The presented document is the result of scientific research conducted as part of the international project "Community Empowerment: Crisis Ready Solutions," funded by the NATO SPS Program. The research focused on identifying key challenges related to crisis management at the local level in Poland.

By conducting interviews with academics and practitioners, the authors identified insufficient knowledge and skills among residents and local authorities in preparing for and managing crisis situations as the main problem. In response to this issue, the document proposes a series of public policy changes aimed at enhancing the preparedness of local communities.

The proposed changes focus on two main areas: 1) increasing the knowledge and engagement of residents, and 2) improving the qualifications of local authority representatives. The authors suggest various policy options, ranging from maintaining the status quo to introducing mandatory training for specific social groups.

Based on the analysis conducted, the authors recommend implementing mandatory training for residents and formulating detailed qualification requirements for employees of crisis management units. The document also provides specific proposals for implementing these changes.

Keywords: crisis management, public policy, local community, Poland, crisis preparedness, education, training, qualifications.