Preventive Measures Against the Hostile Use of Hazardous Substances in Public Spaces

Effective communication is a key factor in CBRNE preparedness, that is, incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive substances. Our studies focus on emergency response personnel – police, fire services, and ambulance staff – whose actions are crucial in the acute phase. Their work, however, is influenced by how risks are perceived, how professional groups cooperate, as well as by media reporting, public reactions, the involvement of policymakers, and the healthcare system’s ability to prioritize care under pressure.

While perceptions of serious risk can enhance our ability to act, misconceptions and excessive concern may hinder the efforts of emergency responders and lead to an overload of healthcare services through the so-called worried well effect, where people seek medical care without having been exposed. How such risk understandings manifest among emergency personnel themselves, however, remains an underexplored area.

Research shows that targeted training, organized exercises, and simulation-based drills are effective ways to strengthen preparedness. However, with a theoretical approach to risk communication inspired by Niklas Luhmann, the management of CBRNE incidents can be understood as a dynamic interplay between different social systems. Police, fire services, and ambulance personnel create meaning and set priorities according to their own logics, while simultaneously being affected by media, the public, and several levels of governance and administration. Apart from sufficient resources, strengthened resilience requires communication practices that go beyond simple information transfer and instead are based on dialogue, openness, and trust – both within emergency response organizations and in relation to other societal actors.