IT system aids better emergency management

The following is the Minister's media statement released this morning (here is a link to a video of the entry level E-Sponder Express product, MCDEM have gone for an enhanced version of this that still retains the simplicity of Express)...

Minister of Civil Defence John Carter today announced that E-Sponder will supply an electronic emergency management information system (EMIS) for use in the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) and by civil defence authorities.

The NCMC, below ground under the Beehive, is designed to be a national operations centre. From there the responses of the hundreds of organisations likely to be involved in a large scale emergency can be co-ordinated and a national emergency can be managed.

“This EMIS will help us to better manage emergencies,” Mr Carter says. “It will allow us to more quickly and accurately create, and then keep up to date, what is known as a ‘common operating picture’. We use that to ensure that all agencies involved have the same understanding of the situation, who is doing what, where resources are and what decisions are being made.

“That means we will have a faster, better co-ordinated response and, ultimately, a safer, more resilient country.”

Mr Carter said that E-Sponder is an off-the-shelf system already used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in the Australian federal government and by some United States state and county governments to manage information during emergencies.

EMIS is part of a series of upgrades for the NCMC that include expanding alternate communications and installing video conferencing facilities. Cabinet allocated a budget of $2.8 million for all three projects.

Timeline and system attributes

The EMIS contract is being negotiated and will be signed shortly.

EMIS will be rolled out by mid-2010 and will be hosted by the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

Between January and June staff from the Ministry, CDEM groups, territorial authorities and E-Sponder will work together to ensure that the system is appropriately configured for use at all of local, regional and national levels. They will also develop a testing regime before the system is rolled out.

In March, the Ministry will hold an information conference where the system will be demonstrated to CDEM groups and territorial authorities. System administration and management will also be explained.

System attributes include:

· managing all data received through various channels, including voice, fax and e-mail

· all users being able to share and integrate data

· the ability to add new users and assign them appropriate user rights during an emergency

· disseminating information through various channels, including voice, SMS and e-mail

· workflow management

· creating reports and plans

· resource management

· integrated mapping

· creation of status boards

· ease of use.

Corporate background

E-Sponder LLC is a United States company based in Missouri. It has partnered with Intergen Limited to deliver services and provide support in New Zealand and Australia. Links to:

· E-Sponder corporate profile http://www.e-sponder.com/corporate-info.html

· Intergen website www.intergen.co.nz

Manawatu-Wanganui Controller's Forum

From time-to-time the Group has a get together of its CDEM Controllers. This is an opportunity to focus on recent activities within the Group and at a national level that will impact on us during an emergency. This year, the Controller's Forum is scheduled for 1 March and will cover a wide range of topics for the local and Group Controllers, including:

• The new CDEM Group Plan - what's new, what's different?
• Triennial Business Plan - what are we going to do for the next three years?
• Public Education and Information Strategy and survey results
• AEGIS Map project (a joint project with Hawkes Bay)
• National Emergency Management Information System (to be rolled out this year)
• National Exercise Tangaroa (coming up later this year)
• Monitoring and Evaluation audit of the Group by MCDEM
• Administrative arrangements for welfare support during pandemic influenza (a new guide)

The forum is limited to Controllers and Emergency Managers from within the Group so that we can focus on specific detail of our Group and the Group's activities.

Update on activities

Well, the year is well and truly underway. We managed to get through the Christmas and New Year period with minimal disruption despite the dodgy weather. Horowhenua did experience its fair share of the nasty weather and did have to co-ordinate a small response to coastal communities becoming isolated. A bridge on North Manakau Road also had to be closed - but nothing too drastic.

Emergency Management Officers are meeting next week to look at the first draft of the CDEM Group Triennial Business Plan. This will then go to the Co-ordinating Executive Group for their input in early February. The Plan will provide guidance to members of the Group in the development of their annual business plans and linking their work programmes to the direction of the Group.

The National Working Group Selection Committee has recommended the appointment of four CDEM representatives on MCDEM's Exercise Tangaroa Working Group (this year's national CDEM exercise). These are:

• Te Arohanui Cook, Central Hawkes Bay District Council
• Jessica Hare, Wellington Regional Council
• Dan Neeley, Wellington City Council
• Clinton Naude, Environment Bay of Plenty.

Paul Nickalls from Hutt City Council has been recommended as a reserve. The Committee was conscious of a mix of territorial and regional representation and was also aware that there were no nominations from the South Island.

Nominations for representation on the national Emergency Management Information System Configuration Team close today. I would imagine that an announcement will be made soon on who the representatives are. On that note, MCDEM is due to announce any day now who the successful provider is for the EMIS.

Co-ordinating Executive Group meeting coming up on the 9th February in Dannevirke this time.

Rebranding the AirShelter for the Emergency Services Open Day on the 20th February to promote the purpose of the Reid's Line Flood Control Structure in Feilding.

Anyway - everyone's back on deck so you can expect the posts to become a little more regular.