Modern socio-technical systems are increasingly characterised by high degrees of interdependencies. Whereas these interdependencies generally make systems more efficient under normal operations, they contribute to cascading effects in times of crises. Therefore, challenges for emergency preparedness and response are growing significantly. An escalating incident in such an environment can lead to severe cascading effects and quickly become extremely difficult for emergency services to handle. The more complex the environment where an incident is evolving, the more vulnerable the system, the greater the risk for escalation and cascading effects. In such instances the incident management needs to be as efficient as possible and build on up to date decision support information. New strategies, structures and methodologies are, therefore, needed to meet these new challenges, including cross border cooperation in conducting operations and providing or receiving support across borders.