosocial support.
• Alerting and coordination (NC112)
   Through our emergency centre NC112 we warn all the government services and emergency services involved. If necessary, we ask them to join the crisis structures that are being set up.
• Strategic management
   As coordinator in the field, we advise the competent authorities (mayor, senior civil servant, minister) to move – if necessary – to a strategic management phase of the crisis.
• Exercises (PREP & OPS)
   We actively participate in mono- and multidisciplinary contingency plan exercises to continuously improve the cooperation between all services involved. 

The approach to incidents in Belgium is done at different levels, depending on the complexity and size of the situation: 

• Classic intervention of an emergency service that acts autonomously (monodisciplinary).
• On-site consultation between several emergency services to coordinate their actions.
• Setting up a multidisciplinary command post, often under the direction of the fire brigade, which takes on the coordination between all disciplines with the aim of neutralising the threat or limiting the consequences.
• Activation of a strategic management phase by the competent authority (municipal, provincial or federal level), mobilising all the necessary resources. 

In Belgium, crisis management is coordinated by three competent authorities, depending on the scale of the incident: 

• the mayor, for local situations;
• the senior civil servant, at regional level;
• the Minister of the Interior, in the event of national or large-scale crises. 

In addition, five specialised disciplines work  together: 

1. Discipline 1: emergency operations (fire brigade and technical assistance);
2. Discipline 2: medical, health and psychosocial assistance;
3. Discipline 3: police and law enforcement;
4. Discipline 4: logistical support;
5. Discipline 5: warning and information for the population. 

Each discipline acts within its specific area of expertise, but the success of the intervention depends on good cooperation between all actors involved. 

The fire brigade plays a double, essential role in this: 

• In a monodisciplinary context (D1), they carry out the tasks specific to their profession, such as firefighting, technical assistance and assistance in the event of accidents.
• In a multidisciplinary context,  they ensure operational coordination on site. They often take charge of the multidisciplinary command post (PC-Ops), in consultation with the other disciplines. In addition, they advise governments on strategic planning and management of emergencies.