A simulation tool has been developed under the European CRISMA project coordinated by VTT. The tool helps users to prepare for unexpected catastrophes and natural disasters. Pilot case in Finland focused on winter storms and the resulting power cuts and evacuations.
Modelling and simulation were used to assess various probable or fictional crises with immediate impacts on human lives and society, and the impact of various types of response and preparedness actions.
The tool was also used to simulate coastal flooding and submersion, earthquakes and the subsequent forest fires, chemical spills in inhabited areas and capacity management in the event of a catastrophe. The progress of coastal submersion in France, an earthquake in Italy, chemical spills in Israel, and catastrophe management in Germany were also simulated.
Finnish participants in the project, which will be completed in August, include VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, the Emergency Services College, the Finnish Meteorological Institute and Insta DefSec Oy.
Research partners include Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V from Germany, AMRA Analysis and Monitoring of Environmental Risk from Italy, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH from Austria, the Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics from Portugal and Tallinn University of Technology from Estonia.
Besides the Emergency Services College, other partners providing a practical end-user perspective include Deutsches Rotes Kreuz from Germany, Magen David Adom from Israel and Public Safety Communication Europe Forum from Belgium.
Business representatives in addition to Insta DefSec include NICE Systems Ltd from Israel, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH from Germany, Spacebel S.A. from Belgium, Cismet GmbH from Germany and ARTELIA Eau & Environnement from France.
The total budget of the project is EUR 14.4 million, with EU funding accounting for EUR 10.1 million.
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Project website: http://www.crismaproject.eu
Further information:
VTT
Project Coordinator, Senior Scientist Anna-Mari Heikkilä
Tel. +358 40 046 7496
crisma.coordinator@vtt.fi
Further information on VTT:
Olli Ernvall
Senior Vice President, Communications
358 20 722 6747
olli.ernvall@vtt.fi
http://www.vtt.fi
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd is the leading research and technology company in the Nordic countries. We use our research and knowledge to provide expert services for our domestic and international customers and partners, and for both private and public sectors. We use 4,000,000 hours of brainpower a year to develop new technological solutions.