Germany’s Kassel Fire Brigade aids refugee crisis with emergency planning and response solution

The challenge

When thousands of refugees fled civil wars in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan to seek asylum in Europe, Germany proved to be an ideal destination because it was willing and uniquely well-prepared to help the refugees resettle. However, providing shelter, beds, food, sanitary facilities and basic medical care on a long-term basis presents many day-to-day logistical challenges to cities and counties around the country.

To overcome these challenges, Germany’s Kassel Fire Brigade needed a solution that would enable it to closely collaborate, coordinate and communicate with various public safety agencies, medical services and relief organizations in the Kassel region. The brigade also wanted a solution that would help it visualize, plan, respond to and coordinate with other agencies for planned and unplanned events in the region.

The solution

A long-time Intergraph Computer-Aided Dispatch (I/CAD) customer, Kassel Fire Brigade selected Hexagon's Safety, Infrastructure and Geospatial division’s HxGN OnCall Planning & Response, which helps emergency operations centers and mobile command staff to manage major planned and unplanned events.

With Intergraph Planning & Response, Kassel Fire Brigade coordinates information and resources to provide aid to refugees across multiple relief sites in the region. The brigade can mobilize action plans and communications methods in a common operating picture that all agencies can access. The solution visualizes and clearly structures entire workflows, including teams’ roles and responsibilities.

The capabilities and benefits of Intergraph Planning & Response extend further than the refugee crisis. Kassel Fire Brigade uses the system to manage fires at special facilities, chemical accidents, large-scale traffic accidents, extreme weather events and major public events. The brigade uses the software to manage an average of 15 to 20 events per month.