Evakuatsioonihaldusplatvorm „HERACLIS“

In early 2020 the world experienced an unprecedented emergency due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic that left thousands of citizens stranded overseas. To limit the spread of the virus, countries all over the world closed their borders and imposed travel restrictions and as a result, airlines reduced or canceled their flights. At the same time, universities, hotels, and businesses shut down. This situation left citizens - tourists, employees and students - trapped in foreign countries unable to return to their homes.

This calamity forced Crisis Management Centers around the world to launch emergency repatriation operations aiming to protect their Citizens and to fulfill their Duty of Care. In this context, an unprecedented collaboration effort among governments, airline companies, and travel agencies initiated to conduct the most massive repatriation of all times. A fast-changing environment like this required to obtain updated information and to share them with all actors involved. Governments had to mobilize and cooperate with local actors (ministries, airports, hotels, travel agencies, the civil defense, police, etc.) and international authorities (European Union, other governments, airline or shipping companies, etc.) that were involved at the repatriation efforts. At the same time, they had to communicate flight routes and directions to their group of citizens at different locations.

These operations mobilized a significant number of assets to rescue a multi-national number of people and transport them to a safe place. Thus, a mechanism for centralized management of the assets used for their transfer (especially those chartered by governments) and the sharing of each country transportation plans would be much more beneficial. At the same time, saving resources and reducing administrative burden would be achieved, leading to faster and organized repatriation.

Valitsuse esmane kohustus on kaitsta riigi kodanikke. Sama kehtib ka globaalselt tööjõudu pakkuva ettevõtte tööandja kohta. Usalduse kaotus valitsuse suutlikkuse ja valmisoleku suhtes kaitsta kodanikke võib suunata avalikku narratiivi ja sundida poliitikakujundajaid muutma strateegilist suunda.

Inimeste liikuvuse ja maailma ebastabiilsuse suurenemine on tekitanud vajaduse jälgida ja & kaitsta kriisiajal välismaal asuvaid kodanikke, kes on emigrandid, reisijad või töötajad.Seetõttu on mittevõitlejate evakueerimisoperatsioonid ülemereterritooriumite ohustatud aladelt oluline strateegiline küsimus, eriti tänapäevases kiiresti levivate videote ja üleilmselt reisimise maailmas.

EMP HERACLISe põhieesmärk on luua evakuatsioonioperatsioonide ajal tsentraliseeritud ühine koostöö- ja koordineerimisraamistik ning hõlbustada samal ajal koostalitlusvõimet otsekohese visualiseerimisega ja integreerida situatsiooniteadlikkus reaalajas oleva teabega.

Teise eesmärgina saab seda kasutada koolituse jaoks täieulatusliku simulatsioonivahendina, mis aitab parandada asjaosaliste võimeid ja tulemusi, suurendades nende suutlikkust kavandada korralikke evakuatsiooniprotseduure ja kontrollides nende tõhusust, et olla seeläbi paremini valmis reaalseteks operatsioonideks.