Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves or icy conditions in winter, can have significant impacts on public health. These effects are particularly pronounced in urban areas affected by the urban heat island effect. Although the health consequences vary depending on the type of weather event, they share a common feature: they can temporarily overwhelm the healthcare system and push it to its capacity limits. This includes the frequency of emergency services and the number of patient admissions to emergency rooms. Currently, staff in dispatch centers and emergency rooms must rely on their personal experience to interpret weather information, anticipate its potential impact on their work, and take appropriate preparatory measures.
This is where our project comes in: We are developing and evaluating impact models that can translate weather forecasts into quantitative information about potential emergency operations. These models provide an objective basis for decision-making and help medical personnel better prepare for weather-related challenges.
The ForMed project is funded by the German Weather Service as part of its extramural research and contributes to Research Topic 5: Improvement of the quality and usability of weather and climate forecasts, warnings, and climate projections.
In collaboration with the Berlin Fire Department and KLUG - German Alliance for Climate Change and Health, we ensure that the developed models meet the actual needs of the healthcare sector.
ForMed is also closely linked with the WEXICOM project, which is based at the Hans Ertel Center for Weather Research. WEXICOM focuses on fundamental research in impact modeling and weather information communication, providing a solid scientific foundation for ForMed.