Projects
Within EMRIC, we not only work together on a daily basis to provide operational assistance, but also on innovative projects that strengthen cross-border cooperation. To this end, we make use of the subsidy opportunities offered by Interreg Euregio Meuse-Rhine. These projects result in concrete improvements, for example in the areas of crisis management and health. On this page, you can read more about some of the initiatives that demonstrate how EMRIC is working with various partners to create a safer region.
The EMRIC partnership itself was created about 10 years ago, after two projects subsidized by Interreg, namely Emric and Emric+.
EurocAIre
Smarter emergency medical response in life-threatening situations in the Meuse-Rhine region
This Interreg project co-funded by the European Union, aims to develop and test a smart software prototype that improves the deployment of emergency medical services (EMS) resources (for example ambulances) in the border area of the Meuse-Rhine region. Using modern technologies, the project will examine how EMS currently operate and how this can be improved, for example through faster response times, better arrival times, and greater coverage of the area. These factors will be measured both before and after the test.
The software will help dispatch centers to share and deploy resources more efficiently and strengthen cooperation between countries. Practical recommendations for the future will also be made.
A key objective is to improve coordination and resolve communication issues between EMS from different countries. We are doing this using a transcription tool capable of live translation. We are assessing the impact by comparing the experiences of emergency responders who previously faced communication issues with their experiences after using the tool.
Dispatch centers are participating in the development and testing of the software and are collaborating with small and medium-sized enterprises. Digital innovation and targeted training enable them to perform their work more effectively. Improvements in coverage and response times are demonstrated through a simulation as proof of concept.
More information about the project can be found on the project’s website: EURO-cAIre
Hawkeye
The HAWKEYE project is a continuation of the findings from the MARHETAK project. The Belgian National Crisis Centre, which is also the manufacturer of Paragon, is the lead partner on behalf of a consortium of eight partners in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
The HAWKEYE project is working on a further link between crisis management systems. The link with the Dutch LCMS (Landelijk Crisis Management Systeem) is being consolidated and a German version of Paragon is being created. The EMRIC partner Feuerwehr & Rettungsdienst Stadt Aachen (DE) intends to use Paragon as its own crisis management system after the end of the project. EMRIC and ITEM are also analysing the effects of climate change on the border region and the measures to be taken in this regard. The topics of citizen participation and self-help capability are also being analysed. HAWKEYE is also focussing on the early detection of forest fires. A detection network of sensors and/or cameras is used and the information is processed in Paragon. From there, drones are controlled for precise imaging and extinguishing measures can be determined and coordinated.
The HAWKEYE project is supported by the European Union and the Interreg Meuse-Rhine programme (NL-BE-DE) with a contribution of €2,997,865.
The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Région Wallonne (BE) and the Province of Limburg (NL).
Partners:
- Hulpverleningszone Noord Limburg (BE)
- Zone de Secours 5 WAL (BE)
- Hilfeleistungszone der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft (BE)
- EMRIC, legally represented by the Safety Region South Limburg (NL)
- Nederlands Instituut Publieke Veiligheid (NL)
- Institute for Transnational and Euregional cross border cooperation and Mobility (ITEM) (NL)
- Fire & Rescue Service City of Aachen (DE).
More informatio can be found on the project website
Marhetak
Improving euregional cooperation in times of flooding
The aim of the Marhetak project is to robustify the cooperation between the euregional services legally responsible for crisis management and weather, water and soil services in times of a flood crisis.
The Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Limburg in the form of EMRIC, the Public service of Wallonia, the Federal public service Home Affairs Belgium and Water Board Limburg will work to align images of forecasts, facilitate uniform information provision, link data sources, harmonize risk assessments and crisis communication. Lastly, emergency response equipment will be inventarized and complemented where necessary. The project was concluded on December 12, 2023, with a live exercise on better crisis management in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine.
More information can be found on the MARHETAK project website.
This project is being carried out within the context of Interreg V-A Euregio Meuse Rhine, with 1.908.003,55 euros from the European Regional Development Fund.
Pandemric
Examines the benefits of euregional cooperation in the event of a pandemic or large-scale outbreak of an infectious disease
PANDEMRIC is an amalgamation of the words pandemic and EMRIC. PANDEMRIC supports EMRIC in its work during the COVID crisis.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak it soon became clear that crisis policies were often implemented at the national level. Existing euregional networks were more or less overruled. Discoordination between the countries caused numerous bottlenecks in the border regions, which proved detrimental for citizens in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR). PANDEMRIC therefore focuses on promoting euregional cooperation in the event of a pandemic or large-scale outbreak of an infectious disease.
More information can be found on the PANDEMRIC project website.
The Pandemric project was conducted during the period: March 2020 through August 31, 2021.
News and stories
Cross-border high-angle rescue exercise
The specialised high-angle rescue teams of the Kelmis Fire Service and the Aachen Fire Service trained together in Hergenrath at the end of July. The joint training day strengthened both technical...
Cross-border assistance during wildfire in the High Fens
The major wildfire in the High Fens once again highlights the importance of cross-border cooperation. Through EMRIC, emergency services from Germany and the Netherlands are supporting their Belgian...
Interview with EMRIC-chairman Andreas Dovern
“Trust is not built during a crisis, but long before.” According to EMRIC chairman Andreas Dovern, this sentence captures the essence of cross-border cooperation. We spoke with him about his vision...