Avagene Moore: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Forum! ... Avagene Moore: For our newcomers, we conduct an orderly discussion by asking everyone's cooperation. The Round Table is less formal than our Wednesday sessions, but we want a productive session. ... Avagene Moore: Once our speaker is ready for questions or comments, you will be reminded to input a question mark (?) to indicate you wish to speak. ... Avagene Moore: Questions/comments will be taken in order they are seen on the screen. ... Avagene Moore: And now to introduce today's Round Table discussion and our special guest speaker. ... Avagene Moore: Today's Round Table is led by the State and Local Emergency Management Data Users Group (SALEMDUG). Judy Valentine is our speaker today, a long-time member of SALEMDUG. ... Avagene Moore: Judy is located in Rock Springs, Wyoming, where she is the Sweetwater County Coordinator for Emergency Management and 911. ... Avagene Moore: Judy has worked in emergency management for 21 years and has seen a lot of changes in the business over the years. She will be discussing some of the changes that relate to the use of technology. ... Avagene Moore: We are also glad to see other SALEMDUG members with us today also. Preston Cook is the President of the organization this year. ... Avagene Moore: Judy, I turn the floor to you at this time. Judy has some technical problems and Preston may be doing her input for her but the message is Judy's. ... Avagene Moore: YOu will see Preston's name but think Judy. Avagene Moore: Go, Preston/Judy. preston Cook: Good day to everyone. Thank you for allowing me this time on the forum. My name is Judy Valentine. I am the Sweetwater County, Wyoming Emergency Management/E-911 Coordinator. Judy Valentine: Thank you Avagene. Good morning everyone. Preston will be inputting our information this morning. Thank you Preston. preston Cook: Many times over the years, I've heard my mother say that her grandfather would have loved being alive today to see all the changes taking place. He died when she was a child during World War II... preston Cook: When we think of all that has transpired since then, we ourselves can marvel at the changes she is referring to... preston Cook: In Wyoming we've watched our dispatch equipment go from smoke signals (just kidding) from Citizen's Band radio (CB) to Very High Frequency (VHF) and we are currently looking at 800 trunking possibilities.. preston Cook: Many of you already have 800 trunking or satellite systems, which in many ways is light years from where we are in Wyoming... preston Cook: Many dispatch centers and Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) are using Graphic Information Systems (GIS)... preston Cook: We vary in the tools we use to do the job from having systems that are very sophisticated, having the capabilities of mapping layers and equipment that is in place to monitor the incidents as they take place. .. preston Cook: For example a prison riot or a dam failure. Others have the ability to zoom in with mobile closed circuit equipment that not only provides the ability to monitor the activities in the scene, but also record for documentation needed after the event. Some areas have none of these capabilities... preston Cook: These are just a few of the technological changes we've seen over the last 20 or so years... preston Cook: The systems mentioned above take pre-planning to determine what is needed prior to purchase, buy-in from the "money" people, staff training time, staff input time, and staff upkeep time... preston Cook: Remember the days when our many volumes of disaster plans had to be typed on a typewriter with carbon paper? ... preston Cook: There I go dating myself!! Our first word processer was a Royal 5030 typewriter. I was so excited because it could store a couple thousand characters per document with an approximate 10 documents in the memory before one had to delete something. We've come a long way!... preston Cook: Through trial and error, we've now decided that shorter emergency operations plans are easier to use and will actually be used rather than sit on a shelf during an incident. And look where technology is!! ... preston Cook: We are blessed with Pentium III's with warp speed processors, mega space and can be networked for all to share... preston Cook: So are we doing all we can with our technology? I don't really think so... preston Cook: What are the stumbling blocks or reasons? What can we do about this? What can we do to help those who don't have the resouces either time, money, availability or knowledge?... preston Cook: The organization of State and Local Emergency Management Data User's Group (SALEMDUG) has, since its inception, been working toward staying abreast of the latest technology that is beneficial to we, the Emergency Managers... preston Cook: They have helped us build and maintain our systems so we can be on the leading edge of the technology we need for day to day operations and for our emergencies/disasters... preston Cook: What are you doing in your communities with technology? What do you feel your needs are? Are we trying to do too much and rely too heavily on technology being the answer when we have a major disaster? ... preston Cook: Let's talk about all of these questions and others that may come up for the next 45 minutes. Perhaps we can fix some problems for some of you... preston Cook: Preston, Amy and . . . are with us today to help answer your questions. Please begin . . . Avagene Moore: Thank you, Judy and Preston. ... Avagene Moore: As a reminder of how we conduct Q&A: If you have a question, input a question mark (?) to the chat screen. Compose your question or comment but hold until you are recognized; then send to the screen. ... Avagene Moore: Questions will be handled in the order which they come to the chat screen. First question of Judy, please. Amy Sebring: ? Avagene Moore: Amy, please. Russell Coile: ? Jack Long: ? Amy Sebring: I feel that lack of standards are one of the stumbling blocks you mentioned ... Amy Sebring: is SALEMDUG working on this in any fashion? Judy Valentine: ? Amy Sebring: By standards, I mean common terminology, symbols, etc. preston Cook: I will answer if that is ok Judy Judy Valentine: Please Preston preston Cook: Well SALEMDUG understands the difficulty in setting standards today. preston Cook: Technology is changing so fast it is difficult to keep up... preston Cook: let alone keep adequate standards... preston Cook: the need is there, we are looking at a certification process which may help up get closer... preston Cook: to usable standards. But