The Council of Tenerife start the development of a novel Intelligent Emergency Prevention and Management System (SIGE) that will allow practically real-time monitoring of any adverse phenomenon. The model is based on the existence of seven towers distributed throughout the Island, basically in the surroundings of the Forest Crown, which will be sensorized after their connection to the Insular Telecommunications Ring. It will initially focus on the prevention and fight against forest fires, one of the main threats to the Island, but it will be valid and applicable to other natural risks such as seismic and volcanic risks or floods. The global cost is 3.7 million euros and the forecast is that it will be in tests in 2023 and will be operational in 2024. This was announced by the Island Councilor for Innovation, Enrique Arriaga, who is accompanied by the director of the area, Aránzazu Artal.
“There are two challenges: avoid harm to the population and restore services immediately”
Arriaga reveals that the SIGE “will reduce possible damage to the population” and, in addition, “have the capacity to restore basic services in the shortest possible time.” The tool is developed through risk analysis, evolution and management models. If it is not possible to prevent an emergency from occurring on the Island, immediately provide information on its progress.
This system will allow “planning the action in the face of a certain emergency”, as well as anticipating its subsequent variations. Another novelty is that it will be extensible to any area.
Functioning
The project contemplates the installation of these seven towers distributed throughout rural areas of the municipalities of Güímar, Buenavista del Norte, Guía de Isora, La Victoria, Vilaflor de Chasna, Arico and San Juan de la Rambla. They will all be equipped with sensors that will transmit information of interest practically immediately after any emergency occurs. They will send the information minute by minute to the Insular Operational Coordination Center (Cecopin) through the insular wireless network. Arriaga values the massive placement of fiber optics and points out as collateral benefits to promote coverage in isolated areas of Anaga or Teno.
Artal has stated that this plan will have nine phases. First of all, the seven detection towers will be secured against possible acts of vandalism. This initial task includes the perimeter fencing and the integration of the forest agents’ booth inside it. Then the towers will be integrated into the telecommunications network and provided with a connection to the broadband wireless network.
Subsequently, the fuel map will be updated to locate the areas that register lower humidity and can be ignited more easily. After that, visible cameras and high-tech systems will be installed that will allow real-time monitoring of the development of the forest fire.
The fifth phase includes install optical cameras, in the sixth it will be equipped with thermal and infrared sensors, in the next the shadow areas will be reduced while in the eighth the use of drones will begin. Finally, in the ninth, the Drago camera put into orbit last year by the Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands (IAC).
Those responsible for the Innovation area emphasize that the SIGE “is a transversal program” with which natural disasters on the Island can be prevented and dealt with with a fundamental tool. This transversality is demonstrated by the presence at the event of different area directors or the manager of the Insular Water Council, Javier Davara. This system takes into account, for example, the data from the CIATF Flood Plan or the forecasts of the State Meteorological Agency, the AEMET. In addition, Environment, Agriculture, Security, Involcan, Baltén and Modernization are also involved.
«The process is divided into nine phases and begins with the adaptation of the towers to their environment»
The entire system is based on those seven watchtowers stationed in the Corona Forestal. When a forest fire is detected from one of them, it will launch a warning signal through the RIBA, the Broadband Wireless Network and the Cabildo Self-Service Network (RTC) that will arrive directly at the Insular Operational Coordination Center, the CECOPIN, for the activation of the emergency bodies.
The island councilor also explains that the SIGE is a support tool that does not come to replace or modify the procedures, the operational plans, nor the organizational structure and resources, including human resources, currently established in an emergency.
SIGE is part of the Tenerife Smart Island platform and benefits from infrastructures such as the DATA Center, located at ITER, in Granadilla de Abona.
