On 24 September, the Midterm Event hosted by SYMSAGEB took place in Condette, France. The day brought together public authorities, emergency services, researchers, and many others to share knowledge, and learn about how FIER is delivering on its ambition: helping governments, crisis management organisations, and citizens better prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate-induced floods.
A full day of exchange
The mayor of Condette opened the event by welcoming all participants and introducing his municipality. Then the President of SYMSAGEB, the director of SYMSAGEB, and P. Broekhuis (FIER project manager and strategic adviser of Zeeland Province) introduced the FIER project and its importance for the SYMSAGEB and other partners.What followed was a rich and diverse programme, highlighting both the achievements of partners and the shared challenges across the North Sea Region.
- Risk awareness and self-efficacy promotion
Partners presented their work on raising public understanding of flood risks. Torsby shared their experience with the book bus pilot, Jade University introduced their use of AI to support preparedness, SYMSAGEB presented their actions on the Boulonnais territory , and Dordrecht explained how citizen awareness is central to their multi-layered flood preparedness strategy.
- Crisis management
Partners explored how transnational data sharing can improve decision-making across borders thanks to the example of the collaboration between Zeeland and Flanders. The JCAR ATRACE project provided a presentation of how they enhance shared knowledge on flooding in cross-border regions to improve early warning systems. The Province of Zeeland showed how integrating their road network in a digital twin and a serious game helps taking more effective decisions to improve evacuation routes and access of emergency services during a crisis.
- Flood crises recovery
The Safety Region Zeeland shared findings on recovery and lessons learned from past flood events, providing practical insights into what it takes to restore communities after water recedes and the importance of preparing for recovery even before a crisis.
- Innovation in action
In the afternoon, participants joined a site visit in Ecames, where flood prevention infrastructure was showcased alongside a live drone demonstration. The drone footage offered a new perspective on flood-prone areas and illustrated how technology can support prevention and response.
Building connections
Throughout the day, discussions highlighted the importance of linking local knowledge to international collaboration. Whether through simulations, data sharing, or recovery strategies, the sessions underlined how FIER partners are developing routines and tools that can be applied across the North Sea Region.
A special thanks goes to SYMSAGEB for hosting and organising this inspiring Mid Term Event.
📸 Below you’ll find a short photo impression of the day.
