Lithuanian Red Cross and Lithuanian Airports strengthen crisis preparedness

The Lithuanian Red Cross (LRK) and Lithuanian Airports have signed a cooperation agreement to enhance preparedness for large-scale incidents, extreme situations, mass emergencies, or potential military conflicts, LRT.lt reports.

The agreement will allow LRK volunteers specialising in emergency preparedness to familiarise themselves with airport infrastructure, operational processes, and procedures, ensuring smoother assistance for affected individuals.

Under the partnership, LRK volunteers may be deployed at Vilnius, Kaunas, and—where possible—Palanga airports. The agreement also covers pre-coordinated activation mechanisms, access procedures to airport territories, operational protocols, and joint training exercises.

When needed, LRK volunteers will support airport operations in humanitarian aid, including first aid, psychological first aid, registration and information for affected persons, crowd management, assistance for vulnerable passengers, humanitarian aid organisation, and family reunification efforts.

Ingrida Damulienė, LRK Secretary General, emphasised the role of the Red Cross as a state support organisation during crises. She noted that volunteers will train in the specific environment of airports to enable rapid mobilisation and reinforcement of institutional capacities when required.

“During a crisis, volunteers must arrive in a familiar environment where they already understand the processes, safety rules, and their functions. In airports, a crisis can quickly affect large crowds, so there is no room for improvisation,” Damulienė said.

Vidas Kšanas, Director of the Safety, Security, and Resilience Department at Lithuanian Airports, highlighted the growing need for assistance during major incidents, flight disruptions, or operational disturbances. He stated that having a pre-prepared partner who understands the airport environment is crucial for efficient response.

“In such situations, it is important to have a partner ready in advance who understands the airport environment and can quickly engage in assisting people. Cooperation with the Lithuanian Red Cross will help us prepare qualitatively for complex scenarios, strengthen airport operational capacities, and better manage the humanitarian consequences of crises,” Kšanas said.

The LRK has been systematically strengthening its preparedness to support the state in emergencies, crises, and potential wartime scenarios, while also enhancing public resilience in responding to disasters.