After two years an EU funded project called Professional Dialogue Exercise Jordan Israel and Palestine “PDEX JIP” is finished. Within this project an analysis of the civil protection situation was done, guiding principles for emergency response operations between Jordan, Israel and Palestine were developed and tested in a Table Top Exercise as well as a Full Scale Exercise.
The Full Scale Exercise took place in Jordan (Queen Alia International Airport), Israel (Tel Aviv airport, Ramallah and the region south of Jericho) as well as in Palestine (mainly in Jericho and Nablus).
The Consortium consisted of University of Cyprus/ CERIDES (as lead), Cyprus Civil Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V. /Germany, Prepared International/Germany, Resilience Solutions International/Austria and DMAT Consulting KG/Austria.
The project was a full success as we were able to achieve all expectations and deducted at the end a Full Scale exercise in the region as a good preparation for possible future emergencies.
to read the whole Report please click on the link below:
Project number: P101048587 Project name: Professional Dialogue Exercises – Jordan Israel Palestine Project acronym: PDEX-JIP Call: UCPM-2021-EX Topic: UCPM-2021-INT Type of action: UCPM Project Grants Granting authority: European Commission-EU Project Duration: 01/01/2022- 30/06/2023
Project Lead
European University Cyprus (EUC)
Project Partners
D.M.A.T. Consulting KG (DMAT)
Prepared International (PPI)
Resilience Solutions International (RSI)
Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V. (JUH)
Ministry of Interior Cyprus (CCD)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cyprus (MFA)
Abstract
The overall aim of PDEX-JIP is to improve Civil Protection (CP) preparedness and response inside and outside the Member States of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) by providing a testing environment and a learning opportunity for all actors involved in CP interventions. The sub-region of Jordan, Israel and Palestine is a unique training environment of outermost interest for the UPCM.
PDEX-JIP Project will:
produce an assessment of the CP situation,
draft joint Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) on parties’ request,
hold joint planning conferences,
implement a Table-Top Exercise (TTX) training Host Nation Support (HNS) in a specific environment,
perform a Joint Full-Scale Exercise (FSX),
provide an Evaluation that includes a Lessons Learned (LL) process and recommendations for the Way ahead,
provide the sub-region with HNS-guidelines considering the specific response environment.
The project is designed to achieve overall strengthening of disaster preparedness in the JIP region while increasing interoperability and HNS measures for international and regional disaster response.
Goals/Objectives
Analyse the CP situation in the JIP region,
Conduct joint planning with JIP partners
Develop a joint SOP for international disaster response,
Prepare and conduct one HNS TTX
Prepare and conduct one joint FSX,
Conduct an evaluation of the current state of affairs in the region
Conclude with a LL procedure and recommend a way ahead for the JIP region.
Expected Results
Enable the response to a large-scale disaster in the region by creating interoperability between all involved actors
Enable support to vulnerable groups, Common SOP
Prepare and conduct one joint FSX,
Adaptation of disaster response plans,
Develop specific HNS guidelines
Kick Off Meeting 01.02.2022
The kick off meeting took place on Tuesday the 1st of February 2022, in Brussels, Belgium. Mr. Evangelos Katsaros, of the coordinating team, CERIDES and as the Research Associate, and Manager of the project, physically attended the meeting and presented the planned activities to the DG-ECHO Officers. Representatives from all consortium partners attended the meeting in virtual mode.
Hybrid Meeting 29-30.05.2022
A hybrid meeting took place in Tel Aviv and Ramallah between 29 and 30 May 2022. The 3 countries in their delegations included representatives from their Civil Protection National Authorities and various other services that will be instrumental for the Full Scale Exercise. The meeting took place in a really positive atmosphere and various details were discussed about the TTX Table Top Exercise that will take place in November and in particular about the SOP Standard Operating Procedures during the exercise.
Main Planning Conference, Cyprus 2-3.11.2022
A historical meeting for the JIP region took place in Cyprus, in November 2022 with all the consortium participating but also JIP Delegations Attending; specifically Jordanian Delegation – National Center for Security and Crisis Management (NCSCM), Jordanian Civil Defense (JCD); Israeli Delegation – National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and Military Liaison Office; Palestinian Delegation – Palestinian Civil Defense (PCD), Civil Affairs, Metrology, MOFA, and Military Liaison Office. From the United Nations: UNOCHA Jordan (regional JIP Professional Dialogue Project Coordinator, as well as conference facilitator), UNOCHA oPt, UNOCHA Emergency Response Section from Geneva.
