Emerging threats demand a new approach to resilience

Emergencies today rarely happen in isolation. From climate events and mass gatherings to counter-terror threats and health crises, emergency services face multiple, overlapping risks. New regulations such as Martyn’s Law, alongside evolving threats, are making preparedness more complex, and more critical, than ever. Meeting these challenges requires a coordinated, cross-agency approach that blends operational experience, technology and planning under pressure.

At The Emergency Services Show 2026, taking place on 16-17 September at Birmingham NEC, the ‘Emerging Threats & Resilience’ theme will explore how services are responding to these challenges. Operational teams, policy experts, and suppliers will come together for demonstrations, discussions on interoperability, and insights into decision-making under pressure, a chance to see what preparedness actually looks like in 2026, beyond theory and checklists.

“Preparedness is no longer about isolated plans; it’s about connected systems that anticipate complexity. Overlapping risks, from terrorism to climate shocks and civil unrest, each have the potential to occur together, and Martyn’s Law introduces vital accountability for venues and public spaces to integrate security into emergency management. By embracing collaboration and adaptive planning, we can turn cascading risks into resilience and strengthen confidence in our collective preparedness.”

Jeannie Barr, Chair, Emergency Planning Society.

The theme is relevant for everyone keeping the public safe: Local Resilience Forums, NHS EPRR units, counter-terror leads, venue operators, and local authority planners.

It also offers an opportunity for partners and suppliers providing technology, monitoring, or crisis management solutions that make a tangible difference for responders. If your organisation is looking to contribute to the conversation and support the blue light sector, contact our team here.

“Modern preparedness is about resilience rather than prediction. While we cannot anticipate every scenario, we can strengthen the people, partnerships, and systems that enable effective adaptation when multiple threats converge. Strategic cross-sector collaboration and societal resilience already exist in pockets; the priority now is scaling that best practice coherently across all four nations, which will only be possible through sustained, whole-system working across all sectors.”

Mhairi Sharp, CEO, National Emergencies Trust.

Emergency services face a landscape of threats that are constantly evolving. Being ready isn’t just about having the right kit – it’s about planning, collaboration, and the ability to respond under pressure.

“One of the most significant emerging threats is the loss of trust, which has opened the way for misinformation and disinformation,” says Amanda Coleman, a crisis consultant and long term supporter of the show. She cautions that this kind of information is being “industrialised with AI to create worlds.”

And in those worlds truth is becoming harder to identify. “Being prepared in 2026 means not just being ready online but going back to analogue ways of working and preparing for the incidents that don’t happen but are manufactured by AI.” This is a topic that emergency planners and those involved in local resilience forums will be increasingly concerned with.

The Emergency Services Show 2026 is the place to explore these challenges, learn from operational experience and see how services are shaping the future of resilience.

Click here to register your interest for The Emergency Services Show 2026.