ISO Considers Development of Crisis Management Standards

Published: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 22:00

An International Organization for Standardization subcommittee recently discussed the development of standards to improve crisis management for natural and man-made disasters. Approximately 70 delegates from 30 countries, including 12 developing countries, attended the first meeting of ISO/TC 223 in Stockholm, Sweden, in mid-May. The committee was formed to develop standards relating to emergency preparedness, crisis coordination and post-emergency reconstruction.

At its first meeting, the committee reached some basic agreements on the scope and structure of its future work, and will prepare a business plan to use as a guide at its next meeting in November. In addition, it established three working groups to address societal security management; terminology; and command, control, coordination and cooperation.

The committee comprises representatives from 22 ISO-member countries as participating members, and. another 21 countries have observer status in the group. The participating countries are: Austria, Canada, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and Ukraine.

For more information, visit www.iso.org.

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