Organisation of the FOCP
Six business units
The Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP) in the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) is generally responsible for civil protection at the federal level The FOCP consists of the following business units (organisational units)
- Strategy and Steering
- Programme Management
- Resources
- National Emergency Operations Center
- Civil Protection and Training
- Spiez Laboratory
Management
The management board of the FOCP consists of the Director and the heads of the business units. Michaela Schärer has headed the FOCP since 1 April 2020. The FOCP is run according to the three management processes of the FOCP’s integrated management system (FOCP IMS): business planning, management and optimisation.
Numbers
The FOCP has altogether 335 employees. 162 work at the central office in Bern, 107 in Spiez (Spiez Laboratory), 54 in Schwarzenburg (Federal Training Centre) and 3 in Zurich (National Emergency Operations Centre). (as of february 2024)
Strategy and Steering
The Strategy and Steering unit is responsible for the strategic steering of tasks and resources, as well as the future development of the Office. It is responsible for Office policy, risk-based strategy and the ongoing development of Switzerland’s civil protection organisation for the prevention and management of disasters and emergencies. It is responsible for communication within the Office itself, within the Department and externally (public, other federal agencies, cantons, operators of critical infrastructures). It puts in place legal and risk-based foundations, steers policy matters and is responsible for project portfolio management at the Office level.
National Emergency Operations Center NEOC
The National Emergency Operations Centre and Incident Management NEOC division combines diverse tasks associated with the preparation and management of incidents at federal level.
Spiez Laboratory
Spiez Laboratory is Switzerland’s specialist institute for protection against nuclear, biological and chemical threats and hazards.