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Communication

Be-Alert, 1771, WPCC, D5
The National Crisis Center develops procedures and tools to ensure smooth communication before and during an emergency, both between the emergency services and partners, and to the public.

Communication between emergency services

The national security portal Paragon is an online platform where emergency services, authorities and partners can prepare for an emergency and exchange information during an emergency.

The NCCN is responsible for the development of this platform, provides training to new users and offers technical support in the use of this platform.

Communication to the public

BE-Alert

BE-Alert is an alert system that allows the government to notify you in an emergency. Sign up on www.be-alert.be.

The NCCN manages the system, trains municipalities and cities in the use of BE-Alert and conducts a test every quarter. The NCCN also develops new alerting options and conducts national information campaigns.

Information number 1771

Local authorities wishing to provide an information number in an emergency situation may use the national information number 1771. This information number can be operational day and night within the hour. Thanks to a cooperation with the FPS Public Health, this information number can handle both calls concerning general information and sensitive calls concerning information about possible victims.

Municipalities or cities that wish to use this infrastructure must first conclude an agreement.

Guide to crisis communication

In order to support those responsible for discipline 5 (information to citizens) in their tasks, the NCCN has published a guide to crisis communication.  This guide consists of several brochures:

The NCCN also provides annual training in crisis communication to those in charge of discipline 5.

Team D5

In 2013, the NCCN set up Team D5. This is a team of communication professionals who volunteer to support local authorities in crisis communication. The NCCN coordinates this team and provides annual training. Team D5 already gave support during numerous emergency situations, such as the multiple collision in Zonnebeke, the nitric acid leak in Gistel, the fire in a garage in Aartselaar, the COVID-19 pandemic and the attacks in Brussels, for which they won the EENA 112 Award for Remarkable Crisis Communication.

Cities and municipalities that wish to activate Team D5 can contact the NCCN 24/7 service. Team D5 can assist on site or remotely and can take on any role within the Crisis Communication Work Process. A deployment of Team D5 is free of charge.

Risk communication

Every year, the NCCN carries out national information campaigns to increase knowledge about risks in Belgium and the correct reflexes in the event of an emergency. Some examples are the launch of mijnnoodplan.be (a site to make one's own emergency plan), the development of teaching packages for primary schools (BE-Ready), and the national campaigns on nuclear or major accident hazards.