National security begins at the local level – with effective local governments, well-coordinated emergency services and residents who are prepared to take action. Shelters, warning systems and emergency procedures are essential, but they are not enough without trust, the necessary skills and the capacity to respond to unforeseen threats. How can we strengthen the resilience of local communities? Does Poland’s crisis management system adequately address the real needs of local governments?
These were the key questions explored by participants in the third Łukasiewicz – ITECH debate.
The discussion, entitled “Local Government in Times of Crisis: How Can We Build Local Resilience and Effectively Manage Threats?”, brought together Associate Professor Artur Wołek from the Institute of Political Science and Administration at Ignatianum University in Krakow; Associate Professor Dawid Sześciło from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw and an expert on local government at the Stefan Batory Foundation; Associate Professor Mariusz Szyrski from the Faculty of Law and Administration at Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw; and Radosław Zyzik, PhD, from Ignatianum University in Krakow. The discussion was moderated by Szymon Kępka.
The discussion drew on research and analyses examining local resilience, crisis management, and the social and institutional factors shaping security. The experts reflected on lessons learned from recent crises, including the 2024 floods, and explored the challenges of implementing legislation on population protection and civil defence. Particular attention was paid to the role of local governments, community leaders, education and public trust.
Key Takeaways from the Debate:
- Infrastructure is essential, but it alone cannot ensure local resilience.
Building resilience cannot be limited to investing in shelters, warning systems or emergency response equipment. Equally important are residents’ skills, the ability to work together and the capacity to adapt to unexpected situations. Even the best-equipped municipality will not be adequately prepared if residents do not know how to respond to threats and institutions are unable to coordinate their actions effectively.
- Effective crisis management requires greater autonomy for local governments.
One of the main challenges facing Poland’s civil protection system remains its centralised structure. Although local governments are responsible for many aspects of ensuring residents’ safety, their capacity to act is constrained by funding arrangements, complex administrative procedures and insufficient staffing resources.
The debate highlighted the need to move away from one-size-fits-all approaches towards locally tailored resilience strategies that reflect the specific characteristics and needs of individual municipalities and counties. Flood-prone areas require different preparedness measures from those needed by border communities or major cities.
- Local organisations and community leaders should be an integral part of the security system.
Experiences from floods and other crises have demonstrated the vital role played by village heads, volunteer fire brigades, non-governmental organisations and informal community leaders. Their knowledge of local residents and available resources enables them to mobilise assistance quickly, share vital information and support emergency services in their response efforts.
However, their potential remains underutilised. A study of 300 local governments, cited during the debate, found that only 6% had entered into cooperation agreements with non-governmental organisations in the field of civil protection. Meanwhile, representatives of village administrative units (sołectwa) participated in crisis management teams in just 5% of the municipalities surveyed.
- Awareness of threats does not always translate into appropriate action.
In crisis situations, people do not always act in accordance with what they know. Optimism bias, overconfidence and the tendency to follow the behaviour of others can lead people to underestimate warnings and delay taking action. Simply providing information about safety procedures is therefore not enough.
Practical skills need to be developed through regular exercises, including small-scale drills. Examples include proposed short drills focusing on the first 15 minutes of a crisis, simple checklists to facilitate evacuation, and the establishment of neighbourhood networks for mutual support.
- Trust and effective communication are the foundations of local community resilience.
The effectiveness of the civil protection system depends not only on whether warnings reach residents, but also on whether they perceive them as credible and take appropriate action. In times of crisis, particularly when communication networks are disrupted or disinformation is widespread, personal relationships and local communication channels become especially important.
The experts emphasised that resilience must be built around the needs of local residents. People, rather than administrative procedures, should be at the heart of the civil protection system. Equally important is raising public awareness of potential threats through dialogue, education and collaborative planning.
Local resilience must be built before a crisis strikes.
The key challenge is to move beyond formal preparedness measures and short-term investments towards building long-term resilience. Local security depends not only on the resources available to a municipality, but above all on the ability of its institutions and residents to work together effectively in times of crisis.
We invite you to watch the full recording of the debate on the Łukasiewicz – ITECH YouTube channel.