Achievements of the Main Planning Conference (1/3)
As the JIP has worked successfully on the technical elements of a Flood Early Warning System there could also be in the future joint work on an Earthquake Early Warning Systems (EEWS). The Palestinian Civil Defence (hereinafter, PCD) conveyed the need to enhance their capabilities, access equipment, and develop search and rescue teams to ensure response success. PCD specified that they do not have the trucks, equipment, and warehousing to respond to natural disasters. As such, preparedness at the regional level is required in order to respond to all types of natural disasters and risks, in addition to receiving humanitarian assistance from international donors. Specific request also to develop the internal capacities of the PCD both in term of equipment and training.Jordan’s Civil Defence (hereinafter, JCD) and the National Center for Security and Crisis Management (hereinafter, NCSCM) agreed that common understanding and proper terminology must be established to unify response efforts moving forward. JCD suggested that JIP could evolve to include new technical spheres, some work on which has been done bilaterally between Jordan and Israel already, as well as combating varying risks collectively by means of joint field work, risk assessments, and continued coordination.
Achievements of the Main Planning Conference (2/3)
JIP delegations discussed key stakeholders’ services and infrastructure to be engaged in FSX, including the Current Status Exercise Logistics and Host Nation Support, incoming teams, EXCON, EUCPT, observers and VIP programme INSARAG cooperation.
Regarding the TTX Structure of the scenario, NEMA informed that their training audience will try to include 20 different organizations and ministries in Israel depending on the finalization of the scenario, and Jordan will have at least 36; the Palestinian Delegation likewise confirmed serious inter-ministerial commitment. OCHA added that there are seven (7) INSARAG teams an hour flight away in the case of international assistance.
The coordinator, European University of Cyprus (CERIDES) introduced the evaluation of FSX Exercise and the awareness campaign that serve the purpose of facilitating improvement, including test response procedures, and providing practice for participants.
Achievements of the Main Planning Conference (3/3)
JIP delegations commenced with the revised trilateral understanding draft to establish the operationalization framework for collective response. NEMA indicated that the trilateral understanding is a milestone, and commended PCD for their pen-holding role in drafting the trilaterally agreed guiding principles elements.
JIP delegations will review the document language ensuring full coherence of language with INSARAG guidelines to ensure full clarity.
The JIP delegations and Consortium discussed the objectives of the TTX. Its aim is to conduct a discussion-based exercise, in which the planned FSX scenario will be simulated and discussed, in addition to all relevant existing plans, documents, maps, guidelines etc. can be used and elaborated on, as well as possible problems and connected solutions identified for an efficient and simulated FSX.
Table Top Exercise parallel in Jordan, Israel and Palestine 08-09.01.2023
The aim of the TTX was to conduct a discussion-based exercise, in which the planned FSX scenario was simulated and discussed. All relevant existing plans, documents, maps, guidelines etc. were used and elaborated on, possible problems and connected solutions were identified and at the end the ground for an efficient simulated FSX was set. Consortium experts facilitated the TTX in all three areas (Amman, Ramallah, Tel Aviv) familiarizing all beneficiaries with International Assistance Procedures.
Table Top Exercise Jordan
Jordan has not been severely affected by the earthquake and simulated efforts to fully support Israel and Palestinian Authority cope with disaster impacts. Jordan will facilitate international assistance reach areas in need. Actual testing will take place during Full Scale Exercise.
Table Top Exercise Israel
Israel simulated both earthquake management within its territory, as well as the procedures for requesting, receiving and distributing international assistance in hit areas. The process of finding solutions under pressure for optimizing cooperation with Jordan and Palestine Authority in case of a big earthquake has been tested.
Table Top Exercise Palestine
Palestine Authority simulated host of international assistance and support of local population the 1st critical hours of a devastating earthquake.
Final Planning Meeting, Tel Aviv, 6-7.02.2023
The Final Planning Meeting took place on 06th-07th of February 2023 in a hybrid way in Tel Aviv. Τhe objectives accomplished were:
Discussion of the outcomes and lessons from the TTX in their relevance for the FSX, inter alia the evaluation of the guidelines
Finalization of the planning for the FSX, including the scenario and injects, including the deployment of field hospital
Discussion of logistical details and field visit of exercise sites
Discussion of Observer and VIP program for the exercise
Familiarization with the Evaluation Process of the FSX
Full Scale Exercise Israel, Palestine, Jordan, 12-16.03.2023
The Full Scale Exercise took place between 12th – 16th of March 2023 with a great success. It involved approximately 120 participants from 18 countries — Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, North Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Romania, Spain, Sweden, along with Israel — as well as the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, DG ECHO representatives and the United Nations OCHA.
