Search and Rescue: Emerging technologies for the Early location of Entrapped victims under Collapsed Structures and Advanced Wearables for risk assessment and First Responders Safety in SAR operations

Project Information

Search and Rescue

Grant agreement ID: 882897

DOI

10.3030/882897

Project closed

EC signature date 22 June 2020

Start date 1 July 2020

End date 30 June 2023

Funded under

• Secure societies - Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens

Total cost

€ 7 890 585,00

EU contribution

€ 7 890 585,00

Coordinated by

ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNION
Greece

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Search and Rescue (Search and Rescue: Emerging technologies for the Early location of Entrapped victims under Collapsed Structures and Advanced Wearables for risk assessment and First Responders Safety in SAR operations)

Reporting period: 2021-07-01 to 2023-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The main objective of the SnR was to establish an efficient synchronisation framework managing the data, developed services, and information flow between the different authorities involved in emergency management operations and the crisis managers (Rescue forces, Police, Fire department, etc.). Ad hoc web portals and additions to stakeholders’ systems and back-offices provided a common, uniform, and ubiquitous platform for collecting, analysing, and sharing real-time data from the sensors, drones, and rescue robots for supporting management decisions. Federated security enabled access by different stakeholders to services provided by different stakeholders. Thus, SnR aspired to build a state-of-the-art framework that integrated:
1. Advanced sensors, systems and procedures to obtain high level awareness capabilities
2. Secured data collection and information flow between the different authorities and agencies which are involved in the crisis/abnormal events management
3. Fusion of data from different sources and creation of a Common Situational Picture for supporting decisions of emergency and crisis management
4. A multi-tier architecture of information processing, the result of which will be accessible in a ubiquitous manner by all the actors involved

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The SnR project reached its culmination, successfully navigating through both its core and concluding phases. The consortium finalised the design of multiple technologies and integrated them into the SnR Platform. Prioritisation of components and integrations was meticulously planned based on the schedule of the Use Case Exercises, ensuring that the selected technologies were rigorously tested in appropriate environments. Comprehensive assessments were conducted on the seven SnR-use cases, yielding invaluable insights that have the potential to guide future research in the field of search and rescue activities. These exercises were successfully executed, providing transparent feedback that led to the iterative development and improvement of the technologies, surpassing the targeted technology readiness levels. A prime focus was placed on dissemination and communication, leveraging the SnR pilots to raise public awareness about the project's technological advancements. The project generated high-quality dissemination and communication material, documented both in paper and media, and was presented across multiple platforms and fora. Ethical and legal commitments were consistently honoured, and external expert input was integrated. The project achieved high visibility among stakeholders and attracted media attention. As the project concluded, the consortium documented and showcased its achievements on the Horizon Results Platform to maximize their practical and commercial impact, cherishing the lessons learned and celebrating the successes achieved.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The SnR project successfully achieved its objectives of establishing an efficient synchronisation framework for emergency management operations and developing a highly interoperable, modular open architecture platform for first responders. It progressed beyond the state of the art by incorporating advanced sensors, secure data collection, fusion of data from different sources, and a multi-tier architecture for information processing. The project's potential impacts are significant: it enhances emergency response capabilities, improves coordination among stakeholders, increases safety and resilience in communities, and promotes a unified EU vision in disaster management. The socio-economic impact includes saving lives, reducing risks, and minimizing economic losses. Societal implications involve building public trust, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, and improving preparedness for disasters.

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