Monday, 6 October, marks the official launch of DARE (Deployment And Engagement of Resources and Citizens for European Emergency Response), a new Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action funded under the Civil Security for Society programme. DARE aims to enhance Europe’s ability to respond collectively and effectively to natural disasters.
Europe faces increasingly frequent and severe disasters, from wildfires and floods to cross-border emergencies, where rapid and coordinated action can save lives. With a total budget of €3.6 million and running until September 2028, DARE will bridge key gaps in disaster response by:
- Harmonising operational procedures across Member States to enable smooth cross-country deployments.
- Ensuring interoperability of command structures for faster and more coordinated decision-making.
- Integrating digital tools through an open-source dashboard combining real-time hazard monitoring, AI-supported multilingual communication, and situational awareness tools.
- Engaging citizens and volunteers in emergency response, with mechanisms for mobilisation and feedback loops between authorities and communities.
At the heart of the project is the ambition to create a resilient, scalable, and citizen-centred European emergency response framework. Through training, workshops, and field exercises, DARE will test and validate harmonised procedures that can be rapidly adopted across Europe.
Coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis INT, the project brings together 15 partners from 10 European countries, spanning research institutions, emergency services, NGOs, public authorities, and technology organisations. The Pau Costa Foundation will lead the effort to enhance interoperability of the wildfire modules under the European Civil Protection Mechanism by developing a common framework for training, exercises, and working procedures.
“With DARE, the Foundation can continue advancing the standardisation of working processes among emergency services responding to wildfires with an international perspective,” adds Juan Caamaño, Head of the PCF’s Training and Operations Area.
During the first stage of DARE, the Foundation will be involved in the creation of a working group with representatives from response teams (modules) of different member countries that have modules within the Voluntary Pool. This kind of working group had never been established before, and it is key to ensuring that the project results have real potential for implementation.
