Abstract: European research projects take ethical aspects into central consideration. In this extended abstract we have developed the methodology of the Search and Rescue (SnR) project and research made in relation to the ethical aspects of animal welfare.

Abstract: In response to natural and man-made hazards multiple organisations usually are involved in a very complex situation. On the other hand, extreme weather situations due to the climate change create hazards in areas which were considered safe before. In order to improve the capabilities of involved organisations in responding and preparing for disaster events, the availability of an efficient information sharing approach is a key enabler. To this end, we propose a communication system based on a content oriented architecture tailored to disaster management. It includes a catalogue that is offering web services for publishing and subscribing of disaster information and for further collaboration amongst agencies and first responders. Moreover, the considered approach also allows for full content access control and enables a flexible system. The paper shows the current status of the system design. Next steps will include the implementation and evaluation of the approach.

Abstract: It is generally agreed in crisis management that a comprehensive visualization of the situation is crucial for an appropriate situational awareness of the staff personnel in control rooms. Therefore an expert group of fire officers in the German State North Rhine Westphalia developed a system for this purpose known as the “tactical wall”. The core of the system is a situation map of the relevant area with so-called tactical signs, i. e. defined graphic symbols for hazards, response units and tactical measures. Moreover, the assignment of response units to tactical sectors or staging areas as well as other relevant information such as the management organization is displayed at defined places within the wall. While the system was purely manual in its original version, a new digital version was recently developed. The user interfaces of this system are web-based and can by intuitively operated after a minor training effort.

Abstract: First responders (FRs) in Europe are currently facing large natural and man-made disasters (e.g. wild fire, terrorist attacks, industrial incidents, big floods, gas leaks etc.), that put their own lives and those of thousands of others at risk. Adapted situation awareneSS tools and taIlored training curricula for increaSing capabiliTies and enhANcing the proteCtion of first respondErs (ASSISTANCE) is an ongoing European H2020 project which main objective is to increase FRs Situation Awareness (SA) for helping and protecting different kinds of FRs' organizations that work together in large scale disasters mitigation. ASSISTANCE will enhance the SA of the FRs organisations during their mitigation activities through the integration of new paradigms, tools and technologies (e.g. drones/robots equipped with a range of sensors, robust communications capabilities, etc.) with the main objective of increasing both their protection and their efficiency.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) provide multiple opportunities to first responders and disaster managers, especially as they continue to improve in affordability as well as capabilities. This paper provides a brief review of how UAV capabilities have been used in disaster management, examples of current use within disaster management, as well as adoption considerations. Example disaster domains include fires, tornadoes, flooding, building and dam collapses, crowd monitoring, search and rescue, and post disaster monitoring of critical infrastructures. This review can increase awareness and issues when considering UAVs by those challenged with the management of crisis and disaster events.

Abstract: Emergency is a threatening condition that requires urgent action, an effective response and within an emergency scenario there may be risks for responders, as well as for those affected. Response time is crucial for affected individuals and environments to be addressed on their needs. In this context, the goal of this work is to support the agents involved in the emergency response, through an application-supported collaborative solution using drones. This solution aims to collect information from the worked emergency scenario, so that, through the collaboration of specialists, there is a greater support for the decision-making made by the responsible agents within this scenario, causing it to occur in a shorter time, thus speeding up the response to the emergency. In this work, the aim was to validate with experts from the Rio de Janeiro Firefighters, who already work with drones, by evaluating the utility of the solution in real scenarios.

