Abstract
Aim: Presentation of a model solution for a crisis management system for large urban agglomerations, assuming that such a model should form part of the current crisis management structure at the national and provincial levels.
Introduction: The intensive urbanisation of areas adjacent to large urban centres poses new challenges for the crisis management system. There are two types of agglomerations in Poland, namely monocentric agglomerations consisting of smaller towns concentrated around one large city (e.g., Warsaw agglomeration) and polycentric agglomerations consisting of several or more large cities (e.g., Silesian agglomeration). In each agglomeration – regardless of its type – there is a so-called “leading city”, which is the capital city of the province and at the same time the city with the district rights. An example of such a city is Warsaw, where the crisis management system has been functioning well for several years and it is different than in other agglomerations. Therefore, it seems reasonable to examine whether it would be possible to create a crisis management system model for other Polish agglomerations based on the Warsaw practices.
Methodology: A comparative analysis of selected agglomerations and crisis management frameworks across entities forming these agglomerations was used to find the baseline data for the model solution. The evaluation of the existing solutions at the Warsaw agglomeration level was obtained through a diagnostic survey conducted among the employees of local government administration.
Results: The results of our diagnostic survey support the crisis management model adopted in Warsaw. The model solution for the crisis management system for large urban agglomerations may be based on solutions adopted and well tried in the Capital City of Warsaw. The model takes into account the creation of the Security and Crisis Management Office for the Agglomeration (BBiZKA) directly subordinate to the Mayor of the provincial city. A strong crisis management centre of the agglomeration would be a permanent element of BBiZKA, the Agglomeration Crisis Management Team would be the advisory element for the Mayor of the city. The Security and Crisis Management Office for the Agglomeration could be established at the expense of the liquidation of dispersed crisis management centres in the cities and municipalities forming the agglomeration. In the national crisis management system, the Crisis Management Centre of the Agglomeration would – as in the case of Warsaw – be subordinated to the Provincial Crisis Management Centre.
Keywords: crisis management, agglomeration, public administration, security
Type of article: original scientific article