hawaii pacific gis conference 2012: disaster management and emergency reponse iii - merci (mobile...

March 2012

Mobile Emergency Response & Command Interface Introduction

Award-Winning Hawai‘i Company

Founded 1985 in Hawai‘i as a Consulting Engineering FirmDiversified Engineering, Science, & Technology, Information TechnologyAward-Winning Consulting Engineering Firm

2011 & 2004 USACE Award of Excellence2007 & 2003 Pacific Business News Best in Business2006 & 1997 Tibbetts Award Winner2004 Surfrider Foundation Environmental Company of the Year

PROPRIETARY

2004 Surfrider Foundation Environmental Company of the Year2002 City Bank TIGR Award Ocean & Earth Sciences

What is ?What is ?

MERCI = Mobile Emergency Response & Command Interface

What MERCI Does? It is a rapid damage assessment system that allows emergency managers to have a picture about the extent ofallows emergency managers to have a picture about the extent of

damage following a natural disaster

PROPRIETARY

Post-incidentPost-incident

PROPRIETARY

Why are Damage Assessments Needed?Assessments Needed?

Reason 1: Determine severity 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami Hurricane Iniki 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami

Hits Hawaii

PROPRIETARY

Wake Up Quiz:

Question: Name the hotel that closed down on the Big Island after the 2011 Japan

PROPRIETARY

Tsunami?

Answer: Kona Village ResortResort

PROPRIETARY

Why are Damage Assessments Needed?Assessments Needed?

R 2 Q tif d t h Reason 2: Quantify damage to homes, infrastructure, and business

Individual (homes) Infrastructure Business

PROPRIETARY

Why are Damage Assessments Needed?Assessments Needed?

Reason 3: Determine whether local Reason 3: Determine whether local resources are sufficient to respond and

frecover from the event.

County

St tState

Federal

PROPRIETARY

Federal

Life BeforeLife BeforeHow Data Was Collected for Damage Assessments:

Digital Camerag

Pen and Paper GPS

PROPRIETARY

The Problem?

PROPRIETARY

What is ?What is ?

PROPRIETARY

History of

Over 10 years of field data collection experience

Uses the mobile technology platform

Developed in partnership with Hawaii State Civil Defense: » Faster damage assessments with enhanced data & information

» Follows FEMA standards

» Real-time command center with reporting and data analysis tools

MERCI Testing Milestones:MERCI Testing Milestones:» March 2011 - Hawaii Tsunami Damage Assessment

» May 2011 - Makani Pahili Hurricane Preparedness Exercisesy p

» Oct 2011 - Agile Bloodhound Exercises

PROPRIETARY

- How it Works1 2

Damage assessment teams / individuals are deployed with MERCI enabled handheld devices following an event.

The Command Center receives MERCI damage reports, photos and videos direct from the field.

3 43 4

MERCI collates all data and presents emergency management MERCI’s interactive data analysis capabilities assists with

PROPRIETARY

MERCI collates all data and presents emergency management staff with up to date damage information about the event.

MERCI s interactive data analysis capabilities assists with planning, prioritization, resource deployment and relief activities.

Data Transport Options

Private Cellular

Data Transport Options When Commercial Cellular is Down

Commercial CellularSatellite BGAN’s

WiFi

PROPRIETARY

Li DLive Demo

PROPRIETARY

iPhone Interface1. Choose Type 2. Fill Out Assessment1. Choose Type 2. Fill Out Assessment

3. Add Media 4. Sync to Server

PROPRIETARY

Command InterfaceEmergency Operations Center Map View

Query View Media ViewQuery View Media View

PROPRIETARY

Report and Query Functionality1. Make a Queryy

2. Generate a Report

PROPRIETARY

UICDS Compliance and Open Architecture – UICDS FriendlyArchitecture UICDS Friendly

MERCI used the EDXL data exchange format for part of an HA/DR ExerciseOpen GIS KML data exchangeIn progress – Ushahidi – Open Source System integration

PROPRIETARY

- Features & Capabilities

Easy to useNew users can be operational in under 15 minsReplaces paper forms, digital cameras and GPS devices with a single deviceSupports all damage assessment phases:Supports all damage assessment phases:» Pre-assessment

» Assessment Planning

» Assessment

» Post Assessment

Data and information is encryptedData and information is encryptedOpen architecture and data base interoperabilityMultiple network connectivity options

PROPRIETARY

- Costs

Package 1 - MERCI Single County License

Package 2 – MERCI Consolidate State License

Package 3 – MERCI National

Variable Costs

MERCI Implementation Services- Server setup & installation- MERCI configurationg- TrainingMERCI mobile device user license

Annual support: (optional)Annual support: (optional)

All prices quoted exclude server & mobile device hardware, SQL Server license and Crystal Reports license.

For cloud hosted solutions, additional hosting fees will apply.

PROPRIETARY

Business Case: State of Hawaii Civil DefenseDefense

Tangible Benefits:

Small Incidents: SaveSmall Incidents: Save around 12-15 person days.

Medium to Large Incidents:– Save 6-15 person/days

– $20,000 - $50,000/month savingsg

Intangible Benefits:

Reduced Fatigue

More accurate, real-time operation picture

COTS t d

PROPRIETARY

COTS easy to use and distribute

- Other Benefits

Direct support for Stafford Act reporting requirements

Disaster recovery efforts begin sooner due to a shorter damage assessment timeframe.

Improved information availability at the command centerImproved information availability at the command center enhances critical decision making capabilities

Flexible, low cost off the shelf technologies

Standardized procedures based on FEMA forms

Geographical view of the damage (maps, photos, videos)

Advanced data analysis, filtering, prioritization, reporting and historical analysis

PROPRIETARY

Q ti ?Questions ?

PROPRIETARY

Th k YThank You

PROPRIETARY