ENSURE - Emergency Responders Upskilling System for Enhanced Resilience and Innovation

Climate change in Europe is increasingly marked by severe impacts, particularly in the form of extreme weather events and forest fires. In the face of natural disasters, emergency responders (firefighters, search and rescue teams, and support personnel) are pivotal. Their efficiency hinges on various factors, including preparedness, equipment, and coordination. ENSURE project specifically addresses these aspects with a focus on upskilling and enhancing the resilience and innovation capacities of such emergency responders. The ENSURE consortium, comprised of 20 partners from 9 countries and 11 associated partners employs a modified Quadruple Helix Innovation Model focusing on Technology, Cooperation, Human Resilience, and Community Engagement, aimed at upskilling emergency responders with new technologies and collaborative practices. The project aims to address the increasing challenges of climate change, such as forest fires, floods, and extreme weather phenomena. The overall goal is to systematically upgrade the skills set of the firefighter target group based on the ESCO 5411.1 profile, incorporating new competencies into their professional profile and proposing the addition of 4 new sub-profiles to ESCO: Disaster Response Technologist (DRT), International Disaster Response Coordinator (IDRC), Community Resilience and Engagement Officer (CREO) and Mental Health and Resilience Trainer for Emergency Services (MHRTES).The ENSURE methodology applies a holistic Capacity Building Intervention applying a bundle of interconnected actions including self-paced open courses, virtual mentoring, mobility and ToT workshops. The ENSURE Game uses Experiential Learning Cycle combined with Game-Based Learning to ensure practical application and continuous professional development of the target group.