Augmented Intelligence in Emergency Management: Opportunities and Guardrails for the Artificial Intelligence FutureArtificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer confined to the realms of science fiction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer confined to the realms of science fiction or theoretical debate. It is already shaping the way emergency managers assess risk, coordinate response, and allocate resources. From predictive analytics in flood management to AI-assisted wildfire deployment, these tools are entering operational reality. 

Alongside my role as the General Secretary of ICPEM I am also the NFCC Strategic Lead for AI. In this role I have a clear message which extends beyond the Fire and Rescue Service and across civil protection and emergency management. 

The message is this, AI must not to replace human expertise with machines, but strengthen it. This is the philosophy behind Augmented Intelligence, the use of AI to enhance, rather than supplant, human judgement.

Augmented Intelligence acknowledges that, in high-pressure and uncertain environments, data-driven insights must be paired with the situational awareness, ethical consideration, and contextual understanding that only experienced professionals can bring. While AI can process vast datasets in seconds, detect patterns invisible to the human eye, and generate forecasts at unprecedented speed, it cannot match the ability of human operators to balance hard evidence with lived experience and societal values. Keeping humans firmly in the loop ensures accountability, preserves public trust, and keeps decision-making grounded in the principles that underpin our profession.

The potential benefits are significant. AI systems can deliver faster situational awareness by fusing live data streams from satellites, weather sensors, and even public social media into coherent operational pictures. They can improve predictive modelling, giving agencies advanced warning of floods, wildfires, or disease outbreaks and helping leaders act before crises escalate. In live operations, they can assist in optimising the allocation of scarce resources, ensuring that assets are deployed in the right place at the right time. Beyond the field, AI-driven simulations are making training more realistic and adaptive, preparing teams for complex, fast-changing incidents. And by making sophisticated analysis more accessible to non-specialists, these tools can empower frontline leaders to draw on high-quality intelligence without relying exclusively on technical teams.

However, the integration of AI into emergency management also brings new responsibilities. Without strong safeguards, AI could introduce unseen bias, undermine trust, or fail in ways that jeopardise lives. Ethical governance must therefore be embedded from the outset, with clear standards for transparency, fairness, and accountability. Systems need to be auditable and explainable, so that operational decisions are not based on opaque algorithms. Human decision-makers must retain ultimate authority, using AI as a guide rather than a commander. AI models should be continually tested to ensure they do not reinforce inequities, and data security must be treated as a critical resilience measure, with protection against manipulation and cyberattack. 

The road ahead is one of balance. The future of emergency management will not be determined by a contest between humans and machines, but by the ability to design systems in which each amplifies the other’s strengths. 

At ICPEM, we see Augmented Intelligence as a means to democratise access to advanced insights while preserving the human-centred ethos of our work. This will require investment not only in technology, but in training, governance, and organisational cultures that understand the power and the limits of AI.

Our profession has always adapted to new challenges and tools. Augmented Intelligence is the next step in that evolution. It demands innovation, but also discipline; enthusiasm for what is possible, tempered by a clear-eyed commitment to responsibility and trust.