The police and other emergency response agencies will conduct an exercise at Karlstad University, in and around Building 12. In connection with this, the university will carry out an internal crisis management exercise to test new working methods and strengthen its ability to handle serious incidents.
The exercise will be clearly communicated and marked. Among other measures, building 12 will be cordoned off during parts of the day. Affected departments and units have already been informed. Students will be informed via kau.se, social media channels, and information screens across campus.
Part of the development of the University’s crisis management work
Over the past year, Karlstad University has been developing a new crisis management plan and a new crisis management organisation. The aim is to create clearer roles, responsibilities, and ways of working, while improving cooperation with external stakeholders.
– We want to ensure that we have a modern and effective crisis management structure that works in practice when it is truly needed. Exercises like this give us the opportunity to test our procedures and identify areas for further improvement before the new crisis management plan and organisation are formally established, says Berith Ramberg, head of security at Karlstad University.
The new model is based on established incident command and staff methodologies, using a common approach employed by many public authorities and other societal organisations.
– In the event of a serious incident, it is important that we can cooperate with other organisations and speak the same operational language. This enables us to share information more quickly and make better decisions, says Berith Ramberg.
Focus on function and competence
An important change in the new model is that the crisis management team will be staffed based on function and expertise rather than managerial position. This means that individuals with the appropriate knowledge and skills for specific tasks will be part of the team, while relevant managers are kept informed and provided with the basis needed for decision-making.
During the exercise, participants will work on developing situational awareness, analysing the progression of events, identifying cooperation needs, and preparing decision-making and communication materials.
An opportunity to learn and improve
According to Berith Ramberg, the goal is not to evaluate individual performance but to strengthen the university’s organisational capability.
– Exercises such as this are an important learning tool. They are about being willing to test, discuss, and draw conclusions together. The more we practise, the better prepared we will be if we are ever faced with a real crisis situation, she says.
