NCJ Number
215259
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 54 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2006 Pages: 56-57,59-60,62,63
Date Published
August 2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article describes the tools and resources of Disaster Management (DM), which joined the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Office of Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) in December 2005 for the purpose of improving incident response and recovery for crisis scenarios.
Abstract
DM helps promote and implement OIC's interoperability mission, which involves creating and enhancing the ability of multiple agencies to communicate with one another in the course of a disaster response. DM complements and extends SAFECOM, OIC's wireless interoperability program, with a data interoperability and information-sharing component. DM's four major resources are no-cost solutions to help emergency responders strengthen information and data sharing. DM's Interoperability Services Toolkit provides emergency managers with basic incident-management software tools. DM's Messaging Standards Initiative is a practitioner-driven, public-private partnership that creates information-sharing capabilities between different incident-management software applications and systems. DM's Open Platform for Emergency Networks enables computers with different software packages to share incident-related software. DM's Web site, www.DisasterHelp.gov, provides the general public and the emergency response community with information and services that relate to disaster response, including search tools to locate lost family members and no-cost collaboration tools.