mtthwhgn
@mtthwhgn.bsky.social
Emergency Management • Memes • London
mtthwhgn.com
mtthwhgn.com
Finally, COBR is just the tip of the emergency management iceberg.
Resilience work also happens before the crisis, outside the room, and often without headlines.
END!
Resilience work also happens before the crisis, outside the room, and often without headlines.
END!
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Finally, COBR is just the tip of the emergency management iceberg.
Resilience work also happens before the crisis, outside the room, and often without headlines.
END!
Resilience work also happens before the crisis, outside the room, and often without headlines.
END!
So next time you see that “COBRA has been convened,” just know it means:
Things are serious.
Some people are in a room.
A stressed person is updating a PowerPoint titled “Latest CRIP – FINAL v27 REAL FINAL”.
Things are serious.
Some people are in a room.
A stressed person is updating a PowerPoint titled “Latest CRIP – FINAL v27 REAL FINAL”.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
So next time you see that “COBRA has been convened,” just know it means:
Things are serious.
Some people are in a room.
A stressed person is updating a PowerPoint titled “Latest CRIP – FINAL v27 REAL FINAL”.
Things are serious.
Some people are in a room.
A stressed person is updating a PowerPoint titled “Latest CRIP – FINAL v27 REAL FINAL”.
COBR isn’t limited to domestic incidents either.
It most recently met YESTERDAY to consider “fast moving” matters in Iran.
It most recently met YESTERDAY to consider “fast moving” matters in Iran.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
COBR isn’t limited to domestic incidents either.
It most recently met YESTERDAY to consider “fast moving” matters in Iran.
It most recently met YESTERDAY to consider “fast moving” matters in Iran.
It’s not a ‘given’ that COBR will meet. I’m not aware of published triggers or thresholds, it’s essentially just…vibes.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
It’s not a ‘given’ that COBR will meet. I’m not aware of published triggers or thresholds, it’s essentially just…vibes.
Contrary to fictional portrayals, COBR doesn’t ‘run’ the emergency response. It provides strategic coordination and direction setting.
Local responders do the doing (and slightly confusingly, also have their own strategic coordination arrangements)
Local responders do the doing (and slightly confusingly, also have their own strategic coordination arrangements)
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Contrary to fictional portrayals, COBR doesn’t ‘run’ the emergency response. It provides strategic coordination and direction setting.
Local responders do the doing (and slightly confusingly, also have their own strategic coordination arrangements)
Local responders do the doing (and slightly confusingly, also have their own strategic coordination arrangements)
COBR has featured in TV shows and films, notably in Sky’s show COBRA, which I blogged about here: mtthwhgn.com/cobra-a-mult...
COBRA: a multi-part blog-along
My career in emergency management started 15 years ago this year. The London bombings had happened the previous year and one of (many) themes in the profession at the time was about ‘citizen …
mtthwhgn.com
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
COBR has featured in TV shows and films, notably in Sky’s show COBRA, which I blogged about here: mtthwhgn.com/cobra-a-mult...
Drawing on info from the National Situation Centre (National SitCen) a Commonly Recognised Information Picture (CRIP) is produced.
That’s a lot of jargon for essentially a document summarising known info about an incident.
That’s a lot of jargon for essentially a document summarising known info about an incident.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Drawing on info from the National Situation Centre (National SitCen) a Commonly Recognised Information Picture (CRIP) is produced.
That’s a lot of jargon for essentially a document summarising known info about an incident.
That’s a lot of jargon for essentially a document summarising known info about an incident.
Attendance at COBR meetings is situation dependant, but a mix of relevant government departments and agencies.
The COBR Secretariat in the Cabinet Office provide meeting support.
The COBR Secretariat in the Cabinet Office provide meeting support.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Attendance at COBR meetings is situation dependant, but a mix of relevant government departments and agencies.
The COBR Secretariat in the Cabinet Office provide meeting support.
The COBR Secretariat in the Cabinet Office provide meeting support.
