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For Missing Child Searches, Emergency
Preparedness/Notification or Homeland Security, the National Emergency Alert Noftification
System is the most technologically advanced, simple to operate, and cost-effective
intra/inter-agency, media and public alert, notification, communications and coordination system in existence.
Its sophistication, capabilities, speed, breadth of coverage, notification rates,
targeting, situation reporting mechanism, communications, coordination and back-up
capabilities far exceed those of any system currently in use by any agency in the
world.
EMCOM is a custodial agent for the world's most technologically advanced,
comprehensive and integrated emergency notification system. It is capable of
delivering targeted alert notifications to virtually 100% of any size of population
in a user specified geographic region within 30-90 seconds of issuance.
A single point alert text entry triggers unique, user targeted, multi-lingual text
and voice emergency notification via:
- Satellite based WeatherAlert All-Hazard Radios
- Satellite based WeatherAlert All-Hazard capable pagers
- Telephone/Cell Phone voice notification
- FAX Notification
- E-Mail Notification
- Cell Phone/Pager Text Messaging
- Internet PopAlert "pop-ups"
- PubAlert Activated Internet Web Pages
- Automated Electronic Highway, Mall and Store Signs
- Direct Neighborhood Notification by EMCOM Community Emergency Preparedness Coordinators
NOTE: Voice/FAX/Pager messaging also routed through Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
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Click HERE to see Design Characteristics
Click HERE for Design Specification and Compliance Proposal
For speed, reliability, security and all of the other attributes listed in
the Design Characteristics referenced above, EMCOM utilizes UNIX operating
system based servers in its facilities. However this is transparent
to all users of the system. Emergency agencies, community coordinators and
others utilizing the system may use any type of computer they wish (i.e.
Microsoft based system, MAC systems, etc. including lap top computers) to operate the system in their
own facility/home. Additionally, key functions of the system may be
accessed from a variety of wireless devices so that the system is accssible
and available for use while "on-the-go".
There is NO need to install special systems or servers in emergency agency
facilities to utilize the system. If the Emergency Operations Center already
has an internet capable computer or laptop, the full system can be made available
through the existing system. (In order to utilize the LiveAlert webcast
capability or the IP based voice communications, the computer should be
equipped with a sound card, and either speakers and a microphone, or a
headset.)
This methodology allows for the EOC to be moved to any
location with power and internet connectivity, and emergency managers can
even operate the system from home... or on the go with a wireless device
like a Blackberry PDA.
EMCOM personnel can schedule a demonstration where you can be given full access
to the system (demo mode) from your own internet connected computer.
To view a "mock-up" of the System Operations area that would be available to you with
use of the system, CLICK HERE.
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The system incorporates a multitude of integrated features not found in any other
system, including:
- Multiple Levels of Back-Up
The system incorporates several levels of back-up capabilities in case of system,
power or communications failure, and is fault-tolerant to multiple simultaneous
failures.
Emergency managers can even issue alert notifications,
situation reports or access the Emergency Victim Locator
while "on-the-go" with wireless connectivity |
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- Geographically seperate, redundant facilities
EMCOM Network Control Centers, dialer facilities, and server facilities are located
in reduntant multiple locations, such that single and even multiple points of
facility, network, power or communications facility failures can be tolerated with
little or no effect on system operation. Satellite capabilities include dual
satellites, 5 uplink/earth station facilities and over 1200 downlink sites
with over 2.5 Million square miles of coverage area, including the most populated areas of
Alaska and Hawaii. Moreover, system administration as well
as all of its capabilities and utilities can occur from any location from
which internet access or other communications media (including amateur radio) is available, including from mobile command centers.
- Integrated Response Mechanism / Feedback Loops (Situation Reporting)
(Situation Reporting Subsystem)
Another key facet of the EMCOM system is the incorporation of Response / Feedback loops to harvest key on-scene data (situation reports) required during emergency operations. A primary
example are situation reports that indicate numbers of casualties, buildings
damaged, fires burning, utilities out, etc. Emergency managers can utilize the
incorporated situation reports, or create "ad-hoc" data surveys in moments to solicit
responses for unique situations.
Annotated Status Map Display: The situation reporting system incorporates
ERIC (Emergency Response Integrated Cartography),
a status map display subsystem where emergency managers can plot (annotate)
map displays in the EOC with the location of occurances and the deployment
of resources. The displays can show all incidents and resources, or any
subset or subset on each with the "click" of a mouse. (i.e. only show law
enforcement or only show fire department locations, etc.). Moreover, as
directed by the Emergency Manager, these status displays can be made available
for viewing to any/all other participating agencies, at any level, in their own EOC anywhere in the country.
Agencies such as FEMA or Homeland Security have the ability
to view single displays which integrate the data from multiple locations.
