Our First INTERSCHUTZ: Why Coordination Is Becoming the New Frontier of Crisis Management

INTERSCHUTZ 2026 brought together emergency management professionals, critical infrastructure operators, public-sector organizations, and technology providers from across Europe and beyond.

After six days of conversations at our booth, one message stood out clearly:

Organizations understand the challenges they face. The real challenge is coordinating the growing number of systems, stakeholders, and decisions involved in managing critical events.
 

Beyond Alerting: The Need for Coordination

While alerting and emergency notification remain important, many discussions quickly moved beyond communication itself.

Visitors were less interested in sending alerts and more focused on what happens next:

• Who takes ownership?
• How are decisions documented?
• How are teams coordinated?
• How is situational awareness maintained during rapidly evolving events?

The challenge is no longer simply informing people—it is enabling organizations to act effectively once an incident unfolds.

The Integration Challenge

A recurring theme throughout INTERSCHUTZ was integration.

Most organizations already have a variety of tools in place, including alerting platforms, incident management systems, business continuity plans, and communication solutions. The challenge is connecting these capabilities when time matters most.

Many organizations still struggle with fragmented systems, information flows, and responsibilities. As a result, crisis communication, operational response, business continuity, and situational awareness often remain disconnected despite their growing overlap.
 
 

Crisis Management and BCM Are Converging

Another key takeaway was the increasing alignment between crisis management and Business Continuity Management (BCM).

Whether facing cyber incidents, infrastructure disruptions, severe weather events, or operational failures, organizations are recognizing that incident response and operational continuity are part of the same resilience challenge.

Resilience is no longer a standalone function—it is becoming an organization-wide capability.
 

AI: Opportunities and Questions

Artificial intelligence was another prominent topic.

Organizations are exploring how AI can help analyze information, accelerate data gathering, and support decision-making during critical situations.

At the same time, trust remains essential. Technology can support decisions, but responsibility remains with people. Effective crisis management still depends on reliable information, clear processes, and experienced teams.
 

The Future Is Connected

Perhaps the most important lesson from INTERSCHUTZ is that organizations already recognize the need for resilience and coordination.

What many are still searching for is a practical way to bring communication, coordination, situational awareness, and decision-making together within a coherent operational framework.

The next challenge is not adding another tool.

The next challenge is connecting people, processes, information, and decisions.
 

Looking Ahead

Our first participation at INTERSCHUTZ provided valuable insights into the evolving crisis management landscape.

One thing became clear: the future of crisis management is not only about communication. It is about enabling organizations to coordinate effectively, connect existing capabilities, and remain operational during increasingly complex events.

At Utimaco, we believe Critical Event Management plays an important role in helping organizations achieve exactly that—supporting the full lifecycle of critical events, from preparedness and response to recovery and continuous improvement.


Learn more about Utimaco Critical Event Management here.

Or connect with Sigrid on LinkedIn here.

About the Author

Sigrid Bauser

CEM Sales Manager EMEA, Utimaco