Salzburg Research is working on a number of technologies that specifically benefit the various task forces – because every second counts!

New technology for  rescue forces in Salzburg

The spatial data platform “BlaulichtGIS” improves emergency management and the cooperation of the Red Cross in Salzburg, and Salzburg mountain and water rescue. The technology is in action in all control centers of the Red Cross.

In daily use, rescue and emergency services often face inaccurate addresses or descriptions and therefore problems finding the emergency locations. BlaulichtGIS is a web-based platform for spatial data, where Salzburg emergency services can both create and retrieve local information. After several months of testing this new interactive platform for spatial data is now in use since March 2011.

Advantages of the new spatial platform are: the employees of all organizations can use new and current information – for example relocation of hospital wards, starting points for boats on the river Salzach, etc. In addition, GPS coordinates can be converted into a variety of common coordinate systems, which is especially important when rescue helicopters are deployed, as they use a different coordinate system than other vehicles.
In addition, location and operational status of all vehicles will be displayed in real time. Upon failure of the navigation device in a vehicle, dispatchers are able to pilot the vehicle by radio.

International disaster assistance

In large disasters/emergency situations, personnel from different nations are called for – a challenge for efficient coordination of relief efforts across organizational, national and cultural boundaries. Salzburg Research is working on crisis-grade communications technologies that support information exchange, resource planning and workflow.

After large earthquakes, avalanches, pandemics, chemical spills or radioactive clouds different forces have to work together smoothly. Aid agencies use different technical systems, do not have the same background knowledge, and arrive at different times on the site. In international cooperation also language and cultural barriers apply. the European Union is currently missing processes, systems and tools in disaster management, taking into account the specific characteristics and requirements of international cooperation in emergency situations. To date, international aid agencies will be contacted individually – that takes time and resources.

The EU project IDIRA will support multinational disaster relief resources for planning and operations. Flexible interoperable services for data integration, exchange of information, resources planning, and decision processes are developed: the sharing of information, for example, is facilitated by text blocks in different languages ​​and made crisis-proof through the integration of commercially available smart phones.

See more: www.salzburgresearch.at/projekt/idira