A Decision Support System For Civil Protection Prof. Thanasis Ziliaskopoulos University of Thessaly Hellenic Institute of Transport International Conference in Civil Protection Thessaloniki December

USER NEEDS Reliable, User Friendly and Easily Maintainable in Basic Information Geo-referenced (GIS) Management INFORMATION SYSTEM to provide a clear picture of the resources in the area of responsibility A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM (Tools and Data) at Regional Level to coordinate effectively local actions TRAINING TOOLS, simulating reality satisfactory and covering training needs of all stakeholders in civil protection

What is Decision Support System for Civil Protection An integrated system for supporting decision-making processes in civil protection It supports activities at all stages of a disaster: –Planning –Response –Recovery

What the DSS CP is designed to do To offer to civil protection authorities a quick, easy yet dependable and efficient way to manage their resources (personnel, equipment, volunteers). To offer powerful optimization and simulation tools that generate solutions for allocation, routing and transportation of resources (human & equipment) taking into consideration the needs of the events and the availability of resources. Used for planning, management, response and recovery

DSS components DSS is an integrated framework of: 1.DATA geo-referenced 2.Algorithms producing the most optimized results concerning a wide area of decisions. 3.Specific user interfaces concerning any kind of data input and representation 4.Internet Enabled 5.Sensing and Monitoring Devices for Real Time Data Collection 6.Communication procedures

DSS Architecture

DSS– User levels There are four user levels in the system: 1.Regional Director: has full access to the DB and functionality of the system (read, write, execute) 2.Local Manager: has access to the DB but limited functionality ( read, write only related to their area of responsibility, limited execution) 3.Resource Manager and Volunteer: has mainly viewing abilities, may only edit their own resource and profile based on authorization level 4.Guest: has only viewing abilities

DSS CP– User levels Regional Local Resource Guest

DSS DATA - GIS USER and Satellite Maps Network ( Roads, Bridges, Major Buildings, Camps, Hospitals, Squares, Warehouses ) Georeferenced Agencies, Resources ( Personnel & Equipment ) with proper info Past events System Generated data ( e.g. Routing, Assignment ) All available via the INTERNET for distributed processing

DSS Datawarehouse All data are recorded geo spatially in an internet enabled distributed DB The resources are managed (e.g. a pump) by the proper personnel and its condition and location is known An operator can view, edit and delete raw data Others can only view them

DSS Algorithms A combination of powerful optimization software such as CPLEX- AMPL Routing Algorithms Assignment Algorithms Transportation Algorithms Logistics Simulation Statistical Modules

WALKTHROUGH DSS – Events (Training OR Response) The Regional Operator can create or edit events Local managers can only view and anything related to their responsibilities Personnel may record and receive georeferenced event information

Specify initial details

Open map window

Switch to hybrid view

Zoom in

Needs further zooming

Map nodes displayed

Map node selected

Select severity

Select event type

System’s suggestions

Operator’s modifications

Event created

DSS– Resource allocation DSS allocates the required resources and presents the operator with options for each allocation The operators can then create routes, notify entities individually and en masse and reassign them, as needed

DSS Walkthrough-Preview allocations

DSS Walkthrough-Personnel Notification

DSS Walkthrough-Message sent

Routes created

View route

Remove allocation

DSS Walkthrough – Road network ok

DSS Walkthrough – Mark roads as blocked

DSS Walkthrough – Roads blocked confirmation

DSS Walkthrough – New route created

DSS– Event monitoring At any time operators and local managers may view the progress of activities related to this event On-site personnel may contribute videos / photos of the event, which will be available through the system

DSS– Other features Features currently under implementation: –Video / image uploading and preview –Fully-fledged event management –Tracking of volunteers / resources via GPS –User-related administration interfaces –Equipment-related administration interfaces –Road network management and preview Will be fully implemented & tested by the program’s closure in April 2007

DSS remaining features Video / image uploading and preview –Volunteers and third parties will be able to contribute photos and video of the event via MMS / –Content becomes immediately available in the system for everyone to view –Intelligent software in selected volunteers’ phones will add extra details to contributed media –This software is being developed at the Systems Optimization Laboratory, UTH

Event monitoring

Picture view

DSS remaining features Fully-fledged event management User-related administration interfaces Equipment-related admin interfaces Road network management and preview –the system is as user-friendly and as feature- rich as possible, to ensure a desktop-like application’s ease of use and level of functionality

Conclusions We have developed during the RESCUE project a Decision Support System for Civil Protection, UNIQUE in its features as it combines: –Resource (human and equipment) data –Network and GIS data –Algorithms and Tools –User Interfaces –Procedures –Monitoring technologies –Network/Internet Enabled To ASSIST regional CP Directors to easily monitor their area of responsibility and efficiently manage resources during an event

Systems Optimization Laboratory Dept. of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering University of Thessaly Volos, Greece