Priority axis Protection of Environment – Transportation
Specific Objective Prevention, mitigation and management of natural disasters, risks and hazards
Call 1st Call for Project Proposals
Start date April 2, 2018
Lead Partner International Hellenic University (former Technological Educational Institution of Central Macedonia), Dept of Mechanical Engineering [IHU]
Partners Centre for development of the South-East planning region [CDSEPR]
Crisis Management Center [CMC]
Hellenic Rescue Team [HRT]
Ministry of Interior (sector Macedonia and Thrace) [MIAR]
Budget 905.553,30 €

OVERVIEW

Historically, the eligible programme area has been threatened by natural disasters, risks and hazards (NDRH). Two large-scale catastrophic earthquakes (Skopje 1963, Thessaloniki 1978), several floods (e.g. Vardar/Axios), and many more forest fires are some examples of the humanitarian aid challenges to be addressed, highlighting the need for effective relief operations, where citizens are actively engaged. Recently, a man-made refugee crisis (Syrian war 2015) came to render this need imperative. HELP aims to increase humanitarian relief capacity and preparedness at the cross border area towards the effective and efficient prevention, mitigation and management of NDRH.

The overall objective of the project is to improve the strategic and operational efficiency of public administration and public services in managing natural disasters within the wider cross-border area  between Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia. The main output and the originality of HELP is a cluster of 3 prototypes 20 ft sized containers that will constitute an integrated operations center for providing humanitarian assistance.

Two interconnected “Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Centers (C4I)” and one on-site Medical treatment facility (MED)  containers will be developed along with detailed designs and users’ manual (transport, setup, use). One of the C4I containers and the MED container will be delivered to the local authorities in Greece and the second C4i container will be delivered to the Republic of North Macedonia.

In order to maximize the project’s impact and ensure its effectiveness in practice, actions include the mobilization of citizens, increasing awareness in the local communities on NDRH, and the promotionof volunteerism towards increasing emergency relief preparedness and humanitarian aid capacity.

The project will also develop a Crisis Management Plan for the effective use of the containers, and trainthe stakeholders on how to use them. The project is expected to increase the emergency response preparedness in the cross-border area, allowing public authorities, NGOs, and organizations of volunteers for making decisions based on reliable information, and responding faster and more effectively, given the training, planning, pre-positioning occurred, the coordination mechanisms established, and the simulation exercises held. Indicative benefits are the minimization of the response time, setup workload, cost, setup problems, and the maximization of the  safety of transportation, preparedness, etc.

OUTCOMES

The main output and innovation of project HELP is the development of 3 prototype containers, namely 2 interconnected “Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Centers (C4I)” and 1 on-site Medical treatment facility (MED). Detailed designs and users’ manual (transport, setup, use) will be produced. 

Both C4I containers will coordinate communication and activities among planning authorities & acting teams, operating either autonomously or interconnected to the other C4I container across the border. It will be compatible with the infrastructure of both local public authorities (platforms, hardware, protocols, software)  and support humanitarian logistics. The C4I container will host radio stations, satellite communications, GSM, Wi-Fi, peripherals (internet points, CCTV, customized ICT tools for the direct communication of operational teams with facilities). The MED container will support the basic medical needs of a humanitarian camp. Detailed designs and users’ manual (transport, setup, use) will be produced. 

One of the C4I containers and the MED container will be delivered to local authorities in Greece and the second C4i container will be delivered to local authorities of the Republic of North Macedonia.

A Crisis Management Plan (CMP) on the efficient relief operations will also be delivered. Along with the containers, it will contribute to the project specific objectives by reinforcing the NDRH management capacity of public authorities in terms of infrastructure, equipment and coordination, providing an integrated solution for the on-site relief and logistics operations.

A cross-border area network for cooperation will be established to support the objective of enhancing the total regional humanitarian relief capacity. Training courses for the stakeholders and campaigns to engage citizens in crisis management and volunteerism will increase the number of participants actively engaged into prevention actions and relief operations. The number of participants in prevention actions is expected to be more than 1,000.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The project is expected to improve and reinforce:

  • The capacity of public authorities in tackling natural disasters, at the strategic and operational level, in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and management by providing an integrated solution for the on-site relief and logistics operations. 
  • The emergency response preparedness in the cross-border area, allowing the public authorities, NGOs and organizations of volunteers to make decisions based on reliable information, and to respond faster and more effectively, given the training, planning, pre-positioning occurred, the coordination mechanisms established and the foreseen simulation exercises.
  • The strategic and operational cooperation on humanitarian relief operations issues between the two countries, as the associated network will merge capabilities, experience, and knowledge in terms of common and fully compatible assets, and challenges to be addressed.
  • The natural disaster awareness of populations settled in the cross-border area. Training courses and simulation exercises will lead to well-informed and well-trained individuals, ready to implement crisis plans, and to efficiently act in a coordinated manner.
  • The promotion and cultivation of humanitarian volunteerism. Social media will be employed in the mobilization of citizens to actively support volunteering organizations.

The population benefiting from the proposed risk/hazards prevention and natural disaster management measures is expected to be more than 5,000,000 individuals [based on the population of northern Greece (census 2011) and North Macedonia (census 2010)].

Disclaimer

This webpage has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of the webpage are the sole responsibility of the International Hellenic University and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union, the participating countries and the Managing Authority.

This project is co-funded by the European Union and national funds of the participating countries.

ABOUT