Defence Science

Logistical support for helicopters involved in disaster management operations Part II.

Gábor Dombrády — 2025-09-30

The aim of this study is to present the possible forms of helicopter logistical support, with particular attention to forest and vegetation fires. The safety regulations to be observed during the procurement of fuel and extinguishing agents, the possible solutions for the supply of extinguishing agents, and their advantages and disadvantages are described. In addition to the technical modifications and developments necessary to increase the efficiency of the intervention, the air operations coordinator is also presented as a new role, which, based on the experiences during domestic and foreign vegetation fires, appears as an indispensable task in the elimination of incidents. The study concludes with a summary of all development proposals that formulate recommendations at the personal, technical and training levels, which will make interventions in the presence of helicopters faster, more efficient and safer in the future.

Practical elements of risk-based thinking in critical entities Part I.

Judit Mógor — 2025-09-30

The EU Directive on the resilience of critical entities, as well as Hungarian regulations, now include detailed requirements for risk-based thinking and the all-hazard approach. The authors, after a brief description of the development of these concepts, present how specific methodological solutions related to the development of resilience in critical entities can be applied in practice, through practical examples and recommendations.

Statistical Evaluation of Hungarian Drinking Water Networks within the Framework of Critical Infrastructure Protection

Péter Orgoványi — 2025-09-30

Water utility networks are part of the nation's critical infrastructure, meaning their condition and operational reliability directly impact the security of supply for the population. Therefore, their maintenance, continuous development, and protection are among the key tasks of critical infrastructure management. In my analysis, I used data series from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office spanning 1990 to 2023, examining key indicators such as connection rate, per capita water consumption, the proportion of household consumption, network length per dwelling, and pipe break frequency. Using utility gap indicators, I also mapped the disparities in the development of water and wastewater networks. The results show that although national coverage is high, the technical condition of the networks poses significant challenges. Aging asbestos-cement pipe sections, increasing pipe break rates, and exceptionally high network losses—exceeding 60% in some systems—urgently call for targeted reconstruction interventions. The regional differences identified in the analysis are also relevant for disaster management planning. Based on the findings, I formulated recommendations for the strategic development of the water utility sector, particularly in the areas of emergency prevention, the implementation of digital monitoring systems, and the protection of water resources.

Reducing risks and preventing accidents as a result of controlling the carriage of dangerous goods by rail

Milán Bori — 2025-09-30

The transportation of dangerous goods involves numerous risks, which are subject to strict international and domestic regulations aimed at reducing and preventing accidents. Compliance with and enforcement of these regulations are primarily the responsibility of those involved in the transport chain, the compliance of which is monitored by the disaster management authority through inspections to prevent incidents resulting from negligence. In their publication, the authors present the development of official supervision for the transport of dangerous goods, the methodology of inspections, and analyse the implementation, with a focus on the transport of hazardous goods by rail. The publication also illustrates the handling of accidents that have occurred in Hungary and abroad, the measures taken to prevent further incidents, the development of response capacity, human resources, and technical capabilities.

Presentation of the result of a GIS-based flash flood risk mapping methodology

András Dobai — 2025-09-30

Flash floods resulting from thunderstorms within mesoscale convective systems (MCS) are considered a significant challenge for all organisations involved in flood defence. As a result of such storm-induced events, which may cause flash floods, increasing emphasis is being placed on risk analysis and assessment systems, as well as on flood risk mapping methodologies. In the present study, the results of a GIS-based flood risk mapping methodology are presented for a study area in Northern Hungary. The methodology is based on vector and raster geospatial datasets and remote sensing data widely referenced in the scientific literature. It is supplemented with area-specific databases, including descriptive data from the forestry database provided by the National Land Centre and the regional digital e-Soter soil texture map. Since varying levels of importance may be assigned to these datasets in the context of a flash flood event, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) decision matrix was applied to determine their weighting, enabling the risk of flash flood events in real spatial contexts to be modelled as accurately as possible. The resulting risk maps were produced at a spatial resolution of 5 m, providing high-detail interpretation and allowing their direct application in practical flood defence operations. The methodology was compared with another national-scale flood risk assessment approach based on different methodological principles. It was found that the most excellent spatial agreement between the map outputs occurred under the most unfavourable assumptions; therefore, a detailed analysis of the higher-risk areas is also presented. The mapping methodology and its results are recommended for application by active participants in flood defense.

Disaster management takeaways from the flood defense operations on the Mura River in August 2023

András Tóth — 2025-09-30

Based on the observations of water management professionals, major floods on rivers tend to recur every 9 years. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that, in addition to well-known rivers such as the Danube, Tisza, Drava, and Körös, lesser-known watercourses across the country can also cause disruptions for water management and disaster management professionals during the passage of a significant precipitation zone, both abroad and domestically. The Mura River originates in Austria, enters Hungary as a border river, flows along the border, and eventually joins the Drava. Drawing from the lessons of the 2014 flood, flood defense improvements were made along a section of the protective embankments, raising embankments and constructing a mobile flood protection wall with a closure system. During the 2023 flood, which occurred at the end of the observed 9-year cycle, these prior improvements functioned effectively. On the municipal flood protection lines, it was necessary to protect residential buildings and construct temporary embankment elevations. We consider it important for the advancement of the civil protection branch within the disaster management discipline to conduct a scientific examination of recent emergency responses. Analyzing not only the failures but also the successes can shed light on how to avoid future negative events, with a focus on the importance of prevention in both cases. Based on the experiences of recent event management, we mandated the placement of "initial flood protection kits" in settlements along the Mura River. These kits consisted of 500–1000 sandbags and 1–4 cubic meters of sand. With the initial kits, protection of residential buildings can begin coordinated by the arriving water management specialist even before their arrival, ensuring that the emergency response does not suffer from time delays

Rendkívüli események kezelését célzó külföldi projektek és informatikai fejlesztések bemutatása - II. rész

Gyula Dsupin — 2025-09-30

In the second part of this series of articles, I would like to continue presenting the management of extraordinary damage events abroad and the applications that support interventions developed there. After the ELD-BS system described in the previous article, I had the opportunity to meet the coordinators and developers of the second such program in Brussels at the beginning of 2025, during the EDERA project.

The Role of Controlling in Public Finance: A Systematic Literature Review with a Disaster Management Perspective

Nándor Kovács — 2025-09-30

The operation of the public sector today faces increasing social, economic, and security challenges, which necessitate the strengthening of budgetary management and decision-making processes. In this environment, controlling has become a key supporting tool for effective governance and the transparent use of resources. The aim of this study is to systematically review the domestic and international literature on controlling, with particular emphasis on applications related to the central budget and public sector institutions. The thematic classification of the analyzed sources (theoretical, supporting, and practical controlling) enabled the identification of the multidisciplinary nature of controlling as well as its application trends. The analysis revealed that research is increasingly shifting toward practical implementation, while theoretical frameworks and supporting systems continue to show ongoing development.