Between 2nd and 3rd November our consortium, consisting of European University of Cyprus, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, Civil Defense of Cyprus, Johanniter/Germany, Prepared International/Germany, Resilience Solutions International/Austria and D.M.A.T. Consulting KG/Austria conducted the Main Planning Conference for the PDEX JIP exercise in 2023
The three authorities – Jordan, Israel and Palestine (JIP) – which are part of the Professional Dialogue of UN OCHA, which was created in 2012, agreed on drafted “Guiding Principles for Standard Procedures in Disaster Situations”. These specific and historically important guidelines will now be tested in a Table Top exercise in January 2023 as well as a Full Scale Exercise of the European Union in March 2023.
The overall aim is to strengthen disaster preparedness in the JIP region, increase interoperability, enable Host Nation Support (HNS) and cooperation for international disaster response. This will be achieved by supporting the JIP region in analysing their Civil Protection situation, prepare a specific regional, cross border Standard Operating Procedures(SOP) for closer, more operational cooperation in case of a complex emergency, train all parties in HNS, test respective measures during an FSX and evaluate and analyse future steps and recommendations for implementation of the results into their national disaster response plans.
It will be the first time that all three authorities will cooperate in such a disaster management operation to test their possible cooperation.
Based on a current platform called ASIGN, listed as one of United Nations Information Management tools for disasters, and in use by Oslo Police for security, B-SURE will develop user-driven functional capabilities and technical solutions for providing commercial services for target markets. The B-SURE project is supported by the UN, who will be acting as a developing partner, reference user and possible future client.
B-Sure Logo
What is B-Sure
B-SURE is about creating urban resilience by providing novel situational awareness capabilities for faster and better response in in critical situations related to disaster management and security.
By fusing information from space spaced EO observations, Unmanned vehicles (drones) and geospatial images from the ground communicated from smartphones, via satellite communications if needed, B-SURE creates a portal providing unique common operational picture for United Nations and other professional disaster management organizations.
Objective
to reduce disaster management response time
B-SURE Services
The main B-SURE service is rapid collection and bandwidth efficient secure communication of operationally relevant field information. The baseline field platform is a smartphone, while information managers access data and interact with the field users via Web browsers online on secure servers. The field users cover professionals, civil population and small UAV operators.
The B-SURE service forms a unique basis for a rapidly updated visual situational awareness service with photos and video and associated data sources. While user needs are clearly present, a large commercial market can be challenging to acquire. Therefore, suitably flexible service and delivery models will be developed, supporting both partner and direct sales.
B-SURE will provide an innovative solution based of photos/images and video collected from the field to:
Improve visual situational awareness (e.g. damage and needs assessment after an Earthquake), via better collection and communication of relevant photos and video content from the field (i.e. non-essential data need not be sent).
Improve the relevance and effect of collected data, as the bandwidth savings also saves time to transfer data, making it much more efficient to interact with the field observers or drone pilots while data capture is done.
Improve training of professional in the field (this includes pilots of UAVs) about how to best acquire useful photo/videos in the field. This is usually done prior to a crisis
Support remote pilots of UAVs to be more effective to collect useful photos and videos. This is typically done real-time during the critical operations
Embed the useful data from Videos/Photos and Earth Observation in overlaying pictures/maps generated as well with the support of EO data
Finally, provide access to the visual situational awareness tool via a web-based service accessible to users via smartphones and PCs connected to Internet.
HOW does B-Sure work
Merging experience and expertise both from software developers and professional disaster managers, B-SURE utilizes a concept using interactive communication, where a smaller image or video storyboard is sent initially, allowing the receive side to pull the required details in full precision. The savings imply 1% of the cost and 100 times increase in speed. This capability is a unique core element for the B-SURE geo-spatial visual situational awareness that is combined with rapid mapping from latest satellite EO data. We apply Computer Vision and Machine Learning to complement and assist the analysts and decision makers.
The project has also developed mission critical video conferencing that can support users joining from the field with low bandwidth, even using mobile satellite communications. the video conferences combined with live drone video feeds, photo communications and live mapping.
European University Cyprus and CERIDES are excited to announce the implementation of the 1st online hackathon#HackHEUREKA, within the framework of the DG-ECHO – funded project HEUREKA.
Six (6) scholarships are available for the winners of #HackHEUREKA: The scholarships are kindly offered by European University Cyprus.
