Zaragoza City Council was invited by the European Social Network (ESN), one of Europe’s leading networks of social services officials and providers, to share its approach to incorporating the specific needs of these groups into crisis management. The participation of the Aragonese capital takes on special significance this year, as Zaragoza holds the title of European Capital of Accessibility in 2026.
Enrique Mur, head of Command and Operations at the Firefighting, Rescue and Civil Protection Service, presented Zaragoza firefighters’ proposals at the seminar to improve care, protection and safety for people with disabilities in emergency situations.
The proposal is based on one premise: disabilities or vulnerable circumstances should not become an additional difficulty when help arrives. The aim is to move toward a more inclusive and accessible emergency system in which these needs are considered from the earliest stages of planning, rather than only once a crisis has already broken out.
AN EXPERIENCE IN EUROPEAN DEBATE
The Helsinki seminar also provided an opportunity to examine how public services should prepare for crises that may shape the coming years. The COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, geopolitical instability and cyberattacks have demonstrated, according to participants, the importance of strengthening coordination and the response capacity of public authorities, especially when an emergency affects people who may be in a more vulnerable situation.
During the sessions, participants also shared experiences and good practices from different countries and presented the European Social Services Crisis Management Framework, developed by the ESN as a reference to guide preparedness and responses to emergency situations.
