Ahead of the Emergency Tech Show, which takes place at Birmingham, NEC, September 16-17, alongside the Emergency Services Show, Security on Screen chats exclusively to new Group Event Director for the show, Hayley Simpson. Here, she tells us all about what visitors can expect from new feature, Resilience360. This is part two of two.

What do you expect visitors to gain from it?

Hayley Simpson: “Insight. Insight that can’t be gained through an event that focuses on one piece of the puzzle and an invaluable opportunity to be in the room surrounded by the people and organisations that connect the dots.

“We’re offering an opportunity to go past just the theory and learn from real experiences, whether that’s dealing with cyber threats, planning for climate-related disruption, protecting critical infrastructure or improving organisational resilience.

“Visitors will leave with a much broader perspective.

“If you’re from the emergency services, you’ll hear directly from organisations responsible for keeping transport networks, utilities, communications and other essential services running. If you’re from critical infrastructure or the private sector, you’ll gain insight into how emergency responders plan, coordinate and make decisions under pressure.

“And then you’ve got The Emergency Tech Show sitting alongside all of this, where you can explore how digital technologies, AI, communications platforms and data are supporting operational decision-making. It’s another reminder that resilience isn’t just about having a plan on a shelf. It’s about people, processes and technology working together.

“The other thing people often underestimate is the value of the conversations that happen between sessions.

“Some of the best ideas come from talking to someone from a completely different sector who’s facing a similar challenge. You suddenly realise that although your organisations look very different, the questions you’re trying to answer are remarkably similar.”

“If people leave thinking, “we’ve got three or four practical ideas we can take back and start applying next week,” then I think Resilience360 will have done exactly what it was created to do.”

I can see there is quite a packed agenda for Resilience360. What would you recommend as the absolute must-see?

“That’s probably the hardest question because it really depends on what you do.

“If you’re working in operational resilience, business continuity or emergency planning, I’d start with the opening session looking at whether we’re prepared for the next major shock. I think that’s a brilliant way to begin because it sets the context for everything else. It looks at the risks organisations are facing today and asks some important questions about how prepared we really are.

“For people working in security, policing or protective security, I’d definitely recommend the session looking at how the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy has evolved over the last 25 years. It’s a really interesting opportunity to reflect on how preparedness, intelligence sharing and emergency response have changed, and what lessons remain relevant for the future.

“If you’re involved in critical infrastructure, utilities or operational risk, I’d look at the sessions exploring geopolitics, supply chains and infrastructure resilience. Those conversations are incredibly relevant because organisations are having to think much more broadly about risk than they perhaps were five or ten years ago.

“For technology leaders, I’d encourage them not to stay solely within the technology sessions. Spend some time in Resilience360 and then head across to The Emergency Tech Show. Seeing discussions around resilience alongside the latest developments in AI, communications and digital transformation gives you a much more complete picture of how organisations are building resilience through technology.

“And if you’re from the ambulance, fire or wider emergency services, I’d actually suggest mixing your agenda. Pick up sessions on climate resilience, operational preparedness and strategic resilience alongside the more traditional emergency service content. That’s often where the most valuable ideas come from, because you’re hearing perspectives from sectors that don’t always have the opportunity to sit around the same table.

“Ultimately, resilience isn’t owned by one profession anymore. It’s something we all contribute to, and I think that’s exactly what this year’s programme reflects.”

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