Humanitarian aspects in emergency management
Civil emergencies — Authorised Professional Practice
Summary
In the context of emergencies or major incidents, humanitarian aspects are crucial for effective response and support. Responders are expected to provide appropriate care for everyone affected, including survivors, families and friends of the deceased, emergency responders, and the local community. The focus should be on meeting the psychological and social needs of affected individuals through short, medium, and long-term support. This encompasses not only immediate emergency care but also ongoing recovery efforts to facilitate healing in the aftermath of incidents.
Key principles
- 1Provide care and support to all affected individuals.
- 2Address both immediate and longer-term needs of survivors and their families.
- 3Incorporate psychological and social aftercare into response efforts.
Defined terms
- humanitarian aspects
- Factors related to providing care and support to individuals affected by emergencies.
This is a brief, factual summary. The full APP guidance — including operational detail, statutory references and case studies — lives on the College of Policing website. APP is the authoritative source for UK policing practice.
Read the full APP guidanceSource: College of Policing — Authorised Professional Practice · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-27.