Overview
Many people have died in Europe as a result of tunnel fires or fires in public transport terminals. In addition, a menace of our time is terrorism. Transportation vehicles and terminals have become targets of terrorist attacks. In case of natural or man-made disasters, quick and optimal mass evacuation guidance is requires.
The SAVE ME project aims to develop a system that detects natural disaster events (i.e. earthquake, fire) and man-made disasters events (i.e. terrorist attack) in public transport terminals, public transport vehicles and critical infrastructures (tunnels, bridges). The system needs to support quick and optimal mass evacuation guidance, to save the lives of the general public and the rescuers. The most vulnerable travellers (children, elderly and disabled) need special attention.
To achieve this, SAVE ME develops a common ontological framework for hazard recognition, classification and mitigation, innovative algorithms on human behaviour (under stress, panic and strong emotions), standardised interface elements for intuitive human guidance, a holistic disaster mitigation strategy and intelligent agents algorithms for guidance personalisation.
SAVE ME employs a Wireless Sensor Network for emergency detection, environmental awareness and travellers position and movements monitoring, as well as a fault tolerant communication network infrastructure. It integrates simulator model data with real time data from these sensors, to reach enhanced crowd behaviour models and uses them in a Decision Support System, to supervise the overall disaster mitigation operation. Thus, it supports the infrastructure operator, guides the rescue team through PDA and the trapped travellers by environmental displays and audio systems, as well as personalised guidance in their mobile phone to the nearest safe and free exit, taking into account their profile (i.e. disability, agility, language, etc.). SAVE ME also develops appropriate training curricula, content and tools for operators, rescuers and the general public. And furthermore guidelines to the infrastructure/vehicle operators and designers, and standardisation proposals to the policy makers.
All project developments are thoroughly and iteratively tested and optimised by lab tests as well as two in pilot sites: a metro station in Newcastle (UK) and the Gotthard tunnel (Switzerland).
Funding
Results
The project showed the following:
- the SAVE ME system generated an optimal evacuation plan for each class of traveller, and it provided 98% of users with accurate information to be able to exit by the quickest, safest route;
- 96.5% of emergency events detected by the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) were transmitted to the Decision Support System (DSS) within 60 seconds;
- the SAVE ME system detected 100% of the travellers and provided rescue teams with an indoor localization module;
- 95% of the trial participants declared that the SAVE ME system could improve the general evacuation procedure of travellers in emergency situations, and 60% stated that the SAVE ME system would change the way they would behave if faced with an emergency situation;
- 26% of the additional comments from the participants specifically highlighted the effectiveness of the Collective Herding Guidance Screen.
Other results
The importance of the system has been highlighted in complex and dynamic conditions, when:
- the travellers and the rescuers are not familiar with the environment (where the former have to be provided with a personalized guidance, while the latter have even to be trained to know the facility in which they have never been before);
- the emergency can evolve by changing the environment (such as suddenly closing the way to an exit that was previously considered as safe);
- the presence of vulnerable users (mobility impaired, older people, etc.) requires the use of personalized guidance different from the evacuation route planned for 'general' travellers with no limitations.
Strategy targets
An efficient and integrated mobility system: Acting on transport safety (saving thousands of lives)