In 2014, the Information Commissioner called it COBR(A), which is a whole new level of confusion!
https://ico.org.uk/media/action-w…
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
In 2014, the Information Commissioner called it COBR(A), which is a whole new level of confusion!
COBR(M) where the M stands for Ministerial. In this version, the chair would be a senior Minister, sometimes the Prime Minister if the crisis is really serious (and they’re not on holiday! 🫢). Sometimes the M is implied.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
COBR(M) where the M stands for Ministerial. In this version, the chair would be a senior Minister, sometimes the Prime Minister if the crisis is really serious (and they’re not on holiday! 🫢). Sometimes the M is implied.
It is styled in a couple of varieties…
COBR(O) where the O stands for Officials, and brings together senior civil servants from across government departments.
COBR(O) where the O stands for Officials, and brings together senior civil servants from across government departments.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
It is styled in a couple of varieties…
COBR(O) where the O stands for Officials, and brings together senior civil servants from across government departments.
COBR(O) where the O stands for Officials, and brings together senior civil servants from across government departments.
It also signals to emergency managers to get ready for some fast-paced information requests!
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
It also signals to emergency managers to get ready for some fast-paced information requests!
COBR is usually convened when a crisis is serious enough to need cross-government coordination.
It’s best suited for early phases of an emergency and signals to media and wider public hear that things are escalating.
It’s best suited for early phases of an emergency and signals to media and wider public hear that things are escalating.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
COBR is usually convened when a crisis is serious enough to need cross-government coordination.
It’s best suited for early phases of an emergency and signals to media and wider public hear that things are escalating.
It’s best suited for early phases of an emergency and signals to media and wider public hear that things are escalating.
Some people might tell you the A in COBRA refers to Room A. This is disputed, and ‘Committee Room A’ is apparently in a different wing of the Cabinet Office complex ‘70 Whitehall’.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Some people might tell you the A in COBRA refers to Room A. This is disputed, and ‘Committee Room A’ is apparently in a different wing of the Cabinet Office complex ‘70 Whitehall’.
COBR is not NASA Mission Control. This image released in 2010 gives a flavour, but it has changed a bit since then.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
COBR is not NASA Mission Control. This image released in 2010 gives a flavour, but it has changed a bit since then.
It’s the top level of the Government’s crisis response structure, often described as ‘Whitehall in miniature’, originally developed following the 1972 dockers strike.
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
It’s the top level of the Government’s crisis response structure, often described as ‘Whitehall in miniature’, originally developed following the 1972 dockers strike.
First up: pronounced the same but it’s officially COBR, not COBRA. Cabinet Office Briefing Room not 🐍
Does it matter? No. ❌
Does it make UK Emergency Managers twitch when the media spell it wrong? Absolutely! 💯
Does it matter? No. ❌
Does it make UK Emergency Managers twitch when the media spell it wrong? Absolutely! 💯
June 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
First up: pronounced the same but it’s officially COBR, not COBRA. Cabinet Office Briefing Room not 🐍
Does it matter? No. ❌
Does it make UK Emergency Managers twitch when the media spell it wrong? Absolutely! 💯
Does it matter? No. ❌
Does it make UK Emergency Managers twitch when the media spell it wrong? Absolutely! 💯
I’ve been waiting patiently for this!! I need to get listening/live posting!
June 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
I’ve been waiting patiently for this!! I need to get listening/live posting!
Which links back to this blog post from Nov 2024, on how kintsugi might be a good way to think about disaster recovery mtthwhgn.com/applying-the...
Applying the art of kintsugi to disaster recovery
In August, I posted on X (let’s leave that conversation for another time) a provocative comment, questioning whether recovery exists: — mtthwhgn (@mtthwhgn) August 21, 2024 My feelin…
mtthwhgn.com
June 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Which links back to this blog post from Nov 2024, on how kintsugi might be a good way to think about disaster recovery mtthwhgn.com/applying-the...