ISBN: 978-80-7422-833-9 | ISBN online: 978-80-7422-833-9 | DOI: 10.32725/zsf.2022.74228339

Nestátní neziskové organizace, dobrovolníci a možnosti spolupráce při mimořádných událostech

Štěpán Kavan

Society protection includes a comprehensive set of measures, which focus on human safety. Rescue and security forces have been set up in the Czech Republic to deal with emergencies. Their priority is to save lives, health, property, and the environment. In addition to state-guaranteed units, non-governmental non-profit organizations (NGNPOs) and volunteers are involved in preparing and resolving emergencies. The rules of co-operation and co-ordination according to Act No. 239/2000 Coll., on the Integrated Rescue System, apply to their co-ordination in case of extraordinary events. NGNPOs have systematically been preparing and involved in dealing with emergencies for a long time. They create platforms for co-operation and co-ordination focused on follow-up activities after rescues, e.g., affected area monitoring, humanitarian, psychosocial, material and financial assistance, counselling and other technical assistance. This type of co-operation and collaboration of several NGNPOs is called the Panel of NGNPO. It is a space for discussion. This monograph focuses mainly on the specific area of non-governmental non-profit organizations and volunteering to prepare and resolve emergencies. The goal of the theoretical part is to define the basic concepts and systems regarding NGNPOs and volunteering in emergencies, develop a comprehensive theoretical view, and to describe the theoretical basis that is essential for the activities of NGNPOs and volunteers in the preparation and resolution of emergencies and crises. In the practical part of the publication, the goal is to examine the co-operation of municipality crisis management staff (with extended powers in the South Bohemian Region) with NGNPOs and volunteers in the preparation and resolution of emergencies, to investigate the involvement of non-governmental non-profit organizations in the South Bohemian Region in solving the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, i.e., in the state of emergency period from 12 March 2020 to 17 May 2020, and to evaluate the involvement and coordination system of NGNPOs in emergencies in individual higher territorial self-governing units (regions) of the Czech Republic. We mainly used document analysis and content analysis for the elaboration of this monograph. We supplemented it with the authors' own experience while collaborating with non-governmental non-profit organizations and volunteers, during extraordinary events and involving the people concerned in solving situations. The main research methods were questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, which helped to obtain information from selected NGNPOs, volunteers and fire brigades. In the empirical part, when examining the involvement of NGNPOs and volunteers in Czech regions in the preparation and solution of emergencies, we used a standardized original questionnaire. We used SWOT analysis to further process the obtained information. The survey results show a tendency for the collaboration of the involved parties dealing with emergencies and crises (regional FRS, region, ORP) with selected non-governmental non-profit organizations and volunteers. The research of activities and co-operation in the South Bohemian Region documents the approach of non-profit organizations, crisis management staff in municipalities with extended powers, and the NGNPO Panel's involvement in specific regional conditions. Another part of the research showed the current participation of NGNPOs and volunteering in the preparation and solution of emergencies and crises, and the comparison of the development of this cooperation in Czech regions. NGNPOs and volunteers have established themselves as a standard part of dealing with specific emergencies. The authors’ contribution to the collective monograph can be seen mainly in the theoretical and practical anchoring of non-governmental non-profit organizations, and volunteering in involvement in the preparation and solution to emergencies and crises. Keywords: Civil society; Collaboration; Emergency; Integrated rescue system; Non-state non-profit organization; Regional fire rescue service; Volunteering

1.. edition, Published: 2022, online: 2022, publisher: NLN, s. r. o., Praha