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 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 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.
Official website of the Russian BRICS presidency: https://eng.brics-russia2020.ru/