Bürger-Uni

Flash floods, low water levels, or the pressure backdrop of wars – the constant stream of crisis reports overwhelms many people and triggers a range of reactions, from anxiety to ignoring the news altogether. There are, however, explanatory models that show why we tend to ignore crises and risks in our daily lives or become overwhelmed when disaster strikes. Understanding these mechanisms is important to help decision-makers and society as a whole learn how to better deal with crises.

Preparedness strategies will be presented using examples such as extreme climate events and civil defense. The cross-cutting topic of critical infrastructure highlights how interconnected our supply services are and how dependent we have become on them – a fact we often only realize when something fails. At the same time, this opens up opportunities to think across sectors and to remain capable of action even in times of crisis.

Alexander Fekete is Professor of Risk and Crisis Management at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences. He works in the field of security research on natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes or landslides. In particular, his research focuses on their impact on affected persons, but also on power and supply chain failures. He has gained work experience at universities, the United Nations and the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance.