PRIJEDLOG SMJERNICE ZA UPRAVLJANJE U IZVANREDNIM DOGAĐAJIMA
PROPOSED GUIDELINES FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Summary/Abstract: Effective management of accidents, major accidents, and disasters requires unified command, coordination, and the timely exchange of information among all stakeholders and operational civil protection forces. Previous practices in emergency management in the Republic of Croatia indicate that the distribution of responsibilities among national, regional, and local levels, in the absence of a clearly defined temporary coordination body, hinders coordinated action in the field.All organizations are primarily structured to function optimally under normal operating conditions. In addition, organizations often face workforce shortages due to understaffing, inadequate organizational arrangements, and other unforeseen factors. Therefore, in emergency situations, organizations need to transition from their formal structures to alternative modes of operation, i.e., temporary organizational forms, in order to effectively respond to the challenges posed by an emergency event.This paper analyzes possible guidelines for emergency management, which are yet to be adopted, based on the model of an Expert Team as a temporary organizational form within the civil protection system, aligned with the international standard ISO 22320. The methodology involved an analysis of the normative and strategic framework, followed by a descriptive systematization of the proposed provisions of the Guidelines for Emergency Management according to functional areas: team activation and composition; tasks and responsibilities at the national and regional levels; support structures; communication and subordination; documentation of activities; and spatial and technical requirements. The results of the analysis indicate that the Expert Team model would establish a clear chain of responsibility extending from members of operational groups to the head of the civil protection headquarters, enable the flexible formation of operational groups for specific tasks, and standardize the documentation of activities through the maintenance of an activity log. The proposed model may serve as a practical framework for state administration bodies and local and regional self-government units in preparing, activating, and managing a coordinated response to emergency events.This professional paper proposes the format of an Expert Team as a link between decision-makers and operational forces in the field. The proposed model is based on the applicable legal framework and on experience gained from managing recent disasters in the Republic of Croatia.

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