|
Nokia provides the advanced interfaces and support services for control room
integration. The company has integrated third party command and control systems
with its TETRA systems in major nationwide PSS networks, eg, ASTRID in Belgium
and VIRVE in Finland. Satyam Global Life Network also renders the emergency
management system related software development, services and consulting to
global customer base, eg, technology support to the Emergency Management and
Research Institute (EMRI), India.
Application Areas
Few application areas where we can see emergency management system at work
are as follows:
- Locating survivors using mobile signal identification: Post the infamous
9/11 disaster, survivors from the World Trade Centre (WTC) collapse were
located through signals from their wireless telephones. Also a toll-free
number service was opened by Bellsouth for people who had received a call from
someone missing or who could provide a wireless number for a missing person.
Telecordia gathered wireless phone numbers of possible victims and matched
them to wireless service providers for potential network monitoring. While
networks were monitored, Lucent embedded their antenna into the rubble pile to
separate the calls of rescue workers and victims. Similarly the 911 national
emergency response number call activities were analyzed for calls from the
trapped victims.
- Incident response information system (IRIS) for public safety: Statewide
wireless networks are deployed or used to bring public safety and emergency
response applications to the regions police, fire and medical first
responders, eg, Washington, USA and EMRI network in Hyderabad city. Purpose is
to help transmit data (maps, floor plan, chemical plume locations with
dispersion models, etc) and track emergency situations (flood in Bihar, weapon
depot fire, accidental release of hazardous material from the chemical plants,
etc) besides helping the organization in critical evacuations.
- Installation of Wireless Cameras: Installation of wireless cameras along
major transport routes can help monitor the key intersections used for
emergency evacuations. Video surveillance is backhauled via the wireless data
network and can be also used for emergency responder drills and routine police
work such as traffic flow and accident monitoring, eg, CCTV camera deployment
at traffic signals and intersections in Mumbai is one such deployment which
can be augmented by wireless broadband connectivity.
- Rapidly deployable broadband wireless network: Such a network builds on
the surviving network infrastructure to provide network connectivity to
emergency management field workers for applications such as Geographic
Information System (GIS) access and audio/videoconferencing. In USA, Virginia
Tech and SAIC has designed the system architecture integrating radio, link,
network and GIS application hardware and software with features like built-in
channel sounder, adaptive link layer protocols, and use of GIS for view shed
analysis. Wireless Mesh Network provides the secure and scalable Wi-Fi
solution that delivers low-cost wireless broadband for outdoors or indoor
areas, eg, Strixs carrier-class access/one network Outdoor Wireless Systems (OWS)
in Mumbai by Lifestyle Networks is a close example.
User Perspective
As we see proliferation of applications, wireless access network and mobile
devices backed by significant wireless subscriber base in India, few important
things to be taken care of from the user perspective:
- Hand-held and mobile devices: Screen display should be wide enough to
accommodate the form layout and it should not wash out in bright sunshine. In
addition, it shall be ruggedized and weather-proof. Such handheld devices
shall have sufficient integrated components and ports to enable simultaneous
operation of multiple input/output devices, such as GPS and multiple
communications cards. On top of the above, an integrated keyboard is useful.
- Applications: Daily-use applications must be integrated with, or added to,
applications like rapid damage assessment so that field workers can use it for
personal communication and productivity purpose and the cost of the device
along with emergency management application is justified. The database must be
integrated with existing corporate or state agency databases (building records
database) to avoid storing and maintaining data in more than one place. In
addition, Geographical Positioning System and Automatic Vehicle Location
technologies shall be implemented in state-private partnership.
Applications must be able to work with multiple, widely available wireless
networks like CDPD (cellular digital packet), iDEN, Wi-Fi wireless mesh network,
WiMax, CDMA/GSM/GPRS (packet radio) and satellite networks.
Real-time, multi-vendor support: A GIS mapping applications must come with an
automatic refresh utility to keep the data display current and an automated
export utility to share output from the hazard model across the network of
emergency management software users. City GIS mapping system that puts the data
from multiple competing GIS systems without any complex and time consuming data
translation/conversion as just another layer on a map accessible on the Web.
The wireless networks and applications provide a critical component of
emergency management infrastructure of the country. As network operator and
agencies deploy new technologies on the network side, the application eco-system
shall catch up emergency management application that works on multiple systems
and networks. The emergency management ecosystem provides scope for many more
new applications in this very critical area of our society.
Sanjay Chaudhary
The author is additional GM, Strategy and New Services, Global Business,
Reliance Communications
maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in Page(s) 1 2
| 
Print
Comment
Email
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
Twitter
