Workshop Recording: Implementing New Technologies in Crisis Management

The EU-funded projects COLLARIS2, DIREKTION, OVERWATCH and UNICORN hosted a joint online workshop on the implementation of new technologies in crisis management and civil protection on November 21. The session provided a unique opportunity to engage with a network of EU projects at the forefront of innovation in emergency management. Participants gained insights into emerging technologies such as AI, drones, and satellite-tools that are transforming real-time situational awareness and disaster response. These solutions are being developed to better address the increasingly complex disaster scenarios facing Europe in the future. 

You can now watch the full workshop recording (below) and download all speaker presentations in PDF format through this link. 

Workshop Agenda

SESSION 1 – CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TODAY 

• Framing the workshop and its aims Vanina Fissore, ITHACA (OVERWATCH Project Coordinator)
• How Europe is tackling addressing challenges and priorities in emergency management - Kalogirou Vasileios, OVERWATCH and UNICORN Project Officer
• Outcomes of the International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics - Ivana Kruijff, German Rescue Robotics Centre
• “Strengthening Responder Technology in Disasters”: A European view LINK - Jon Hall, CMINE/RTC Cluster coordinator 

SESSION 2 – CHALLENGES AND NEEDS FACING THE RESPONDER COMMUNITY 

• Intro from the Chair - Mariza Kaskara | National Observatory of Athens NOA (UNICORN Project Coordinator)
• Austrian Red Cross - Sandra Nestlinger (Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz Project Manager)
• CINAMIL (Centro de Investigação, Desenvolvimento e Inovação da Academia Militar) - José Alberto de Jesus Borges (Associate Researcher at CINAMIL - Army and GNR R&D centre)
• SIS2B (Service d'Incendie et de Secours de la Haute Corse)- Michael Pelissier (Commandant SIS2B) 

SESSION 3 – HOW EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IS TRANSFORMING DISASTER RESPONSE 

• Intro from the Chair - Anna Kobierzycka | Centrum Informacji Kryzysowej CBK PAN (COLLARIS2 Project Coordinator)
• How the Disaster Resilience Network is impacting on disaster management - Jon Hall, DIREKTION project
• Drone foresight study key findings - Jakub Ryzenko (Head of the Crisis Information Centre CBK), COLLARIS2 project
• Using Earth Observation data, drones and augmented reality for disaster management in Portugal - Vanina Fissore (Head of Unit - R&D at Ithaca S.r.l.), OVERWATCH project
• Advancing Preparedness with UNICORN: EO-Driven Tools for Authorities, Citizens and Industry - Mariza Kaskara (Project Manager & Research Associate National Observatory of Athens), UNICORN project
• The Mount Etna Case study 2021-2022 using drones, satellites, and fixed surveillance cameras - Emanuela De Beni (Researcher INGV-OE), INGV-OE (Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology - Etna Observatory)
• 24/7 multi-hazard advice service - Strengthening the monitoring and analysis functions of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) and its Situational Awareness Sector (SAS) - Alberto Michelini (Senior Researcher INGV-OE), ARISTOTLE - ARISTOTLE-eENHSP 

Successful solutions from needs to deployment. The 2025 DIREKTION Award winners 

• Intro from the Chair - Jon Hall | QFSM (Queen's Fire Service Medal) Founder of The Resilience Advisors Network (DIREKTION project Network Advisor & Exploitation Lead) DIREKTION Awards: “Best innovative solutions regarding Disaster and Resilience society gap for first responders” 

Projects from the awards program present their solutions: 

• Live-Lage - Ralf Berger (German Aerospace Center DLR)
• Terramind FX - Guillaume Cortes (Tyndall FX)
• CamİA - Jilane El Khouly (AzurİA)
• LIUM - Guilain Yvon (Lium Ceo) 

Closing the loop: Final remarks and next steps - ALPHA Consult moderator