An exercise by the German Aerospace Center shows how new technologies can reduce the risks for those who work in emergencies.

Climate change is having an increasingly direct impact also on workplace safetyAs highlighted by the analysis conducted by the International Labour Organization in the report "Ensuring Occupational Safety and Health in the Context of Climate Change," rising temperatures, the greater frequency of extreme weather events, and the intensification of phenomena such as floods, fires, and heat waves are altering the conditions in which millions of people carry out their work. From outdoor workers to those on construction sites, to logistics and transportation workers, exposure to risks is growing, requiring new prevention strategies, updated procedures, and increasingly effective tools.

And if these complications now concern daily work, it is clear that they become even more evident in activities which, by their definition, take place in extreme conditionsRescuers, firefighters, civil defense workers, and specialized personnel are called upon to intervene precisely when storms or landslides put people and infrastructure at risk, often in contexts where communications and transportation are also compromised. These are critical situations, therefore, where technology can offer crucial support.

To understand how to support those working on the front line, sixteen institutions of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have organised, together with authorities and organisations responsible for security, an exercise in the Ahrweiler district, in Germany. Based on a realistic flood scenario, the demonstration showed how advanced communication systems and other technologies can improve relief coordination, provide an overview and reduce operators' risk exposure engaged in emergency operations.

How a project aimed at changing emergency management was born

Behind the project there is, as mentioned, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany's leading research center for aeronautics, space, energy, transportation, digitalization, and security. Funded by the federal government and the German state governments, the DLR conducts research and development for develop innovative technologies and translate research findings into concrete applications for industry, institutions, and society. Alongside programs dedicated to space exploration and aeronautical technologies, the agency also works on systems for protecting critical infrastructure, managing emergencies, and supporting civil defense authorities.

A context in which it also fits RESITEK, an acronym for Resilient Technologies for Civil Protection, is a project that aims to provide emergency responders with tools that improve situational awareness, coordination of operations, and safety during interventions. DLR's approach is therefore based on the integration of expertise from diverse disciplines, from robotics to artificial intelligence, from satellite Earth observation to telecommunications, with the goal of developing technologies that can be used in real-world scenarios and contribute to more efficient emergency response.

A simulated flood as a plausible testbed for innovation

The scenario chosen for the RESITEK project exercise is that of a flood of devastating proportionsWater has invaded the territory, several local authorities are calling for help, the communication network is down, and roads, bridges, and buildings are destroyed. In such a situation, people must be evacuated and assisted quickly, while rescuers must navigate an unstable, dangerous, and difficult-to-coordinate environment.

In the simulation, the DLR intervenes to quickly assess the situation over a large area and support rescue operations. Specifically, the emergency situation is gradually reconstructed through satellite data, drone flights e reconnaissance carried out by robotic systemsAdded to this is the establishment of a local communications network, which allows operators to exchange information and receive data even from the most dangerous or hard-to-reach areas.

The DLR, the Bavarian Red Cross, and the German Red Cross Rhineland-Palatinate jointly conducted all field activities. While remote-controlled and autonomous drones supported the search for missing persons and reconnaissance of the affected areas, a shared airspace management system coordinated their movements with those of the helicopters. To verify its functionality, the researchers also simulated operations with rotary-wing aircraft. Robotic systems such as the ARDEA drone, the Scout rover, and the SHERP amphibious vehicle, provided by the World Food Programme and used for both reconnaissance and the transport of people and supplies, also came into action to support the teams.

What happens when all the data converges into a single operational map?

Once collected, all the information is channeled to the DLR operations center. This is where the artificial intelligence tools, which analyze and process satellite data, aerial imagery, drone footage, and information from rovers, integrating them into a single operational picture of the situation. Emergency teams then receive the operational picture both digitally, through dedicated web services, and via paper maps. Having a constantly updated overview allows responders to coordinate operations more effectively and base decisions on comprehensive and shared information.

Incomplete or delayed situational information, lack of connectivity, and insufficient coordination between stakeholders can significantly compromise the effectiveness of disaster response. Events such as large-scale floods, storms, or power outages highlight how much our society depends on the proper functioning of critical infrastructure.

says Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, President of the Executive Council of the DLR.

"RESITEK demonstrates how modern technologies can strengthen civil defense. What matters is not just the capabilities of individual systems, but also how they work together. Everyone involved benefits from the intense exchange of knowledge that takes place during the exercise."

Because prevention is always the best response to an emergency

The exercise addressed a crucial aspect: the ability of infrastructure to continue to function or to recover quickly after an extreme eventFor this reason, researchers analyzed various damage scenarios and developed models designed to increase the resilience of electricity grids, thus reducing the risk of prolonged disruptions to essential services. At the same time, the project also focused on planning the most efficient routes for rescue operations and population evacuation, a crucial factor when roads and connections are compromised.

Finally, the gaze also extends to less visible but equally concrete threats, such as the so-called space weatherSolar storms can disrupt critical infrastructure, power grids, and communications systems. For this reason, the DLR is working on more accurate forecasting models that can quickly assess their potential impacts and allow authorities to prepare more quickly.

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