1. Responder Knowledge Base
Ms. Sharon Ranftle
RKB Content Lead

2. Agenda RKB History What is the RKB? Who uses the RKB? RKB Content
Standards on the RKB 1

3. RKB History
Project Responder - sponsored by the Oklahoma City Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – October 2003
Project responder, through a series of surveys and focus groups, reached out to the responder community to find what their needs were (specifically equipment). Results indicated that a trusted knowledge base for emergency responders was necessary. 2

4. RKB History (Continued)
The Responder Knowledge Base was developed to:
“Provide emergency responders, purchasers, and planners with a trusted, integrated, online source of information on products, standards, certifications, grants, and other equipment-related information.” 3

5. What is the RKB? Emergency Responder Decision Support Tool
RKB Funding: Funding is provided by the FEMA National Preparedness Directorate. 4

6. What is the RKB? The RKB is:
Products module (with over 6,400 records) answers “What equipment is out there?”
Certifications and Standards modules answers
“Has it been certified and if so, to what standard?”
Training module answers
“What training is needed to use the equipment?”
FEMA Preparedness Grants and Other Grants modules (with over 215 records) answers
“What grant vehicles exist to purchase the equipment?”
The User Opinions module answers
“Is there anyone in the community that I can talk to who has used the equipment?” 5

7. What is the RKB? (Continued)
The RKB also has the following features:
Watch Lists
News
Events Calendar
Ask An Expert 6

8. Who Uses the RKB? Public Users Responders Federal Government
Access to the majority of information on the RKB
Responders
Access to public information, as well as access to limited distribution products, publications, training, etc.
Federal Government
Access to all published information on the RKB
Ability to share relevant information with the responder community, for example with news items
Over 71,000 registered users 7

9. Who Uses the RKB? Responders8

10. Who Uses the RKB? Visits per Day9

11. Who Uses the RKB? Equipment Purchasers
Determine whether products are certified to a standard
Use the comparison feature
Stay abreast of new technologies
FEMA Grant Applicants
Access to the Authorized Equipment List (AEL):
“The Authorized Equipment List is produced by the FEMA Grant Programs Directorate, (DHS). It is the generic list of equipment items allowable under several FEMA Preparedness grant programs.”
Determine AEL categories applicable to specific grants
CEDAP Applicants
Applications completed on RKB 10

12. RKB Content: FEMA Grants and Authorized Equipment List11

13. RKB Content: Standardized Equipment List
Standardized Equipment List (SEL) – is a product of the InterAgency Board (IAB)
Similar to the AEL in that category numbers and descriptions are mostly identical,
Differs from the AEL in that it provides recommendations on training, additional related standards, and operational considerations.
Not related to grant applications 12

14. Additional RKB Content
Operational Assessments (SAVER)
Over 300 Operational Assessments
Publications/Reference
Over 1200 Publications
Target Capabilities List (TCL)
37 TCL Categories
NIMS Resource Types
Lessons Learned Info Sharing (LLIS)
Over 460 Lessons Learned 13

15. RKB Content: Product Example on the RKB14

16. RKB Content: Standards
RKB exchanges standards information with ANSI Homeland Security Standards Database (HSSD).
RKB standards sometimes contain more information than what is found HSSD.
RKB also performs standards research outside of the HSSD.
The RKB hosts over 4,800 standards.
RKB also hosts a
DHS-adopted Standards Listing
IAB-adopted Standards Listing
P25 Overview Page 15

17. Content: Standards on the RKB16

18. Questions? Sharon Ranftle (443) 402-9166 sharon.ranftle@saic.com
Rich Vandame, FEMA
RKB Help Desk 17