Ian Greatbatch

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT IAN GREATBATCH

Dr Ian Greatbatch FRGS FInSTR FHEA is a Watch Commander in West Midlands Fire Service and formerly the Lead Technical Analyst for the Community Risk Programme of the National Fire Chiefs Council in the UK. He has researched and published work on Search and Rescue (SAR), and Fire and Rescue operational elements over the last 20 years. A pioneer challenging traditional operational paradigms by integrating cutting-edge research, robotics, and data-driven approaches to save lives and enhance community resilience. His career uniquely spans:* Frontline emergency response (fire, search & rescue, maritime operations)* UN-commissioned drone and AI research in post-disaster environments* Academic leadership in geographical information systems and disaster management* Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for strategic risk analysisHis research and published work encompasses all aspects of SAR, from technical equipment, spatial analysis, search theory, tactical approaches and social and economic implications. He is currently leading a UN World Food Program large scale experiment regarding the use of drones in post-disaster Search and Rescue.He is a Visiting Researcher at the University of Portsmouth, and a Visiting Fellow at Aston University where he publishes work concerning the operational effectiveness of Search & Rescue, Disaster Management and Fire & Rescue and he was formerly an Associate Professor in the Geography department at Kingston University London.Leading international experiments in technological innovation, he has developed unique approaches integrating motion capture, augmented reality, and computational modeling to enhance rescue capabilities. His work spans critical domains from fire services to humanitarian missions, demonstrating how intelligent technologies can fundamentally reshape emergency interventions.Specialties: Technological innovation, GIS, Robotic systems in rescue, spatial intelligence, strategic transformation