Abstract: Effective communication among first responders during and in the aftermath of a disaster can affect outcomes dramatically. In this paper, we discuss the design of a resilient architecture that enables effective first responder communications even in such challenging scenarios. Our ReDiCom (Resilient Disaster Communications) network architecture builds resilience into the framework across all the layers. The information layer allows communication by roles and identities instead of addresses to support communication among dynamically formed first responder teams. The network layer provides robust and resilient communication even when facilities are error- and disruption-prone. The coded communication and computation further improve resilience and enable efficient data processing in disaster management.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have increased in popularity in recent years and are now involved in many activities, professional and otherwise. First responders, those teams and individuals who are the first to respond in crisis situations, have been using UAVs to assist them in locating victims and identifying hazards without endangering human personnel needlessly. However, professional UAV controllers tend to be heavy and cumbersome, requiring both hands to operate. First responders, on the other hand, often need to carry other important equipment and need to keep their hands free during a mission. This work considers enabling first responders to control UAVs with single-handed gestures, freeing their other hand and reducing their encumbrance. Two sets of gesture UAV controls are presented and implemented in a simulated environment, and a two-part user study is conducted: the first part assesses the comfort of each gesture and their intuitive association with basic flight control concepts; and the second evaluates two different modes of gesture control in a population of users including both genders, and first responders as well as members of the general populace. The results, consisting of both objective and subjective measurements, are discussed, hindrances and problems are identified, and directions of future work and research are mapped out.

Abstract: Building collapses often happen unexpectedly and suddenly. Consequently, people are often buried under the debris. What follows is a complicated search by first responders, which is characterized by time pressure and danger. In the research project SORTIE, a modular and UAV-based technical system is being developed to support the first responders in their search efforts. During the first phase of this project, an extensive requirements analysis was conducted with the involvement of end users. This ensures that the developed technology meets the requirements for later use under realistic circumstance. The project consortium has good experience with this operational approach and is in close cooperation with end users who are part of the consortium. In addition to a comprehensive understanding of building collapses and prevailing conditions, the technical partners were also able to identify requirements that they might not have discovered without the involvement of end users and the appropriate methods.

Abstract: Optimal communication and information exchange are key elements for handling complex crises or disaster situations. With the increasing number of heterogeneous ICT systems, also raises the importance of adequate support for interconnectivity and information logistics between stakeholders to thoroughly gather information and to make quick but precise decisions. The main purpose of the information exchange is then to manage the crisis as quickly as possible, to provide full information to protect first responders' health and safety, to optimally dispatch resources, and to ensure coordination between different relief forces. Based on an end user survey with a particular focus on first responders, this paper introduces an evolutionary architecture to enable information exchange in crises situation or disasters. The aim is to provide a decentralized approach among heterogeneous ICT-systems which abstracts from the underlying communication technologies and heterogeneity of connected systems and fulfills the functional and non-functional requirements from end users.

Abstract: Robots such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed for search and rescue (SAR) can explore areas where human searchers cannot easily go and gather information on scales that can transform SAR strategy. Multi-UAV teams therefore have the potential to transform SAR by augmenting the capabilities of human teams and providing information that would otherwise be inaccessible. Our research aims to develop new theory and technologies for field deploying autonomous UAVs and managing multi-UAV teams working in concert with multi-human teams for SAR. Specifically, in this paper we summarize our work in progress towards these goals, including: (1) a multi-UAV search path planner that adapts to human behavior; (2) an in-field distributed computing prototype that supports multi-UAV computation and communication; (3) behavioral modeling that yields spatially localized predictions of lost person location; and (4) an interface between human searchers and UAVs that facilitates human-UAV interaction over a wide range of autonomy.

Abstract: Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams are particularly exposed to the risk of collapse of buildings due to aftershocks, making concept of earthquake early warning (EEW) particularly interesting. In addition to scientific advances in EEW, it is crucial to understand what are the real expectations and needs of USAR teams, and to what extent EEW solutions could meet them. In this study, we conduct a survey to collect insights from USAR rescuers: it highlights that aftershocks are a major concern for them. In this context, we find that the concept of EEW is very favorably received by the respondents, who consider different types of possible actions upon receipt of an early warning. This study provides a basis for the functional specifications of future solutions of EEW useful to all USAR teams, as well as for the definition of their modalities of engagement on the field.