Full information about #HackHEUREKA is available at the following link:
On the 10th of December 2021, the virtual Symposium on Integrating Disaster Risk Management with Emergency Services and Defence to Reduce Avoidable Disaster Deaths will be held.
The Aim:
To focus on bringing together emergency services and defence in the Caribbean region (e.g., from the Army, Navy, Fire Services, etc.) and to cover the voices of the responders in reducing avoidable disaster deaths, and what lessons can be learned to improve practice.
D.M.A.T Consulting KG is one of the organizer Partners during this Symposium.
Prof Dr. Alois Hirschmugl from D.M.A.T Consulting KG is the Co-chair, lecturer, speaker and discussant.
Prof Dr. Alois Hirschmugl will talk about the Use of Military and Civil Defence Assets in disaster response operations
To know more about the (ADN) Symposium including the Timetable, Partners and the participation’s Link please visit the following websites:
Two months ago, Prepared International has started an interview series called “ Meet an Expert” where people from a global pool of disaster management experts share their knowledge in this field.
This week the expert guest is Prof. Dr. Alois Hirschmugl talking about “Civil Military coordination (CMCoord)” and the main challenges based on his experience.
World Humanitarian Forum London will analyse the future of humanitarianism, what the “Global Reset” will mean for humanitarian aid and international development and what exactly will a ‘Global Reset’ look like? WHF London will create a series of conversations across 2 days to interrogate global challenges and chart the practical steps required to create more resilient, equal societies and reimagine a world beyond the pandemic.
Prof. Dr. Alois Hirschmugl from D.M.A.T Consulting KG is one of the speakers among others on the first day of this event.
“Prof. Dr. Alois says: After 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean, nearly half of the 14 Billion US $ pledges in disaster funding involved programs implemented by NGOs.
For me it is essential to include NGO´s in disaster response and recovery for the sake of people suffering most after such events.”
At the beginning of the session, Dr. Alois briefly explained how “the cooperation between NGOs and the government for effective disaster response and recovery can be improved and the cooperation between the aid agencies and the local government” and then he addressed some important aspects such as:
how useful it is to have NGOs in disaster areas.
Will they help or hinder the operating system because they may not be well trained or equipped?
And much more valuable information. To see the full session, please click on the window below.
Co-located events 2021
World Humanitarian Forum London 2021
The World Humanitarian Forum is a global call for action and brings together prominent leaders from the public and private sectors, as well as international thought leaders and pioneers from global aid and international development communities to engage in inspirational, thought-provoking, and future-focused dialogues which aim to shape the future of humanitarian aid and international development to help improving the lives of millions in need. This is an international knowledge exchange at the intersection of government, aid, development, future and innovation.
The Covid-19 crisis brought the world to a sudden standstill. The economic impacts continue to look worse each day. Hard-won democratic rights and freedoms were already being challenged before the pandemic struck and are even more at risk now. The crisis has also exposed a lack of global cooperation and collective leadership.
The pandemic has radically altered much of our lives around the world in both the short and long term. It raised the stakes, accelerating the need for systemic change and radical yet realistic measures to recalibrate social values and provide more sustainable and equitable pathways for the future. The consequences that have unfolded serve as a reminder that efforts to reduce poverty, fight climate change and create an economy that works for all require bold change.
The world today has a unique opportunity to move from marginal changes to transformative re-development. Using decentralised models of growth, building on opportunities provided by digitalisation and artificial intelligence could ensure climate-friendly sustainable development with a more equitable distribution of wealth.
IDME 2021 – 19-20 May London
IDME is a major-scale exhibition that showcases special equipment, technologies and services for disaster prevention, response, recovery, and resilience.
Meet with leading decision-makers in the sector and global procurement and government buyer groups.
Network with authorities such as government leaders, major NGOs, INGOs, and global policymakers.
Share our venue floor with innovative suppliers of specialist products and services and explore the latest trends.
Aid&Trade 2021 – 19-20 May London
Aid&Trade features panel discussions, tech demos, conferences and workshops with an exhibition aimed at showcasing the latest humanitarian aid products and services. It brings together NGOs, procurement officials as well as the private and public sector and anyone interested in the future of aid.
Aid&Trade London, now in its 5th year, is the fastest-growing humanitarian event of its kind. It brings together major stakeholders working across the Global Aid and the International Development Industry.
Emergency Show 2021 – 19-20 May London
A unique and international platform for the world’s emergency services community and the blue light sector.
Emergency Show, now in its 3rd year, is London’s annual trade exhibition for the Blue Light Sector. It brings together the most influential decision-makers and all those dealing with emergency response globally, including:
