Ongoing Emergency: Safety 1st ACT, the app for field operators with real-time alerts and updates

Adverse events requiring Civil Protection intervention demand coordination at local, provincial, and national levels. Effectively managing ongoing emergencies necessitates synergy among various forces, as outlined by the Civil Protection Department, to enhance the efficiency of rescue and recovery operations. During a major emergency, communication between field operators and the various PSAPs becomes crucial, following the guidelines of the Augustus Model. The challenge lies in efficiently coordinating resources on-site, which requires a continuous and precise flow of information.

The presence of multiple operational teams, as seen during the 2023 Emilia-Romagna floods, presents significant coordination challenges. Additionally, road flooding or bridge collapses exacerbate logistical issues, slowing down or hindering rescue operations. Therefore, timely and effective communication, along with an up-to-date situational picture, is essential.

Safety 1st ACT: why situational awareness makes the difference

The cornerstone of managing and resolving ongoing emergencies is having an up-to-date situational overview and sharing it with field operators. To achieve this, it is crucial to establish efficient, bidirectional, and real-time communication between the Control Room and field teams to report alerts and their developments. At the same time, field operators must interact effectively to avoid overlaps and inefficiencies.

Safety 1st ACT has been designed to meet this need, offering an efficient, user-friendly tool equipped with modern graphical interfaces that facilitate prompt and accurate action. Connected to the Safety 1st web platform of the Control Center, the app allows for the input, sharing, and updating of ongoing alerts based on predefined detail levels:

• Situational overview:  On a geolocated map, with a user-friendly visual representation (similar to Google Maps), all active alerts are displayed, categorized by severity level. Alerts can also be listed textually and not geolocated on the map, depending on user preference. Severity levels (red, orange, yellow) provide a quick visual indication of the number and seriousness of incidents. A full-screen map offers an immediate view of the affected area and ongoing alerts. When the Control Center updates an alert status, push notifications are sent to the operator in real time.
• Alert creation:  Both the Control Center and field operators can create new alerts with a predefined level of detail. Field operators can classify alerts by type and severity according to the taxonomy used by the Control Room; alerts are geolocated based on the operator's position. Images and comments can be added to enhance understanding in the Control Center, where the alert is then processed and managed. This approach helps anticipate further emergencies and accelerates recovery efforts.
• Location sharing:  Operators can opt to share their location with the Control Center, which can then track their last known position in case of unforeseen events or critical situations. The geolocation feature is enabled only with the operator's explicit consent.

Through the app, field teams can easily and accurately communicate with the Control Center and with each other, using Telegram when necessary. The core of communication is alert management, which enables real-time information transmission via a dedicated channel.

Real-time updates during emergencies: key benefits

The ability to share real-time information during ongoing emergencies provides significant advantages, primarily enabling seamless collaboration between the Control Center and field staff. However, Safety 1st ACT offers additional benefits, including:

• Immediacy:  Instant communication between the Control Center and field personnel eliminates any delays in rescue operations and interventions.
• Safety:  Operators can choose to share their location with the Control Center, which can monitor operations and intervene when necessary.
• Speed: The public can be reached more quickly with up-to-date information on the situation.
• Service accessibility:  The app is available for Android and iOS devices, with a web component accessible in SaaS (Software as a Service) mode. No installation is required on either the Control Center's PC or the operator's smartphone. The app can be customized to display relevant content and is supported by 24/7 assistance.

Safety 1st ACT is a modern, effective, and efficient tool that enables the sharing of critical information and the establishment of a dedicated communication channel between the Control Center and field personnel. During an emergency, the use of Safety 1st ACT facilitates coordination activities, ultimately improving intervention and resolution efforts.