Forskningen i FIRE21 undersöker problemlösning inom räddningstjänsten på 2000-talet. I en serie storys fördjupar vi oss i forskningen. Det här är story nr 1 som handlar om arbetet att kartlägga samhällets risker.
FIRE21 is a four-year project that investigates problem solving in the Fire and Rescue service in the 21st century. The research is organized in five different work packages.
Presentation of the research in FIRE21
In a series of stories, we will present the five work packages. We will also continuously give updates on the research progress in FIRE21.
This story is presenting work package 3, which is led by Frank Markert, DTU in Denmark. The group also includes members from Lund University in Sweden as well as from RISE Fire Research AS in Norway.
The risk landscape of today and tomorrow
The research in work package 3 compares the risk landscape of today with that of the future. The picture is seen from a global point of view with emphasis on risks experienced in the Nordic and European countries.
Climate change causes challenges
One of the primary factors causing challenges for the Fire and Rescue Service is climate change. The climate change causes direct impact in terms of severe storms, flooding, heavy rains, and very dry summers. Over time, this can for example lead to increased vulnerability to landslides and forest fires. These emergencies require many resources and demand coordination of the Fire Rescue Services both locally and national as well as across the European countries.
Indirect challenges from climate change
Even indirectly, climate change causes potential challenges for the Fire and Rescue Service. This is a consequence of the development of new technologies and new infrastructure. One example of this development is the wider use of sustainable materials in new buildings. Another example is the change in power supply for the transport sector, where batteries and fuel cell technologies are more widely used.
New solutions alter the nature of incidents
The introduction of new solutions may alter the nature of incidents for the Fire and Rescue Service in the future. In the long run, this means new challenges that are not yet fully known to the Fire and Rescue Service.
The research of work package 3
In this context, work package 3 in FIRE21 is now establishing a picture of today´s risk landscape as a benchmark to compare future risks to. The national risk profiles for Sweden, Norway and Denmark have been evaluated and accompanied using an analysis of trends in statistical data. The work will be summarized in a report that will be published in March 2022.
Report gives overview of recognized risks
The result of the coming report will provide both an overview and a comparison of the recognized risks for the Fire and Rescue Services in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. The report will also show how the knowledge about present and future challenges is implemented.
The purpose of the report
The goal of work package 3 is to understand recognized risks and the national risk landscapes in the three participating countries. Further, the research will also clarify the countries´ different ways of preparing for present and emergent risks. A spin-off from this work will be the opportunity for first responders from the three participating countries to exchange ideas and knowledge in support of incident response in the future.
Author: Frank Markert
Published by: Susanne von Hebel