You can't prevent natural disasters - but you can take steps to prepare for them
Temperatures are rising globally, and countries are experiencing extreme weather conditions. As a result, natural disasters are occurring more frequently – sometimes also in areas that are unaccustomed and unprepared.
Natural disasters can include:
- Tsunamis
- Forest fires
- Tornadoes and hurricanes
- Volcanic eruptions
- Earthquakes and landslides
- Heat waves
- Droughts
- Heavy rains and floods
- Winter and ice storms
Since natural disasters cannot be prevented – organizations and countries should be prepared for the consequences of natural disasters. An Early Warning System is a solution designed to detect early signs of natural disasters before they occur – so that the responsible entities can trigger actions to evacuate, save people, and protect important assets.
Early Warning Systems are connected to sensors that continuously measure specific seismological data. The data is promptly relayed to a monitoring tool for real time model calculations and simulations, designed to detect signs of a natural disaster. When such indicators align, automated alerts are generated and sent to both relevant authorities and individuals within the impacted regions. They are informed of the impending danger at an early stage and can initiate evacuation and implement other safety measures. Typically, alert distribution follows a multi-channel communication approach, to reach as many people as quickly as possible.
Additionally, Early Warning Systems provide post-event communication in the form of ‘all-clear’ messages, and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the event’s data. In summary, an Early Warning Systems can not only prevent the escalation of natural disasters, but also avert the disaster from becoming a catastrophe.
Due to the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, the United Nations has recognized the need for Early Warning systems. Consequently, they have launched an initiative with the aim to make early warning accessible to all people by 2027 – The Early Warnings For All Initiative (EW4All).
Utimaco offers customizable Critical Event Management for governments, enterprises, and other organizations. This offering is designed for those seeking an early warning system that seemlessly integrates with their public warning solutions and interfaces with sensors.
