Disaster preparedness:
It is easier to overcome a crisis you are prepared for. This holds true especially in the case of natural disasters, where up-to-date maps based on satellite data provide valuable information on the landscape and its use that can be used to plan mitigation measures. Change analyses, e.g. with respect to terrain changes with their impact on the water discharge regime, are provided as important additional basis for planning.
Emergency maps:
The availability of up-to-date information on the situation during an emergency relief action is highly important. In many cases satellites can deliver required information within a very short time. Here information from radar satellites is of special importance, as they can provide information e.g. on flooded areas regardless of the time of day or of the weather conditions.
Integration in Emergency Information Systems:
The planning of emergency relief actions is effectively supported by the use of special information systems and decision support systems using map interfaces. Satellite data can be easily combined with data from other sources in order to derive further information for the execution of the action.
After the disaster:
The early availability of an assessment of damages following a disaster is important for insurance companies, who need an estimate of the extent of payments. But also the analysis of the impact of measures during the emergency relief action relies on that information, an important prerequisite for an improvement of the measures and procedures.
