Disasters have always been a result of human interaction with nature, technology and other living entities. Sometimes unpredictable and sudden, sometimes slow and lingering, various types of disasters continually affect the way in which we live our daily lives. Human beings as innovative creatures have sought new ways in which to curb the devastating effects of disasters. However, for years human conduct regarding disasters has been reactive in nature. Communities, sometimes aware of the risks that they face, would wait in anticipation of a disastrous event and then activate plans and procedures. Human social and economic development has further contributed to creating vulnerability and thus weakening the ability of humans to cope with disasters and their effects. Disasters impede human development. Gains in development are inextricably linked to the level of exposure to disaster risk within any given community. In the same light, the level of disaster risk prevalent in a community is linked to the developmental choices exerted by that community (UNDP, 2004).
When an emergency occurs,
every minute counts to minimise negative impacts on humans, the economy and the
environment. To achieve this goal, integrated emergency management
is needed. The European Union has different tools to support national
stakeholders in the management of emergencies, such as the European Joint Research
Centre, continuously conducting research to improve crisis management and disaster
prevention, and the Copernicus earth observation programme, functioning as an
early warning system in the case of natural or human-made hazards. Still, political
and private stakeholders need to take charge of the emergency management in
their working and individual contexts, preferably implementing an Integrated
Emergency Management, which focuses on all four phases of Prevention and
Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery. Thus, emergency management
shifts from the pure response to already occurring events and damage control to
an integrated cycle of mitigating and preventing risks in the first place as
well as being prepared in case of an emergency, thus guaranteeing a fast and
structured response and recovery. To respond effectively, knowledge of
basic concepts is needed. A useful instrument to make the shift from a
predominantly responsive system to integrated management can be Emergency
Response Plans. If created and implemented correctly, these can be of high
value to crisis managers, as they are clarifying roles and responsibilities as
well as procedures and available resources in case of emergency.
This training discusses an overview of IoT (Internet of Things), the impact and usefulness of IoT, components of IoT and challenges. The role IoT plays in Civil protection is also discussed. Some practical examples and use cases are provided for better understanding. “The world of surveying and positioning is experiencing an amazing transformation that began just recently, and goes hand in hand with the superior push in technology democratization due to the popularity of consumer and professional hand devices. Almost any phone is now more powerful than our first desktop computers and satellite positioning seems to be permeating into everything from locating friends to autopilot planes and cars.
