“The most important thing in a crisis management strategy is not just accumulating resources, but also being able to use them quickly and effectively. In the most difficult circumstances, complex decisions may have to be made about the distribution of resources and the prioritization of patients,” emphasizes Liene Cipule, Director of the NMPD. She points out: “During the pandemic, we saw how important it is to organize supply chains and ensure international assistance, but in many places these processes were not fully developed. We are not fully prepared for future crises, not because we lack resources or procedures, but because we lack the right mindset. We need to develop public awareness and responsibility so that every Latvian citizen is prepared to act in an emergency.”