On 30 July, the Russian Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM of Russia) chaired a Meeting of BRICS Joint Task Force on Disaster Risk Management via videoconference.
Representatives of the five countries made reports on the use of modern information technologies as the main tool for preventing emergencies, as well as shared experience in organizing communications during the interaction of fire and rescue units.
“The rapid acceleration of global processes linked with climate change and technological progress is leading to an increase in the number and scale of catastrophies and disasters,” said Mr Oleg Manuylo, Director of the Civil Defence and Population Protection Department, EMERCOM of Russia, in his opening remarks. “With such changes we are required to develop and upgrade high-tech systems for the prevention and elimination of emergencies.”
Modern technologies used by the EMERCOM of Russia make it possible to simulate the development of the current situation and implement effective management decisions. Thus, the Ministry uses over 180 information systems for early forecasting of emergency situations. For example, in 2019, an automated Integrated State System for Prevention and Elimination of Emergencies was put into permanent regular operation, which contains over 780,000 passports of territories and facilities with notes on potential man-made and natural risks. In addition, the Ministry IT experts developed a new emergency management software - the “Atlas of Natural and Technogenic Hazards and Risks”. The Russian Side also shared experience of using space monitoring system to simulate various situations and predict their consequences.
Nowadays the EMERCOM of Russia applies a comprehensive approach to solving issues of preventing emergencies within the framework of a single information space that combines the resources of federal and regional executive authorities as well as local governments.
The Russian Side noted that communications is the technical foundation of the management system. In this regard mobile communications centres are effective for establishing communications during emergencies and disaster management operations in the BRICS countries. High mobility makes it possible to equip them on the sites of search-and-rescue operations. For its part, the EMERCOM of Russia has expressed its readiness to share its experience of establishing communications during emergency response.
Following the meeting, the sides reaffirmed their intention to further enhance pentalateral cooperation aimed at strengthening capacities to combat disasters and reduce natural disaster risks.