Collaboration and interaction of first responders with the general public

There is an increased focus on the need for collaboration between first responders and the general public. This type of collaboration requires soft skills that are not necessarily included in more traditional command and control trainings for first responders. Learning to collaborate with the general public requires different didactics than learning technical skills. It also requires different support tools; tools that let the trainees experience the engagement with the target group. These didactics and their supporting tools are developed as part of the DRIVER activities. More specifically, two separate but complementary trainings with support tools have been developed in DRIVER. These two trainings will feed into the DRIVER portfolio of solutions. The first training is an Awareness training. The Awareness training will aid professionals to become aware of the possibility to see the general public as a resource. The aim is for first responders to be able to evaluate when the general public can be (safely) involved and what tasks they can (effectively) perform - primarily during the response phase. One scenario has been developed to help first responders practice in a digital environment facilitating the provision of immediate feedback to support efficient achievement of the Awareness training learning objectives. The second training is Psychological First Aid training. This training focuses specifically on psychosocial support from professionals to the general public. The aim is for first responders to be able to recognise and help those people that require immediate psychological first aid during the aftermath of a crisis to reduce initial psychological distress and to support short- and long-term recovery and coping thus supporting the affected people to be active survivors. Three scenarios have been developed to help first responders achieve the Psychological First Aid training learning objectives in a digital learning environment