As with all other EMCOM applications, the map facilities are also available
to personnel in the field via wireless lap-top computers, PDA's and even
network capable cell phones. (T-Mobile Sidekick phone depicted)
The map plotting system also doubles as a crime statistics display system,
where the occurances of various crime types can be plotted individually or
together, and based upon starting and ending dates for the occurances.
As with notifications, the situation reporting/feedback loop system provides a broad ability
to collect this information and make it available in raw, importable format
for Emergency Operations Centers to import into their own data collection and
analysis systems. Data collected from all media pertaining to a single collection effort is consolidated into a single importable file for viewing or distribution.Methodologies include:
- Internet web page forms - Organizations can quickly create and
implement web page based forms with the information to be collected.
- Internet WAP page forms - For use and direct entry of key information by personnel in the field using cell phones, PDA's, etc.
- E-Mail - Operators can quickly create, or use pre-made survey/poll
forms that are delivered (and responded to) via E-Mail. These surveys can
be sent (and replied to) via either HTML based email forms, or plain text email
that is readable in any email reader (useable by cell phones/PDA's etc. capable
of receiving/sending standard E-Mail). E-mail can contain attachments of
virtually any type, including printable forms that can be returned via
FAX.
- Packet Radio - Emergency Personnel that are HAM (Amateur Radio) operators can receive and reply to email type messages from any location via
packet radio through their own local E-Mail/Packet gateway.
- FAX - Forms can be generated and sent via FAX for personnel to
complete and return via fax.
- Voice - Text based Survey/Poll data can be converted into voice (and automatically be translated into
various languages as required) and used via interactive telephone surveying, where
responses are entered via a telephone "touch tone" pad.
- Radio / Radio Relay - Through the EMCOM neighborhood based Community Coordinator program, response can be relayed via radio based Emergency Communications Traffic systems such as ARES/RACES.
- EchoLink - Much like the Radio Relay, EchoLink provides HAM radio
operators with the ability to relay situation report information to other
operators anywhere in the country who can contemporaneously input the data into the system making it immediately viewable for emegency managers in the affected area.
Responses to a particular survey/data collection effort, regardless of the media, are directed to a
single collection point that is viewable via the internet, or downloadable
for import into user supplied decision support programs.
PhoneCamera Situation Report Capability
When emergency personnel or EMCOM Community Coordinators are equipped with
cell phone cameras, they can utilize the camera to submit photos of the
affected area with their situation report. As with the situation reports,
these photos are immediately available for viewing by emergency managers via
the system's integrated Situation/Status Displays. Another way in which
the EMCOM National Emergency Alert Notification System aids emergency
managers in rapid damage assessment and resource allocation.
For more information on Situation/Status Reporting, Click Here.
- Homeland Security Advisory Status Update System
The system
incorporates an instant updating mechanism for the Homeland Security Status "colorbar"
for a geographic region, zip code, city, county state or the nation
with the click of a mouse. Changes are immediately reflected on Advisory
Status colorbar displays on over 1 million pages across the internet.
The system also automatically initiates a "change of
status" alert through the full notification system.
- Completely Configurable User Alert Reception
Persons receiving bulletin messages from the system have the ability to
fully configure how and when they will receive bulletins. This includes
defining the day and times to send bulletins to multiple email addresses,
text messaging capable cell phones or pagers, fax, or voice telephone
numbers.
- E N N WebCast: (LiveAlert) During emergency situations
the local EMCOM Community Coordinator may request an E N N (EMCOM
Emergency Notification Network) WebCast channel through our Network
Communications Center. Within seconds, and using only WinAmp (or similar
media application...) theiy can broadcast live voice information, instructions,
etc. directly to the community/region through that region's emergency
information web page, or through the EMCOM LiveAlert to cut-in on ANY internet radio station to which a user in the targeted broadcast area may be listening.
LiveAlert WebCasts may be targeted by user designated group (channel), or by geographic area such that only persons within the targeting parameters receive the broadcast.
- Community Emergency Information Web Sites: EMCOM maintains over
30,000 web sites, including pages for every county, and every city or town in the United States. Notifications applicable to each area immediately appear
on these pages, and EMCOM Community Emergency Preparedness Coordinators can quickly post
emergency notifications such as shelter locations, instructions, etc. Each
of these web sites is "PubAlert" activated, and some communities may make
a public version of the PopAlert or PubAlert systems available to their community
through these pages.
- Community Coordinator Network: EMCOM's neighborhood based Community
Emergency Preparedness Coordinators throughout the country also receive these
notifications, and for those persons in their neighborhood without weather/all hazard radios, computers, internet, cell phones or pagers, or for elderly,
handicapped or other persons requiring special help, they make personal
telephone calls or visits to insure that important notifications are
received, and help insure that proper actions are taken.
