Response to crisis and disaster management through the integration of technology into a virtual consolidated operations center.

摘要

This research explores problems that have been identified in response to crises, disasters, and incidents, by governmental and service organizations. There is a presentation of findings by the Government Accounting Office on how the Federal Emergency Management Agency can improve their response to crises. Additionally, there is a review of studies in the efforts of local and county government agencies to improve their responses to crises, disasters, emergencies, and incidents.; Identification of specific areas that need to be addressed in improving the response of agencies to these situations is given. There is a look at technology that is able to help improve response. The technologies researched are in present use and are proven entities. Further, there is research in how these technologies may be integrated in a different way and implemented into a new concept called the virtual consolidated operations center.; Data is compiled to look at the possible improvement in response times to incidents. This data covers two separate periods of time, with and without the use of the studied technologies. The data is historical and covers the emergency medical services organization operating in the El Paso County, Colorado region.; Research is also included on the benefit of response time. The research covered morality and morbidity rates based on response times. Additionally, there is a look at research that discusses medical costs for emergency treatment and rehabilitation of trauma patients. The data from this area also discusses the lifetime medical costs and lost work costs.; Generic models are developed for looking at both the costs and benefits from using the integrated technology. These models will assist organizations in determining the impact of using the integrated technologies and the virtual consolidated operations center concept.