Emerging Technologies for the Early Location of Entrapped Victims Under Collapsed Structures and Advanced Wearables for Risk Assessment and First Responders Safety in SAR Operations, Search and Rescue Project

Introduction: Natural disasters and catastrophes are challenges faced by emergency services. These are dangerous environments in which there are life-threatening victims as in other CBRN incidents, which can add great risks for nearby populations and the environment. The main objective of this project is the development and testing of new technologies that increase the safety and efficiency of the work of first responders in disasters. Method: The SnR consortium, with 28 partners, has designed, implemented, and tested new technologies, with an advanced communication and monitoring system for professionals, victims, and other first responders, with innovative positioning and assistance ICT that facilitate the exploration and evaluation of disaster areas. These technological advances are validated and evaluated with performance, efficiency, and usability indicators, in laboratories and in real working conditions, through a total of seven case studies, in seven different countries, covering a wide range of representative disaster scenarios. Results: The development of a new communication and monitoring system for professionals and victims, coordinated on the Concorde platform, together with chemical alert sensors, synchronized with smartwatches, smart uniforms, and pediatric immobilizers, are some of the tools tested. The pilots carried out to confirm the usefulness of the 26 technological tools designed and tested in the field, which have helped to reduce the damage and casualties that can occur in S&R operations. Conclusion: In conclusion, the H2020 European Search and Rescue project (S&R), through the development of new technologies, offers a holistic approach to the effective response to emergencies and provides increased capabilities and resources to first responders in the field, increasing their effectiveness and safety. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement (No. 882897).