“Increasing local presence and the availability of preparedness resources in Eastern Finnmark is a very important measure to strengthen Norway’s ability to manage crises in the High North,” believes Natalia Andreassen, Professor at the Center for Crisis Management and Collaboration – Nordlab, Nord University.
“A preparedness hub will also create workplaces and professional environments in a region experiencing depopulation,” continues Andreassen in an e-mail to High North News.
However, exercise activity will be central for increased practical preparedness capabilities, she points out.
“For the preparedness cooperation to work in practice, it is important for preparedness actors, including local communities and knowledge environments, to contribute to joint exercises across country borders in the North. This is also mentioned in the government’s High North Strategy.”
“More cooperation with Sweden and Finland is an important point. We can learn from and further develop experiences from
Sweden’s total defense, which coordinates civil and military actors, and Finland’s concept of comprehensive security, focusing on preparedness regions and civil defense centers, with close cooperation between municipality, state and defense,” continues the professor.