The stunning Italian city of Florence has introduced an innovative smart safety alert system that has been specifically designed to make cities safer. The revolutionary system has been launched by EIT Digital, which is the European Innovation and Education organization driving Europe's digital transformation.
Florence is a world-famous city that attracts millions of visitors every year and it is one of the first cities in Europe to adopt the safety alert system. However, EIT Digital has disclosed that it is planning to launch the product in 16 other countries across Europe.
EIT Digital and its partners share a collective belief that one of the fundamental components of a resilient smart city should be that the safety of its citizens is paramount. It has claimed that every single layer of digitalization in the environment and DNA of our cities should be constructed on a solid basis of human-focused technology.
The system which is entitled Smart Safety in Smart Cities (SSiSC) identifies and qualifies a risk and can alert, when necessary, security forces as well as fellow citizens through a number of different communication channels. SSiSC's Alert System collects data from multiple sources, correlates them, defines the risk level and quickly alerts security forces and/or citizens in case of crisis situations such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
In threatening situations like terrorist attacks, it is of critical importance that local authorities relay that information to its citizens rapidly. Events data have revealed that on average it takes 72 minutes to alert 100,000 persons. However, with the introduction of the SSiSC systems, EIT has claimed it takes only 11 minutes to inform the same number of people.
The target market for the adoption of this innovative technology is the civil security agencies, local authorities and large industrial plants in urban areas. EIT Digital targeted Italy initially and Florence became the first of 30 cities in the country to integrate the system into their respective cities. It has been further disclosed that the 2018 objective is the industrialization of the platform and its processes.
EIT Digital plan is set to launch in 16 countries such as France, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the UK. Alert System is already expanding the solution not only in Europe but also worldwide with the support of Comunica Italia.
Digital Cities Action Line Leader, Stephane Pean claimed the technology provides an incredible system that will enhance the safety of citizens that has never previously been seen and described the Alert System as revolutionary.
He said, "We are looking at one of the most disruptive European technologies in the smart cities field. In a very short time, citizens from dozens of EU cities will be provided with an amazing system to improve their safety like almost never before. Hopefully Alert System won't ever be necessary but, if someday it is, we will all be thankful for having it."