- Extensive Alert Notification/Communications Targeting
While our system provides the broadest Alert Notification coverage available, it also affords the most elaborate notification targeting capabilities through
its geocoded databses, including
the capability for issuing agencies to define their own private, discreet, secure, encrypted channels for intra or inter agency communications. Each
notification can be targeted to:
- Virtually unlimited Public, Private, or Media channels
- Notifications to groups within an agency or organization only
- Notifications to user-defined groups of organizations/agencies
- Notifications to persons/agencies involved in a specific incident only
- Notifications to entire county, state or group of states, county or group
of counties, city or group of cities, zip code or group of zip codes.
- User-defined group of individuals (or even single individual).
- User-defined radius (miles) of a geographic point, incident, center of
zip code or city, etc.
- Any viable Mix/Match of the above.
- This targeting capability also applies to notifications via the WeatherAlert notification radios.
- Alternative Mode Alert Issuance
The system also allows for the issuance of bulletins from obscure locations
or while on the go through other media including:
- Wireless PDA
- E-Mail
- Cell Phone (WAP)
- Packet Radio (ham)
- Voice (Telephone)
- Voice (HAM Radio)
- Additionally, internet type notifications:
- Can include photos, video, etc, document attachments, web page links, or even force the receiver's internet
browser to a specified internet page for more information.
- The ability to
be integrated with the "dash cameras" of emergency vehicles. When they
arrive at a disaster scene, these pictures can be included in a notification
that pops-up on the computers of all pertinent emergency agencies or
command centers to aid in damage assessment and resource allocation.
- It can
be integrated with "ham" 2 meter walkie talkies with slow-scan TV capabilities
for the same purpose, such that for instance, Civil Air Patrol personnel
finding the scene of a plane crash can immediately transfer notifications
via packet radio, including photos of the scene before more responders arrive,
that would pop-up within seconds on the computer screens of the FAA, NTSB,
National Search & Rescue, etc.
- If fed (manually or automatically) Position Reporting System (PRS) GPS
coordinates, the system can generate a map to be included in the bulletin, and mark the specified position
on the map with the given coordinates.
- Alternate Communications
Another key feedback route is through direct voice contact. During emergency
situations telephone communications are often overloaded. However, EMCOM can
provide "internet telephone" capabilites such that agencies can speak directly
with outlying locations in 1 on 1 or conferenced "calls" via the internet when
those communications are available.
Still another route is through live, text chat. Community Emergency Preparedness
Coordinators may communicate
via a live text chat using
either public or private channels. This subsystem also incorporates
a private instant messaging function, and live, collaborative "white board"
mechanism.
SensAlert
SensAlert allows the system to automatically generate pre-defined alert notifications
to public/private emergency centers, hazmat teams and/or the public based on the
activation of virtually any type of remote sensors or monitoring equipment including:
- chemical tanks
- pipelines
- radiation detectors
- flood level sensors
- air quality sampling equipment
- intrusion detection devices
As with all alert notifications, messages can be generated based on entity, type
and/or group of entities, geographic area or any viable combination of the above.
OTHER Features
- The system delivers secure, encrypted communications utilizing RSA certificated 128 bit encryption of transmissions.
- The system allows for a virtually unlimited number of discrete channels
that can be designated by the system operators, plus a channel designated
specifically for access by the general public, and one for the media so that
they can receive bulletins from Emergency Management agencies that will
"pop up" on their newsroom computers. Use of discreet, multiplexed
spread-spectrum channelizing also allows for "targeting" groups for receipt
of any given message, down to single computers.
- The system operates on all computers, regardless of computer type, operating system type (i.e. UNIX, LINUX, Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, etc.)
- The system operates with virtually all internet browser software such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc. The only criteria is that it is java capable.
- The system requires little training to operate. With simple, on-line instructions, users can be operating the system within minutes.
- The system allows Emergency Call Centers to reinforce instructions or to
give detailed instructions to persons in remote locations, or where
circumstances cause emergency responders to be delayed or unavailable.
The operator/dispatcher can designate a page or pages of instructions which
may include graphics, photos, even video be delivered to the computer screen
of the caller by simply designating them with with the user's telephone number (or any other agreed upon code). If the user is currently on-line, the pages will appear on their computer within seconds. This system has "persistence":
If the user must hang up the phone to access the internet with it, the pages
will be delivered when the user makes an internet connection and goes to the
agency's web site. The designated pages will appear automatically. If needed,
the operator/dispatcher can continue to aid the subject through a text chat
box/private instant messaging system which includes a "whiteboard" capability.
This same mechanism is available to ANY group or sub-group of individuals.
The leader of the group can indicate any internet pages in sequence, and the
internet browsers of the remainder of the group will immediately display the
same page(s).
- The system maintains comprehensive, chronological logs of all messages recorded by channel and/or by incident. Users may review these logs at any time
to insure they have not missed a bulletin while their computer was temporarily
off-line. Users only have access to those logs of channels to which you have
granted them access.
To view a "mock-up" of the System Operations area that would be available to you with
use of the system, CLICK HERE.
Contact EMCOM for more information.
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