In a time where the frequency and scope of disasters is ever increasing, enhancing the access of citizens and communities to public warning systems has never been more urgent. In the next few years, the European Commission will launch the Galileo Emergency Warning Satellite Service (EWSS)- which aims to alert people in the event of threatening hazards with the use of a constellation of medium earth orbit satellites.
In preparation, the AWARE project will develop a solution enabling the reception and processing of EWSS messages. This solution will be integrated in fixed devices, such as display panels, speakers, long-range acoustic devices (LRAD), within the architecture of buildings, and other connected devices which can alert citizens via audio, video, and text alert messages even when telecommunications networks are disrupted or down.
The EU-funded project, led by Telespazio France, brings together eight partners from four countries with the necessary knowledge, expertise, and technical capacity to extend the capabilities of Galileo EWSS. Telespazio and EENA have experience on the design and deployment of public safety services, FDC is a secure GNSS solutions provider, and CNES (the French space agency) is the future operator of the Galileo EWSS service centre in Toulouse. JCDecaux and Genasys- Public Warning Systems (PWS) equipment providers and solution integrators- will perform end-to-end demonstrations which will involve customers such as Slovenian Civil Protection. Finally, the bridge between Galileo EWSS and Copernicus EMS will be showcased by the University of Strasbourg.
The AWARE project is the first project going beyond smartphone-based alerting capabilities, aiming to integrate Galileo EWSS messages into other devices which are widely accessible and frequently used in everyday life. In so doing, the AWARE project will address Pillar 3 of the United Nations Early Warnings For All initiative “Warning dissemination and communication” and will contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
