AI makes control centres weatherproof: concrete recommendations for resilient emergency structures

For three years, the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU), together with partners from politics and industry, investigated how control centres can remain operational even under extreme conditions. The result: a digital upgrade is not only possible - it is urgently needed.

AI recognises peak loads before they occur

The project was the first to combine real control centre data with weather, geo and mobility data in an integrated model. The AI-based forecasting and simulation tools developed make it possible to recognise deployment volumes, resource requirements and impending bottlenecks at an early stage - both in regular operations and in exceptional situations such as heatwaves or heavy rainfall.

"The AIRCIS project impressively demonstrates how modern mathematical artificial intelligence methods can be used to improve the emergency services," says Prof. Armin Fügenschuh, Head of the Chair of Engineering Mathematics and Numerical Optimization at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg. "Developed and tested in Lusatia, they may soon be in use throughout Germany."

Control centres already have large amounts of data at their disposal. However, the project "Artificial Intelligence in Rescue Chains", or AIRCIS for short, shows that their potential has not yet been systematically utilised. With intelligent analysis and simulation processes, resources can be deployed in a more targeted manner and response times can be noticeably improved.

"Projects like AIRCIS make the rescue chain more resilient. Whether in the city, in the countryside, in hot weather or during floods: the AI-supported forecasting and simulation system supports control centres in the targeted planning of resources and thus helps to save lives," explains Dr Claudia Elif Stutz, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transport.

Clear recommendations for the emergency services of tomorrow

The final report formulates concrete recommendations for action - far beyond the model region:

• Strengthening and bundling control centre structures
• Supra-regional networking instead of small-scale individual solutions
• Mandatory use of data-based decision support
• Integration of extreme weather and climate risks into operational planning
• Nationwide harmonised data models and interfaces

The results clearly show that control centres with modern technical equipment and a nationwide network react much more resiliently to exceptional situations than heterogeneous individual structures. However, this requires a nationwide standardisation of the data basis.

Especially in urban areas, where the consequences of climate change are particularly noticeable, digital twins, simulation-based training and forward-looking operational planning can make a decisive contribution to the stability of care.

Rethinking emergency care

The project was funded with a total of around three million euros, 75 per cent of which was provided by the Federal Ministry of Transport as part of the mFUND innovation initiative. The project partners were the Brandenburg Institute for Society and Security (BIGS), Industrieanlagen Betriebsgesellschaft mbH (IABG), Brandenburg University Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU), the start-up MOXI and the Cottbus Integrated Regional Control Centre. The event was coordinated by the Björn Steiger Foundation.

"AIRCIS has impressively shown that we need to rethink emergency care: data-based, networked and resilient to the consequences of climate change," emphasises Joachim von Beesten, Manager for Innovation, Research and Special Vehicles at the Björn Steiger Foundation. "It is now important to consistently translate these findings into political decisions and practical implementation - to protect people, especially in urban areas and during extreme weather conditions."

Against this backdrop, the foundation reiterates its call for clear minimum standards, functional areas of responsibility and greater cooperation between control centres across municipal boundaries. AI-supported forecasting and simulation tools should be an integral part of control centre work in the future - not only in the event of a disaster, but also in strategic personnel and vehicle planning in everyday life.

With the completion of AIRCIS, the Björn Steiger Foundation sees an important milestone on the way to a resilient, future-proof rescue landscape in Germany.

About the mFUND of the BMV

As part of the mFUND innovation initiative, the Federal Ministry of Transport funds data-based research and development projects for the digital and connected mobility of the future. The project funding is complemented by professional networking between stakeholders from politics, business, administration and research as well as the provision of open data via the Mobilithek.
Further information: www.mFUND.de | daten.plus

About the Björn Steiger Foundation

The Björn Steiger Foundation was established in 1969 by Ute and Siegfried Steiger after their son died as a result of inadequate emergency care following a road accident. Since then, the foundation has been committed to improving the rescue services in Germany. Its pioneering initiatives include the introduction of the emergency numbers 110/112, the establishment of the German Air Rescue Service (DRF) and the installation of emergency call boxes on federal and country roads.

The foundation is driving forward structural reforms with projects such as the baby ambulance, "Herzsicher" and the constitutional complaint filed in 2025 to create standardised regulations in the rescue service. Since 2024, it has also been increasingly involved in the prevention of road accidents.