Safety Information policy

The possession and acquisition of information is crucial to all safety partners (including not only the police, fire brigade, emergency medical services, municipalities, water boards and the Ministry of Defence, but also citizens and businesses). It sounds both simple and logical; having access to the appropriate information, at the right time and in the right place, to be able to respond effectively, efficiently, jointly and individually. 

Improving the provision of information is a complex process. There are numerous links in the safety chain, which also differ from one another in terms of their culture, funding, cooperation and ICT development. Furthermore, there are sometimes conflicts of interest between their individual and joint objectives. The Netherlands Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations is keen to ensure that the provision of information is improved, both within and between the various columns. To this end, an umbrella policy vision has been developed: the Safety Information Policy.

This policy is aimed at improving both the possession and dissemination of information among the safety partners. The objective is to ensure that they share both essential and up-to-date safety information with one another, both during routine operations and in the event of crisis or disaster. The Safety Information Policy should therefore lead to:

• well-informed care providers
• shorter response times
• a joint situation view for everyone involved
• clear communication
• swifter assistance
• cheaper ICT

General description of the Safety Information Policy

The Safety Information Policy philosophy has been encapsulated in a model; the Galaxy model. This model describes what administrative agreements have to put in place (orange), the manner in which various types of information may be disseminated and reused (green) and which technical standards have to be maintained (blue).

The information exchange should occur as widely and efficiently as possible, even in the event of disasters and crises which involve (large-scale) failures of means of communication. Each organisation should be able to access the relevant information it requires to perform its duties at any given moment, even if said information is accumulated or stored elsewhere.

The key to safety information policy is that the parties involved at the three aforementioned levels conclude agreements with one another with a view to achieving this objective.

The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has developed principles designed to bring about greater cohesion. The objective of these principles is not to disrupt the division of responsibilities, but rather to promote collaboration in the field of the provision of information and ICT among safety partners. The Ministry’s intention in establishing these principles is to direct the exchange of information, without actually getting involved in the technical details of the matter.