Over the course of a four-year research project, we will collaborate with the Belgian National Crisis Center to explore how Belgian citizens can be more effectively informed about emergency situations and motivated to take preventive measures during crises and disasters. The project also aims to support municipalities in enhancing their risk communication, and to increase the recognizability, reliability and accessibility of official warnings and crisis information. Through academic research, the impact of risk and crisis messages on diverse target audiences will be assessed and the perceptions of citizens regarding emergency situations will be studied.