INtelligent toolkit for reconnaissance, assessments and prehospital support in Perilous InciDents: a realistic experiment in prehospital environment

Abstract

Abstract Background First responders, when arriving at a disaster, need a rapid analysis of the environment in which they are going to operate, as they have to assess the conditions surrounding potential victims and neutralize any risks that may exist.The EU-funded INTREPID develops a new technology platform to assist first responders when arriving on the scene of a disaster. The project INTREPID aims to support safer operations in the form of more efficient, fast, and safe disaster site assessments. The objective of the study is to implement new technologies into rescue operations to facilitate and improve situational awareness and operation management capabilities to save lives. The focus of the study is relevant to the field of mass casualty incident management and disaster, as proper communication is extremely relevant in the management of catastrophes. Method The first phase of the project started with a qualitative methodology SCRUM, for catching the end user’s feedback and requirements to design the interface platform. It was developed a platform to support first responders in disasters areas improving the 3D scanning and analysis of disaster areas. This platform is based on the concepts of intelligence amplification and eXtended Reality, with hololens, drones and robots. The project continued with a β phase in which the platform with all tools integrated were tested in simulated mass casualty disasters. Results These technologies are tested in different disaster scenarios: A flooded subway stop in Stockholm, an accident in the chemical industry in Marseille, and a man-made explosion in a hospital in Madrid. Through this platform, first responders can immediately initiate operations without exposing personnel to potential harmful risks without specialized equipment, with all important information shared and coordinated, among all responders, whether they are security, firefighters, or emergency health professionals. Conclusions The performance pilots and the questionnaire results validated the effectiveness and usability of the final version of the INTREPID platform and tools.

Keywords

• Pre-hospital Care
• Decision support techniques
• Unmanned aerial devices
• Ecological parameter monitoring
• Robot enhanced procedures