Internet Aided Dispatch

1
Internet Aided Dispatch

• A way to send people and resources to the right
  place at the right time in times of emergency
• Similar to CAD, Computer Aided Dispatch
• Distributed access, anywhere in the world
• Available anywhere, as needs dictate

2
Similar Systems

• Police and Fire dispatchers use CAD, Computer
  Aided Dispatch systems
• Early systems were mainframe based, text only,
  specialized input devices
• New systems have Graphical User Interface (GUI)

3
Data Flow

• Someone calls 911
• Call taker takes information. ANI confirms phone
  number and location
• Call is prioritized and routed to PD or FD
• Calls are dispatched, by radio, to the right unit
  based on grid location.

4
911 Facility

• Three major groups
• Call takers
• 911
• Non-Emergency
• Fire Dispatchers
• Police Dispatchers
• Usually all located in the same building

5
Amateur Radio Application

• Rarely a centralized dispatch location
• Could be home, vehicle, anywhere
• Data should be available by anyone involved in
  the situation
• No issues of National Security or Privacy
• No time to install customized software

6
Solution

• Central database can be made available worldwide
• Update from anywhere
• View from anywhere
• Web standards allow for access without prior
  installation

7
Challenges

• Microsoft Office Suite of products
• Access
• FrontPage
• Excel
• Goal is to do all this without custom
  programming.

8
Timeline

• Every activity has to be logged with who and when
• Similar to existing Net Control program
• This interface is up and running now
• Desirable to modify known system to assure rapid
  acceptance by users
• Every transmission should be logged

9
Data Structure

• Database of participants
• Database of their training and capabilities
• Database of history of events
• Database of known locations

10
Views

• Anyone will be able to see the last known
  location of each participant
• Their status
• What they observed
• Their destination and orders

11
Research

• Sat in with Miami-Dade Dispatchers
• Learned basics of their text CAD system
• Reviewed new GUI CAD system specifications
• To be Implemented in 2003
• Toured Incident Command Vehicle
• On-location CAD-like System

12
Research

• Participated in the Miami-Dade Elections process
• Set up two call centers
• Poll worker training notification and tracking
• Dispatch troubleshooters to polls
• A successful, but expensive, demonstration of
  technology to help solve personnel problems

13
Dispatchers

• Anyone with the right password can write to the
  databases. This will allow any trained ham to
  act as a dispatcher, or Net Control.
• In the event of any dispatcher losing power or
  computer access, another can take over
  immediately
• Actual database is housed outside of South
  Florida, so it should not be effected.

14
Goals

• Demonstrate that the Internet can be effectively
  used for a distributed dispatch system for
  Amateur Radio in times of Emergency.

15
Sample Display

• http//hamboree.org/hams/iad.htm