The International Knowledge and Information Centre (IKIC) is cross-border initiative committed to public safety. "Public safety" under IKIC stands for crisis and disaster management. The IKIC cross-border initiative focuses on the areas of:
Acute medical care
Firefighting
Technical assistance
Chemical incidents
Biological incidents
Nuclear incidents
Infectious disease prevention
Directed by the lead partners based in Maastricht University in the Netherlands, this project aims to improve resilience during crises and disasters within the Euregion Meuse Rhine (EMR). It does this by offering education to rescue personnel, citizens and public servants.
As disasters don’t halt at the border, this should, in border regions, commence in a cross-border manner. Citizens, public servants and rescue personnel should be aware of the risks in their own and neighbouring regions and know how to responds during a crisis or disaster. New threats such as terrorism should be taken into account, together with questions related to nuclear safety.
Educating and training citizens and the cross-border exchange of knowledge and education of rescue personnel and public servants are key. To be able to offer scientifically sound and didactical education, universities, research institutes and education institutes will bundle their power and form a consortium for the IKIC project.
All knowledge that is available in and outside of the EMR on risks and how to deal with these risks will be bundled. Knowledge exchange and diffusion will be central. The three target groups, citizens, public servants and rescue personnel, will be given the opportunity to improve their knowledge on risks within the EMR and how to respond to these risks, thereby contributing to a resilient EMR.
