MASAS

For an overview briefing please see:
http://prezi.com/presentation/pchilds@planetworks.ca/sqp2s7b/ [However, You will need to create a prezi account which is free and only takes a minute to do.]
 
The CAUSE Resiliency (West Coast) experiment project, is designed to engage the operational emergency management communities in British Columbia and bordering states, with the experimental use and integration of some emerging technologies that have recently been developed or are near operational readiness.  The technologies are focused on:
 

• advanced planning/hazards
• risk and vulnerability assessment (i.e.  HAZUS-MH developed by FEMA)
• improved situational awareness/coordination (through BCeMap/MASAS/ETeam/Emergeo/Ushahidi)
• improved recovery through use of the AMECom truck,
• interoperability with the US. (MystateUSA and/or FEMA IPAWS)
   
  This project is part of an annual series of experiments sponsored by the Command, Control and Interoperability division of U.S. DHS S&T (Dr Joe Kielman) and the Centre for Security Sciences (POC Jack Pagotto) and in cooperation with other partners such as NRCan, EMBC, cities of Richmond and Vancouver, Washington State, Seattle, and Pacific Northwest National Lab.  These experiments are designed to expose the potential for enhancing resilience through interoperable shared situational awareness, and visual analytics. Rather than elaborate and often very expensive and complex exercises engaging large numbers of 'boots on the ground', CAUSE will aim for more agile, lighter instances that target technology 'vignettes' that engage inter-agency interactions between command posts and emergency operation centers and related decision-making nodes. CAUSE therefore will typically involve participation from a distributed network or 'system of systems' as it focusses on interactions across multiple jurisdictions. Hence virtual/webinar participation and video clips to capture technology vignettes and make them available as online resources will be used to maximize visibility and sharing of lessons learned to Emergency Management stakeholders from across both countries. CAUSE Resilience Experiments will demonstrate and communicate how integrated emerging operational technologies are offering solutions to closing known capability gaps and will also guide future research and development activities that will involve planning, integration, experiment, after action analysis, and outreach activities.

Canadian public safety agencies are welcome to join the webinar scheduled for 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. (EST) on 21 June by contacting Jack Pagotto, Head of Emergency Management and Systems Interoperability S&T, Centre for Security Science at jack.Pagotto@drdc-rddc.gc.ca. 613-944-8169. For those not available to dial in - stay tuned for upcoming links to the web site that will host the video clips that will provide concise overviews of each technology vignette.