Redningsplaner

Redningsplaner, or rescue plans, are formal documents that outline how rescue and emergency-response operations should be organized and carried out during disasters or acute incidents. They are developed by authorities at municipal, regional, or national levels and are integrated into a broader framework of preparedness, crisis management, and civil protection.

They establish the objectives, scope, and triggers for activation, and assign roles and responsibilities to responding agencies such as police, fire and rescue, ambulance services, coast guard, health authorities, and, where relevant, military or disaster-response organizations. The plans specify command structures, communication protocols, and decision-making processes to ensure a coordinated and timely response.

Core components typically include risk assessment, resource inventories, logistics, evacuation and shelter arrangements, casualty handling, public information, and safety requirements for responders. Plans also describe operational procedures for different scenarios (maritime incidents, urban search and rescue, wildfires, floods) and outline interagency cooperation and mutual-aid arrangements.

The planning process is iterative and ongoing, involving development, testing through drills and exercises, evaluation, and revision. Plans rely on up-to-date data, maps, contact lists, equipment inventories, and information systems such as incident command systems and geographic information systems to support situational awareness and resource management.

Redningsplaner are a core element of emergency management and civil protection, bridging preparedness, response, and recovery. They require regular training, public communication, and coordination with neighboring jurisdictions to handle cross-border or large-scale events effectively.