VANOS S.A., as a key contributor within the European project’s TeamUP consortium, played a pivotal role in the Kick-Off Meeting for the project, titled “HOLISTIC CAPABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION AND CO-CREATION FRAMEWORK FOR UPSKILLED FIRST RESPONDERS AND ENHANCED CBRN-E RESPONSE”. The meeting took place from 24 to 26 January 2024, in Athens, Greece. Led by the Greek Institute of Communication and Computer Systems, around 50 participants met to discuss the implementation of the multidisciplinary project, which is supported by a Horizon Europe grant. The project will run from January 2024 until December 2026.
CBRN incidents and resulting casualties are a permanent threat across the continent. In past incidents, First Responders were often required to provide help without having conducted sufficient training on how to operate in CBRN incidents. Moreover, First Responders seldom are aware of the risks that CBRN material poses to their health. The management of a CBRN scene including the recovery of persons concerned requires standard operating procedures, advanced skills and suitable equipment. A step-by-step approach needs to include (1) detection of the CBRN threat, (2) triage of casualties and (3) on-site decontamination before the provision of medical aid.
To address this challenge TeamUP project brings together 23 partners, including Universities, Research Centers, NGOs, Emergency Responders, Agencies, and Companies from the European Union aiming to establish a unified framework for evaluating capabilities, procedures and co-developed solutions to be used in CBRN-E preparedness and response. TeamUP will analyse how First Responders can meet operating requirements. It will then develop and test innovative technologies for the detection, identification, and monitoring of hazardous material, as well as for the monitoring of the health status of First Responders. Moreover, TeamUP will integrate tools for triage and decontamination along with modules for collaborative and digitized Planning, Response and Training. Next to the training and equipment of First Responders, TeamUP aims to raise awareness for CBRN incidents in the general public, making our societies more resilient. By bringing together practitioners (training centres, FRs, experts and non-experts) from a broad range of disciplines and regions, the project will develop holistic products, accounting for the needs of end users.
After providing a comprehensive overview of the project structure, technical requirements, end-user needs as well as planned exercises were discussed at the Kick-off meeting. This allowed the partners to set forth the next steps to be taken in each working package and framed legal as well as ethical requirements. Finally, after what was perceived by all participants to be a successful start to the project, a workshop provided the opportunity to discuss details regarding the first exercise in Dortmund, Germany.
Project at a glance
Duration 36 Months (January 2024 – December 2026)
Funding This project is funded by the European Union (Project number 101121167).
Project Coordinator Dr Angelos Amditis, Institute of Communications and Computer Systems (ICCS), Greece
Consortium
• Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS), Greece
• Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), Greece
• Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Belgium
• Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (FHG), Germany
• Exus Software Monoprosopi Etairia Periorismenis Evthinis (EXUS), Greece
• Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), France
• T4i Engineering Single Member Private Company (T4i), Greece
• Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS), Germany
• Satways (STWS), Greece
• Technologicka Platforma Energetickabezpecnost (TPEB), Czech Republic
• Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (AIT), Austria
• Bioxhale Ltd (BIOX), UK (associated partner)
• VANOS S.A. (VANOS), Greece
• Autonoom Provinciebedrijf Campus Vesta (VESTA), Belgium
• Stadt Dortmund (FDDO), Germany
• Ministère de l’intérireur (ENSP), France
• Service départemental – métropolitain d’incendie et de secours (SDMIS), France
• Johanniter International (JOIN), Belgium
• Johanniter Österreich Ausbildung und Forschung gemeinnützige GmbH (JOAFG), Austria
• Ministry of National Defence (HMOD), Greece
• Mark2 Corporation Czech a.s. (M2C), Czech Republic
• Ceska Agentura Pro Standardizaci (CSA), Czech Republic
• DBC Europe (DBC), Belgium
