Nearly 70 municipalities launch emergency support point pilot across 25 safety regions

A pilot program with emergency support points has begun in nearly 70 municipalities across all 25 safety regions, the Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten (VNG) announced on Tuesday evening.

An emergency support point refers to a designated site in a municipality where residents can seek help when public services are disrupted. At a minimum, they are given important information. The trial is assessing whether these locations can offer additional types of support as well.

Under the plan, emergency support points are physical facilities that must be up and running within one hour after a crisis begins. Beyond sharing information, the pilot is assessing whether residents can use these sites to place 112 emergency calls if phone and internet services fail, whether drinking water can be supplied, and whether people can charge critical devices there.

Each location is fitted with emergency generators and backup communication tools, including satellite phones, two-way radios, and amateur radio systems like those operated by DARES. The trial relies on familiar public venues, such as community centers, schools, libraries, and municipal buildings.

Commissioned by the VNG, the safety regions, and the Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid, the trial is being conducted by the Nederlands Instituut Publieke Veiligheid (NIPV).

Given their close ties to residents and entrepreneurs, municipalities are partnering with the safety regions to implement the emergency support point trial. The municipality of Utrecht held a practice exercise with such a support point in December.

Recent budget documents show that funds have been set aside for pilots involving emergency support points and that, starting in 2027, structural funding amounting to thousands of euros per region could become available to further expand this role, both locally and regionally.

An advisory report is expected to emerge from the trial in early 2027.