Public FLOOD Emergency and Awareness SERVice

ended

Floods are an increasingly acute problem. Floods endanger lives and cause human tragedy as well as heavy economic losses. In addition to economic and social damage, floods can have severe environmental consequences, for example when installations holding large quantities of toxic chemicals are inundated or wetland areas destroyed. Intense precipitation has become more frequent and more intense, growing manmade pressure has increased the magnitude of floods that result from any level of precipitation, and flawed decisions about the location of human infrastructure have increased the flood loss potential. Flooding cannot be wholly prevented. Flood risk increases with ongoing climate change. Risk reduction in large international basins can only be achieved through transnational, interdisciplinary and stakeholder oriented approaches within the framework of a joint transnational research project. The overall objective of FLOOD-serv is to develop and to provide a pro-active and personalised citizen-centric public service application that will enhance the involvement of the citizen and will harness the collaborative power of ICT networks (networks of people, of knowledge, of sensors) to raise awareness on flood risks and to enable collective risk mitigation solutions and response actions. Other general objectives are: 1. Empowering local communities to directly participate in the design of emergency services dealing with floods mitigation actions. 2. Harness the power of new technologies, such as social media, and mobile technologies to increase the efficiency of public administrations in raising public awareness and education regarding floods risks, effects and impact. 3. Encourage the development and implementation of long-term, cost-effective and environmentally sound mitigation actions related to floods though an ICT-enabled cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders: government, private sector, NGOs and other civil society organizations as well as citizens.