Modernizing the Incident Command System for the 21 st Century

1. Modernizing the Incident Command System for the 21st Century John Sorensen, Ph.D Hugh Carson Seagull Technology, Inc Campbell, CA (408) 364-8200 jsorensen@seagull.com Seagull Technology Inc.

2. ICSView Program Summary • There is a significant need to apply Information Technologies to address existing inefficiencies in the incident response (ICS) process • The Seagull Technology Team is proposing a program to develop and demonstrate the integration and application of these currently available information technologies into the ICSView system to support incident responders in the field, beginning with wildfire fighting. • The benefits of the ICSView program will be dramatically enhanced effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of incident response operations. Seagull Technology Inc.

3. Seagull Technology Team • Seagull Technology, Inc. • High technology business based in Silicon Valley • Skilled and experienced in systems integration and the application of information technologies to mission critical systems and operations • Team technology members – as required • ESRI, Garmin, HP • User community • FIRESCOPE – Association of California fire departments focused on the development of regional Incident Command System; Historical national leaders in development and evaluation of response technologies and procedures • Federal and California government agencies concerned with incident response, beginning with wildfire fighting; e.g. USFS, CDF Seagull Technology Inc.

4. FireFlight Cockpit FireSimCockpit FLIRMap Overlay Seagull History and Credentials • California technology business founded in 1985 • Numerous systems engineering, simulation and prototype product development contracts with government, industry, and university labs • Proven solution provider of aerospace, transportation, and information systems • Firefighting projects since 1994 for US Forest Service and California Dept. of Forestry • FireFlight portable map display, data link, GPS • FireSim facility for wildfire incident response display, procedures, and system feasibility design and evaluations • FLIR image map registration and data link communication technology Seagull Technology Inc.

5. Lack of real-time information Lack of shared situational awareness among participants Ineffective presentation of data as usable information Inefficient and inaccurate verbal communications Key information gets “lost in the noise” Agency data links do not exist or are not interoperable Incident history not accurately recorded due to high tempo of operations Current Problems With Incident Management Inefficient Information Management Lack of common situational awareness and timely information communications capability negatively impacts command and control Seagull Technology Inc.

6. Effects of Ineffective Information Management Limited situational awareness and lack of timely communications produce inefficiencies in incident response and operations The results of these inefficiencies are: • Increased fatalities and injuries involving both emergency personnel and civilians • Excessive property loss (billions of dollars annually) • Additional asset loss (equipment, aircraft, etc.) Seagull Technology Inc.

7. Wildfire Costs Alone Are Enormous • The potential costs of responding to WMD and other incidents compound the effects of ICS inefficiencies • ICSView can quickly pay for itself by reducing such costs Seagull Technology Inc.

8. Wildfire Costs Go Beyond Immediate Suppression Costs Economic Effects of Wildfires Timber Loss Transportation Systems(Interstate/State Hwy Closures) Property Loss (900+ Primary Residences Lost annually; Est @ $232M) Grazing Loss Suppression($769M Annual Average 1994-2002) Evacuations (120,000 Persons Evacuated in 2002, often for weeks) Resource Diversion Tourism(Avoidance of Burning/Burned Areas) Air Quality (Health Effects On Persons With Respiratory Diseases) Watershed Loss Seagull Technology Inc.

9. Wildfire Costs Go Well Beyond Suppression Costs Sample Large-Fire Costs • Impacts on Transportation Systems: • Road closures (interstates, state highways) are frequent • Disruptions frequently last for hours, sometimes for days, and occasionally for weeks • Air traffic (especially VFR but occasionally IFR) can be impacted Source: Assessing the Environmental, Social, and Economic Impacts of Wildfire, Morton, Roessing, Camp, and Tyrrell, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry, May, 2003 Seagull Technology Inc.

10. Wildfire Costs Go Well Beyond Suppression Costs • Southern California, 2003 • Acres burned: 800,000 + • Homes destroyed: 3,400 + • Estimated insurance losses: $1-2 Billion • Lives lost: 22 Seagull Technology Inc.

11. Response Inefficiencies Increase Fatalities • Wildland firefighting is - without a doubt - a high-risk, dangerous business. • However, an estimated 50% of the entrapment (burnover) and aircraft fatalities would have been avoided if personnel had better Situational Awareness • ICSView would provide this Situational Awareness Seagull Technology Inc.

12. The Problem –Most information technologies – where they exist – are NOT INTEGRATED into a single system that the emergency responder can utilize quickly and effectively The Premise – Integrating currently available IT can dramatically improve effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of incident response operations • Existing Technologies That Can Be Harnessed • Data Communications(e.g., UHF datalink, SatCom, Wi-Fi) • Threat and Other Types of Sensors(e.g., FLIR, satellites, weather stations, bio/chem “sniffers”) • Asset and IncidentPositioning(GPS) • Geographic Information Systems(GIS, maps) • Data Management and Network Technology(e.g., web-based data distribution) • Interactive Information Displays and Workstations • Threat Models(e.g., fire behavior, oil spill, bio/chem, etc.) Integration via ICSView • Increased • Effectiveness • Efficiency • Safety • Operational Enhancements • Situational Awareness • Network Communications Results Seagull Technology Inc.

