Virtual Operations Support Teams - Guidelines for services and cooperation

This guideline provides information about Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOST). VOST are digitally connected units specialised in supporting operational staff (e.g. task forces) with situation assessments. They sift through and assess relevant information accessible to the public (e.g. on social media), edit this information and compile it into diagrams. This information can help provide a more complete picture and a better understanding of the situation.

The guideline helps to understand, when and under what conditions authorities can request a VOST, how they should prepare a cooperation and what services a VOST can offer. The publication was created in collaboration with the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW). Therefore the VOST THW is often used as an example.