France

The SAFERS demonstration in Corsica took place on October 19, 2022, in Olmeta di Tuda, a region of Corsica. This area is in the south of the city of Bastia, which is the economic lung of the micro-region. The area is mainly characterized by rural areas, with a total resident population of 15,000 inhabitants. This region was affected by forest fires in July 2017, during the summer when the high turnout of tourists takes place. In addition, the most important roadway is in the main axis of fire propagation. Ferries land in Bastia for thousands of holidaymakers, all of whom will traverse this route. On top of that, it must be considered that regions with high affluence of tourism have no control over the awareness about fire events, as tourists usually come from different regions and countries all over Europe and are very distressed by this unknown situation. All these aspects make Corsica an essential place to test SAFERS because it potentially poses serious problems for fire-fighters and state administration in terms of tactical choices and human, economic and environmental issues. Therefore, they need very accurate information to make the best decisions in the critical phase of rescue operations.

Organized by the High-Corsica Fire and Rescue Service (SIS2B), the demonstration involved firefighters, local authorities, and citizens to test the beta version of SAFERS Intelligent Services. The event focused on wildfire prevention, detection, and response, using tools such as social media intelligence gathering, smoke and fire detection systems, and weather forecasts. This initiative aims to enhance natural disaster management and response in Corsica.

To explore the SAFERS demonstration in action and learn more about this innovative initiative in Corsica, click here to watch the presentation video.

Read more about the demo