IRIS Modules for Emergency Management
In an ongoing partnership with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD), ASG develops modules and enhancements for the Internet Routed Information System (IRIS), a powerful web system that helps manage emergency incidents as they occur across the state. ASG’s work includes updates to the system architecture and interface to provide increasingly robust capabilities for emergency information management. ASG has also recently deployed IRIS for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
View a brochure of the IRIS modules
Background
IRIS helps unite field workers and central staff in an emergency information network. It features a secure central computer system where workers can manage emergency incident information, requests for resources, and emergency messages. IRIS helps effectively manage critical information across wide areas, so that emergency operatives can save time tracking disaster incidents and can more quickly perform mitigating operations.
To access IRIS, an emergency worker needs a personal computer linked to the Internet and an IRIS password. The user enters information on simple web forms, which securely transfer data to the central database. All IRIS users then can quickly access all submitted incidents, requests, maps, and other important data through the IRIS website. IRIS tracks all activities, maintaining files to record the status of all incidents.
The IRIS framework was first developed in 1996 by E811, the commercial technology transfer partner of ASG. Through subsequent grants, ASG has developed several IRIS modules to provide more features and functions. Since it first began operating in South Carolina in 1997, IRIS has successfully managed all significant threats to the state, including three Declared States of Emergency resulting in Federal Disaster Declarations.
Tracking Critical Facilities
In 1999, ASG began developing a module to inventory and track critical facilities across the state. The Critical Facilities Module established a Vendor Search website linked to the IRIS home page. The site did not require a password, so that anyone could search for vendors of critical supplies needed during a disaster.
The module established a database that allowed state emergency managers to record pre-identified critical resources, their vendors, and contact information. This database was linked to a website with searching capabilities.
Using the website, a person could search the extensive list of resources and vendors. Resource categories included heavy equipment such as bulldozers and backhoes; other equipment such as chainsaws, pumps, and emergency lighting systems; generators; personnel such as search and rescue teams and hazardous materials responders; and supplies such as sand bags, blankets, first-aid kits, and nerve-agent antidotes.
The list contained detailed information about vendors of the critical resources, including facility name, location, and contact information. Thus, an IRIS user could quickly find facilities and supplies in times of critical need.
Managing Donations
From 2000 to 2001, ASG developed a module to assist IRIS users in finding donors and resources across the state. The IRIS Donation Module allowed state officials and volunteers to anticipate and track donations following a disaster situation. It also gave qualified state workers access to the donations warehouse inventory.
The Donation Module helped IRIS users locate and manage volunteer services and donated supplies, including post-disaster donations. It allowed full support for resource inventory management, including web tools for donations, hotline workers, resource staging-area personnel, and emergency warehouse inventory managers. It also gave management teams insight into resource availability and timeliness of donations.
Summarizing Information for Counties
From 2000 to 2001, ASG developed a module for county emergency operations. Called IRIS Lite, it gave each county emergency-operations center a custom interface for tracking messages, requests, and incident activity for that county. It was linked to the main database but featured web pages that summarized information for a particular site or user.
IRIS Lite was a data rollup that simplified viewing of IRIS incident information for particular areas. It helped county operations use IRIS more easily by providing a manageable interface for quickly consuming and responding to information for area-specific events.
Technology and Configuration
The IRIS modules have featured robust architecture, including databases built using Oracle software, interfaced with a highly engineered Java system that extended web pages to IRIS users.
The databases have used open interface accessibility for expansion to other applications or analysis systems, and the Java interfaces are extremely reliable and extensible.
IRIS modules also have used proven technologies, including the Struts open-source framework, Apache web server, and Jakarta Tomcat, that together provide extremely robust and reliable web applications.
IRIS is located at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). Work stations within the SEOC access the system on an intranet, while county sites access it through the internet.
Significance
IRIS is an extremely powerful information infrastructure. Robust, scalable, and deployed securely by web, IRIS supports immediate data access, empowering emergency workers with the critical information they need to know.
ASG enhances IRIS for SCEMD as support becomes available. IRIS continues to be used by SCEMD for daily incidents as well as more extensive emergency and disaster operations.
For more information on connecting an emergency operations site to IRIS in South Carolina, contact Tim Murphy, SCEMD Response Operations, at 803-734-8020.
