PULSE: Platform for European Medical Support during major emergencies

Funded by European Union under 7th FWP (Seventh Framework Program)
Coordinator: SKYTEK, Ireland
Running Time: 1.6.2014 – 30.11.2016

Project description

In Europe, one of the core emergency response services to deadly threats such as pandemic disease and major terrorism attacks is the European Health Services (EHS). The EHS comprise key stakeholders that include hospitals, community health services, pre-hospital emergency care services, medical suppliers, rescue services, health related voluntary services and others. It is crucial to the EHS that it remains in an excellent state of preparedness supported by first-class planning and decision support tools. Moreover, in the response phase, EHS need consistent, coordinated and standardised advanced support methods and tools providing support in critical tasks like e.g. early threat detection, common operational picture, creation of surge capacity etc. Finally, at a pan European level, EHS also need an interoperable framework with the ability to provide a coordinated European response to any major medical incident. PULSE aims to meet these challenges.

The project begins with:
a) comprehensively studying the procedures, processes and training requirements in current operation at the EHS, then
b) Develops standard and consistent response procedures and processes;
Provides tools to support decision making in both preparedness and response phases;
Provides a Framework that ensures decision makers have access to timely key data, planning and decision support tools and to international best practice and lessons learnt;
Presents innovative training techniques to improve personnel response training;
Develops an ‘emergency app’ for smart phones that will allow users fast and flexible access to emergency resource availability information;
The primary benefit will to reduce administration, bureaucracy and ensure better use of resources.

The project builds on research results from previous EU projects including analysis of societal and political criteria and their relevance to security measures.

The PULSE framework solution will be validated by two pilot scenarios based on multiple exercises and demonstrations: a) a biological attack in Italy and b) a major stadium 'crush' at a Dublin stadium concert. Both will involve cross-order support from neighbouring countries.

Participants: