Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Peter Anderson
Steve Braham
Simon Fraser University
Vancouver, Canada
Projects
• Emergency Preparedness Information Exchange (EPIX)
• Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems (VEMIS)
EPIX Supported ProjectsInternet Projects
Initiating and hosting WWW sites for:
Federal Government• Emergency Preparedness Canada• Industry Canada - Emergency
Telecommunications Branch• Transport Canada Aviation Safety - Pacific
Region
EPIX Supported ProjectsInternet Projects
Initiating and hosting WWW sites for:
Provincial Governments• BC Provincial Emergency Program• BC Ministry of Social Development and
Economic Security (Emergency Social Services)• Ontario Emergency Measures Organization
EPIX Supported ProjectsInternet Projects
Initiating and hosting WWW sites for:
Public/Private Partnership Programs• Major Industrial Accidents Council of Canada• Safeguard• Emergency Preparedness for Industry and
Commerce Council of British Columbia
EPIX Supported ProjectsInternet Projects
Initiating and hosting WWW sites for:
Volunteer NGO Programs• Emergency Planners and Managers Association of
British Columbia• Emergency Social Services Association of British
Columbia• SAR Info (Search and Rescue)
EPIX Supported ProjectsInternet Projects
Hosting WWW sites for:
International Programs• UN IDNDR • UN ISDR
EPIX Supported ProjectsInternet Projects
Hosting Email Discussion Groups
• Networks in Emergency Management
• Emergency Planning for Post-secondary Educational [email protected]
• Canadian National Hazards Assessment [email protected]
• US National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue
EPIX Supported ProjectsEmergency Support
• 1993 - present - Internet gateway/distribution of UN - OCHA disaster sitreps and appeals
• 1994 - Mirror site for California EDIS system during Northridge Earthquake relief and recovery operations
EPIX Supported ProjectsEmergency Support
• 1997 - Manitoba Red River Floods - Internet site support for Emergency Preparedness Canada
• 1999 - British Columbia Floods - Internet site support for BC Provincial Emergency Program and emergency email distribution
Objective: During crises - to enable emergency
managers to remain in critical decision-making processes regardless
of physical location
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Technology
• Integration of fixed and mobile wireless and wired systems
• Building on common infrastructure with focus on interoperability
• Using TCP/IP as common bridging protocols
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Components
• Wired intra/internet systems
• Terrestrial wireless systems
• Satellite telecommunications
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
• 56 kbps UHF TCP/IP wireless system
• behaves like a slower speed version of standard Ethernet system used in most offices
Initial Wireless Internet Component1996 - Present
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
• supports point-to-point and multi-point networking over large geographical areas (i.e. 120-150 Km)
Initial Wireless Internet Component
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Applications• electronic mail• world wide web and gopher• databases• voice and videoconferencing• audio and video streaming• mobile, portable and fixed stations• bridges and gateways between other networks
Wireless Internet Component
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Mobile applications
Wireless Internet Component
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Urban ApplicationsWireless Internet Component
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
MSAT DirecPC VSAT
Other Interconnectable Wireless TechnologiesSatellite-based
Virtual Emergency Management Information SystemsOther Wireless Technologies
Terrestrial
• Cellular/PCS
• HF radio
• High speed spread spectrum radio
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
British Columbia VEMIS Project
• interconnecting local, provincial and federal government emergency operations centers and field sites
• national and international collaboration by “tunneling” across the Internet
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
• if available, can connect to any Internet LAN as a point-of-presence - i.e. government offices or school computer labs in small communities
• unique set of Internet addresses (IP numbers) allows for greater control over wireless applications and interconnected sites
• intra/internet connectivity
VEMIS ConfigurationCurrent
CBC Mt. Seymour Rptr
VE7SFUBurnaby
Federal Joint Alternate SiteCloverdale
Sumas Mtn Rptr
Federal GovernmentCRC Ottawa
World Wide InternetWorld Wide Internet
VSATMSATDirecPC
Legend:Landline56 Kbps RadioSatellite
Legend:Landline56 Kbps RadioSatellite
MSATDirecPC
Portable
VSATMSATDirecPC
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Phase Two
• Upgrading wireless backbone to highspeed 4.5 Mbps - >100 Mbps
• Establishing emergency satellite teleport with SFU to become an emergency ISP
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Simon Fraser University• Telematics Research
Lab
• PolyLAB
• Computing Services
Industry Canada• Communications
Research Centre
• Pacific Region – Emergency Telecommunications
Emergency Preparedness Canada
Discovery Parks Inc.
Wi-LAN Inc.
TMI Inc.
Participating Organizations
Other Related Activities
• NASA Haughton-Mars99/2000 Expeditions - applying disaster communications concepts to space travel
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Other Fields of Use• remote data
gathering and monitoring (e.g., flood and seismic monitoring)
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Video Conferencingvia satellite
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
Java Workstation connectionvia satellite
Virtual Emergency Management Information Systems
For More Information Visit Our Sites:• http://hoshi.cic.sfu.ca/epix/• http://spectrum.ic.gc.ca/urgent/pacific/htms/pjastel.htm• http://polylab.sfu.ca