The STORM experience (the importance of preparedness in natural disaster facing)

Abstract

STORM project was the best opportunity to cope with the challenge of merging computer and communication technologies with human and cultural oriented practices in conservation and restoration. The result of this powerful synergy between these two approaches (technology and CH needs) in view of mitigating effects on cultural heritage, is expected to enormously increase the mitigation of the damages created by climate change disasters. The main question, coming from the experience gained, is how we can capitalize the acquired expertise in the future. This will probably be done using strategies which could rely on local financial support and the possibility to have advanced regulations provided by local authorities. Communication between different actors will play a major role in the future achievements: the project faced a big challenge in establishing good communication among different competences so to say that now, after a three year project, it should be great to start a new experience counting on the level of friendship and communication achieved during the STORM project. But communication is also the key element of emergency management. The recent event which affected the Notre Dame Cathedral (Paris, 15/04/2019), was a matter of discussion between STORM partners and during those discussion we concluded that probably the proper preparedness was not in place. Preparedness could have dramatically reduced the reaction time and the effectiveness of intervention after a disaster. As a final though we are convinced that new professions could grow from the project experience, starting from cultural heritage experts such as conservators, restorers, archaeologists, architects, art historian involving specific branches of engineering; that could create new job opportunities for all those people provided that they will receive the proper education and practice experience..