The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has launched a new Satellite Emergency Mapping Service (SEMS), saying it will revolutionise how the country responds to environmental emergencies.
SEMS uses satellite imaging technology to deliver real time, high resolution data to support decision making enable faster responses to emergencies such as floods, wildfires, landslides and oil spills.
It is being made available to all responders in Scotland and operates 365 days a year with a 24/7 on-call provision available.
The service draws on the International Charter Space and Major Disasters network of over 270 satellites from 17 charter members around the world.
It also involves a collaboration with the University of Stirling, which has developed methods to analyse satellite data, particularly in monitoring flood and fire events.
Hotspots and interventions
SEPA said it is the only organisation in Scotland able to activate the charter, which gives emergency responders access to images on the full scope of the damage, and to find critical hotspots and prioritise areas for intervention.
SEMS will also contribute to future preparations for crises, using baseline data collected by satellites to model potential scenarios, support resilience planning and develop response strategies.
Claire Neil, principal scientist at SEPA, said: "The ability to access stable, consistent, near real time data from space adds an unprecedented layer of precision to our efforts in managing environmental risks.
“The technology’s potential for both immediate crisis management and long term planning is immense. We look forward to working with our partners, in what is a cost-effective service for the public sector for safeguarding our environment and our communities."
Reducing risk
Sarah-Jane Gill, chief of staff at the UK Space Agency, commented: "For the UK Space Agency, the development and launch of SEMS is a perfect example of how space technology can be used for disaster risk reduction and to support public services.
“There are several international tools for satellite data, mapping and analysis in emergencies, but it is when these tools are integrated into operational services, like SEPA have done with SEMS, that they become most powerful.
"Scotland has a fast growing space sector that is key to the UK’s overall ambitions. As SEPA are demonstrating, innovations in this sector can help address environmental and climate challenges, safeguard communities and infrastructure, and benefit citizens across the country."
SEPA said the initiative will support the growth of the Scottish space sector, pointing out that Glasgow designs and builds more small satellites than anywhere outside of California, and that that country is home to five spaceports.