13. Airtankers Aerial Supervision Helicopters Division Supervisors Crews/Engines/Dozers Local Dispatch Center Incident Command Post Geog Area Coord Center Natl Interagency Coord Center Local Unit Mgmt ICSViewConcept: Create an Information Network Location and status information flows automatically among all the incident participants. Each is a “node” in the network. Information also flows externally to and from the incident. Seagull Technology Inc.

14. Aerial Supervision Mobile Ground Resources ICSView Displays and Information Content Designed for Individual User (Node) Needs Tactical Aircraft Off-site personnel (Dispatch, Dept HQ) Ground Resources Incident Command Post Seagull Technology Inc.

15. Infrared View Sent By Aerial Supervisor Handwriting and Scratched Notes (can be converted to digital format) Ground Supervisor Views Tablet PC Application Seagull Technology Inc.

16. AA-07 ICSView Examples of Sequential Displays for Wildfire Response First responder on-scene establishes an “Incident Area” WILDLAND FIRE REPORTED An aerial supervisor (AA-07) and a ground based Incident Commander (IC) are the first to arrive IC Both resources can see each other on their display Seagull Technology Inc.

17. T-85 AA-07 H-541 As the fire grows, the updated perimeter is portrayed on participant displays IC Seagull Technology Inc.

18. Fire perimeter overlaid as FLIR image Distributed by the Aerial Supervision Aircraft Seagull Technology Inc.

19. No Fly Zone Pre-Attack Plans reside on each participant’s computer and can be displayed by the user Helispots H-57 Environmentally sensitive areas Fuel breaks Hazards (wires, military training routes, etc.) H-54 Dip1 Evacuation Routes Dip2 Water Sources (pumps, dip sites) Seagull Technology Inc.

20. H-541 H-54 C-7 IC GROUND SUPERVISOR OR GROUND-MOBILE VIEW Seagull Technology Inc.

21. ICSView is Applicable toAny Type of Incident Responders have a need to establish • Communications with each other – command and control • Responder and asset locations (own and others) • Threat type, location and status • Location • Perimeter: is it stable, expanding, or contracting? • Targeting and other incident response activity (threat interdiction, rescue, tactical asset movement, human evacuation) Seagull Technology Inc.

22. ICSView Interoperability is Critical • ICS is a command organizational structure that enables integrated single- or multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional incident response • The ICSitself can be termed “interoperable” and “plug and play” • Information technologies and associated standards within ICSView that support ICS mustalso be interoperable: • Information resources available to responders • “Plug and play” capability of the technologies • Incorporation of existing incident response systems (MIRPS/ROSS, Isuite, etc.) Seagull Technology Inc.

23. ICSView Program Approach We propose a program to develop and demonstrate an integrated information technology solution supporting ICS operations The result will be a field-tested operational prototype system. • The solution will lay the groundwork for national deployment: • Information requirements (by participant) • Information display/symbology • Phraseology • Procedural enhancement • Information management • Data communications The program will include a demonstration in the wildfire environment but will be extensible to other types of incident response Seagull Technology Inc.

24. Baseline Field Simulation and Shadow Test14 Node Baseline Network 1 Aerial Supervision Module 1 Helicopter 1 Fixed-Wing Air tanker 1 IC Type 3 2 Division/Group Supervisors 2 Crew Superintendents 2 Engines 1 Dozer 1 Comm. Van/Trailer (ICP) 1 Dispatch Office 1 Departmental HQ • Initial user testing and feedback • Field Simulation of Fire • Ground-only demo • Air-ground demo • Real Fire “Shadow” Mode Field Test • Analysis of Benefits • Performance • Cost Savings Seagull Technology Inc.

25. Prototype Evaluation ICSView Program ICSView Standards System Development System Demonstration Establish Consortium with California Fire Departments Industry Production and Nationwide Deployment Federal Agency Approval Seagull Technology Inc.

26. ? Fire Department /Incident Responder Team Member Roles in ICSView Development Assist in: • Setting and reviewing system requirements and standards • Providing personnel and equipment for ICSView demonstration and incident response evaluation • Providing feedback on system effectiveness Team would determine best location for testing Seagull Technology Inc.

27. ICSView Benefits Summary • Improved situation awareness among all ICS personnel – both individually and collectively • Current state and predicted future behavior of the threat • Status and current deployment plans for assigned resources/assets • Geographic information • Weather conditions and forecast • Improved command and control communications • Status and situation information to commanders and decision makers • Instructions/orders to assigned resources (system nodes) • Improved decision-making • Reduced costs of operation • Improved safety and incident response outcome Seagull Technology Inc.

28. ICSView GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME IN ORDER TO MAKE THE RIGHTDECISION Seagull Technology Inc.