Yves Stevens, Spokesperson, National Crisis Centre, Belgium – The crisis hotline in Belgium

1. The crisis hotline in Belgium
Yves STEVENS
Spokesperson of the National Crisis Center

2. CRISIS HOTLINE
Objectives
• During major emergencies
• COVID-19, floods, terrorist attack
• No emergency number
• To inform the population (dialog)
• Practical questions
• Avoid saturation of the emergency numbers

3. CRISIS HOTLINE
Practical organization
• The National Crisis Center has a contract with a private company
• The private company is 24/7 disponibel
• Operational in one hour
• For local emergencies local authorities can also activate the hotline

4. CRISIS HOTLINE
Practical organization
• Collaboration with the Red Cross: psychosocial support
• Collaboration with sign language interpreters
• 4 languages

5. CRISIS HOTLINE
Terrorist attacks 22 March 2016
23.000 calls on 25 days
12.500 calls on 22th March

6. CRISIS HOTLINE
COVID-19

7. CRISIS HOTLINE
COVID-19
• From February 3 to December 31: 761.188 calls
• Peak (March 16 – begin lockdown): 9.724 calls
• Number of operators: from 10 to 100
• First weeks: 24/24h
• Still operational: 2.500 calls

8. CRISIS HOTLINE
CONCLUSIONS
• Multiple advantages to work with private company
• Practical questions
• Avoid saturation of the emergency numbers
• Dialog with the citizens
• Additional communication channel

9. https://crisiscentrum.be
@CrisiscenterBE