Communities strengthen emergency preparedness: a series of regional workshops held under the SYLA project

A series of regional workshops aimed at enhancing community capacity in emergency preparedness and response took place in Romny, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia.

During the events, participants discussed current local security challenges, shared practical experiences, and jointly developed solutions to improve community readiness for crisis situations. Special attention was given to building reserves necessary to prevent emergencies and mitigate their consequences. The workshops also presented the results of baseline community assessments, including analyses of key risks, available resources, and levels of preparedness for emergency response.

The workshops involved partners from ACTED and IMPACT, who presented the outcomes of their work and actively participated in expert discussions. Local community leaders, representatives of civil protection authorities, volunteer fire brigades, and specialists from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine also joined the discussions.

The events were held under the SYLA project, which aims to strengthen local emergency response mechanisms. The project is implemented by the Ukrainian Red Cross in partnership with the Danish Red Cross, German Red Cross, ACTED, and IMPACT, with financial support from the European Union.

These meetings represent an important step towards enhancing coordination between communities, strengthening the role of local volunteer fire brigades, and establishing effective mechanisms for protecting the population.