WRITTEN QUESTION E-2105/99 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. New methods for finding persons trapped inside the wreckage of buildings.
Date: 1999-11-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, aid to disaster victims, civil defence, earthquake, first aid, technological change

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/53

(2000/C 225 E/052)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2105/99

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 November 1999)

Subject: New methods for finding persons trapped inside the wreckage of buildings

The recent earthquakes in Turkey, Greece and other countries around the world have drawn attention to
the extremely serious issue of persons trapped inside the wreckage of buildings and the need for effective
search and rescue methods.

Up to now rescue teams have been using accounts and information given by survivors, sound detection
(acoustic method) and micro-cameras (visual method), as well as trained dogs.

According to experts, other methods of finding trapped persons could be developed and used, based on
the detection of chemicals emitted by the human body in various situations, and especially in difficult
circumstances such as being trapped in buildings which have collapsed.

It appears that methods like these have been tested for military purposes.

Would the Commission be willing to aid the development and use of similar methods for use by rescue
teams dealing with earthquakes and trapped victims?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2000)

The Commission has in the past financed at least one pilot project to build an appliance which uses
microwave radar to detect persons trapped in rubble. The Honourable Member is referred to the
Commission(cid:146)s Internet site at the following address: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/civil/
prote/cpactiv/cpact08e.htm, where further information on the project is available.

Under the Community action programme in the field of civil protection, it falls to the national authorities
to determine the content and scope of any pilot projects in this area with a view to incorporating the
results into rescue team practice. On this basis, the Commission will be prepared to examine the funding
of a project proposed in this area.

Research and development related to novel technical solutions may be granted financial Community
support within the fifth framework programme for RTD (1), provided that the rules of participation as well
as the contents of the workplans of the thematic programmes are respected.

(1) OJ L 26, 1.2.1999.

(2000/C 225 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2123/99

by Gianfranco Dell(cid:146)Alba (TDI) to the Commission

(24 November 1999)

Subject: Objective 2 for the 2000-2006 period and the reasons for the rejection of Italy(cid:146)s proposals

The Commission has declared the Italian government(cid:146)s proposals concerning the areas eligible for
Objective 2 for the 2000-2006 period (cid:145)inadmissible(cid:146), has refused to examine their contents, and has
asked the government to rewrite them all.

This refusal
is likely to delay considerably the allocation of funds to the regions and the subsequent
implementation of structural policies, and also to jeopardise, perhaps to the benefit of other countries, the
funds(cid:146) commitment and expenditure capacities.