DECIDE - Decision Support System for Disaster Emergency Management
Overview
Background & policy context:
Natural and manmade hazards are associated with dangers and emergency situations. The mitigation of their consequences requires appropriate actions and measures to be taken by competent authorities and related bodies. The targeted and effective implementation of such actions and measures and the optimal exploitation of human and technical resources enhance the authorities’ abilities for prevention, preparedness and response. It is therefore important to reconsider the reasons that are related to failures when responding to emergency situations:
- deficiencies and weaknesses in the implementation of such actions by authorities and related bodies,
- inefficient coordination between the different levels of public authorities and other involved entities,
- lack of risk assessment studies, hazards’ mapping, updated records of human and material resources
Objectives:
The main objective of DECIDE is to develop and deploy an Intelligent Decision Support System (iDSS) that enhances the efficiency and managerial abilities of local civil protection authorities to effectively respond to natural and manmade disasters.
Specific targets of DECIDE include:
- To reinforce local authorities’ capabilities for effective and efficient coordination of prevention and response processes against natural and manmade hazards, using innovative, state-of-the art technologies.
- To strengthen the capabilities of local societies, in order to act immediately and effectively during the first critical hours after an emergency event, so as to avoid its turning to a disaster. Towards this direction, all local data, knowledge and entities that can contribute to avoiding the disaster will be exploited (public authorities, non–governmental and voluntary organisations, private companies, media, etc.).
- To achieve active participation of both the local authorities and the local societies members into the process of planning and response of disasters through effective information sharing and training.
- To contribute to economic and social development of local societies in a reliable, effective and affordable way, through the creation of synergies, multiplying actions and benefits derived from the use of technologies and the assimilation of both national and international experience in the civil protection fields.
Methodology:
DECIDE will focus on identifying the structures and needs of civil protection involved entities in the cross-border area of Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The project will develop an iDSS, the functions of which will be based on these findings. In addition, the active participation of both the local authorities’ and local societies’ members into the process of prevention, preparedness and response to emergency situations will be achieved through several actions, including the publication of reports, the organisation of training seminars and the execution of simulated exercises.
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