with technology (computers)... preston Cook: changing every 4 to 5 months and other technologies on the horizion.. preston Cook: I see a specific standard as very challeging. Avagene Moore: Russell, you are next. Russell Coile: What about Y2K? Judy Valentine: We are seeing many thoughts across the country on Y2K. Russell Coile: 911, specifically Judy Valentine: We are training the public to look at Y2K as the event we know the date and time on. Avagene Moore: Judy, other thoughts on 911 specifically? Judy Valentine: The 911 systems we have in place have backup plans for Y2K that we have been working on for the past year. We only hope US West comes through... preston Cook: ? Judy Valentine: US West is telling that if the public all pick up their phones at midnight, we can expect the system to fail... Judy Valentine: Therefore, we are encouraging people not to use their phones unless they have an emergency call to make... Judy Valentine: We know that midnight 2000 it is unrealistic to assume the public will adhere to that request. Avagene Moore: Jack, your turn, please. Jack Long: When you look at our more sophisticated EOCs and dispatch centers, are we becoming so dependent on technology that we are creating a new vulnerability? Judy Valentine: This is a question I have asked myself and in many ways, I feel we may be doing just that. Any other thoughts? Avagene Moore: Preston or the audience? preston Cook: I feel the dependency has been created already... Kevin Farrell: ? Avagene Moore: Very good question, Jack. preston Cook: It will only become more and more.. Kevin Farrell: I look at the use of technology in our 911 center the same way the folks fielding automobiles did when they started replacing horses. Jack Long: The concern is, with CAD and GIS and automated event logs, can we still function in a manual mode? Kevin Farrell: or motorized fire apparatus replaced the horse drawn steamers Judy Valentine: We are still using the manual mode out here, just to be sure we still know how. Avagene Moore: Other comments before going to next question? Judy Valentine: None from me. preston Cook: I say yes we can and must continue to operate preston Cook: in manual mode and automated. Avagene Moore: Judy, you input a ? a ways back. Do you have a question for us. Avagene Moore: Or were you just being orderly? Judy Valentine: No Judy Valentine: I don't know!! Avagene Moore: Preston, do you have a question? preston Cook: yes Avagene Moore: Fine, go ahead. preston Cook: As far as 911 not on the calling in aspect... preston Cook: but on the technology side, ... Russell Coile: ? preston Cook: How will we fare with the many different CO's that some of our 911 systems rely on and other technology. Anyone see any problems? Amy Sebring: CO=? Judy Valentine: We are seeing many problems with the smaller CO's and independants... Judy Valentine: CO = company, I think preston Cook: telephone central office preston Cook: A go through if you will.. Kevin Farrell: CO= central office preston Cook: They are sometimes underground and we have potenitial flooding issues on a regular basis. There may be other 911 issues out there/ Avagene Moore: Judy, you have more to add? Judy Valentine: There is little legislation to help us make the telephone companies do what is needed. And to add to Preston's thoughts... Judy Valentine: not only are they underground, but we have several that are next to the railroad tracks which would take them out in a derailment situation. Avagene Moore: Kevin, you have a question? Amy Sebring: ? Kevin Farrell: no. it was answered Avagene Moore: Great. Russell, you are next. Russell Coile: Is SALEMDUG helping the USGS in the development of NDIN/GDIN? What is USGS doing? Judy Valentine: Preston, can you take this question? Russell Coile: (National Disaster Information Network) preston Cook: To date we have not been in the development statge. We are very interested in the outcome. Avagene Moore: Amy, your question, please. preston Cook: We would welcome the opportunity Amy Sebring: I also feel it would be beneficial to define core data in EM, and would be interested in SALEMDUG's and the audience's comments as to what is basic, essential data. Avagene Moore: Thanks, Amy. Other questions? Russell Coile: ? Avagene Moore: Russell. please. Russell Coile: What is the SalemDUG web Page? How does one join? preston Cook: Allen can you give the address DAVID MCMILLION: ? Avagene Moore: Sorry, we did not comment on Amy's suggestion. Anyone have comments please. Avagene Moore: What is basic, essential data? right, Amy. Amy Sebring: Right, mostly in terms of GIS layers ... Amy Sebring: but not restricted to that. Judy Valentine: I agree with Amy in defining basice, essential data. Terry and I were just discussing the information we feel we need at our fingertips. Amy Sebring: Such as Judy? Allen Jakobitz: ? Judy Valentine: Tier II, Emergency Plans, Pipeline layers, infrastructure, etc. Judy Valentine: What is essential in those documents, the layers on the GIS, the governmental infrastructure... Judy Valentine: Do we need to know what law requires that we have an Emergency Operations Plan during a disaster? Judy Valentine: No . . ., but we do need to know how to contact the Board of County Commissioners... Judy Valentine: and if we can't find them, who has authority to act for them. Amy, am I going the direction you were? Amy Sebring: Yes, thank you. Political boundaries, highways, critical facilities, vulnerable areas are some that come to mind, demographics. Avagene Moore: Others with comments on basic, essential data? Judy Valentine: Amy, what do you think is essential data? DAVID MCMILLION: In an ideal situation, we would have asset locations (HAZMAT, incident-specific resources, etc.) as overlays as well. Judy Valentine: How much information is too much on a layer? DAVID MCMILLION: I would think no more than one type on each layer, as you can always place more than one layer. Judy Valentine: That sounds like a good idea as long as one is not restricted on the number of layers available. Avagene Moore: Other comments at this point? Don't want to forget response to address requested by Russell. Judy Valentine: None from me. David Crews: The Local Emergency Operations Plan when signed by the Governing Body becomes the legal document for how jurisdictions respond to disasters. The Governing body is the authority for how public funds/property is acquired, used and disposed of. Avagene Moore: Dave, did you have another question? David Crews: No Avagene Moore: David McMillion? DAVID MCMILLION: Yes...what is the scope/purpose behind NDIN? Judy Valentine: Preston, will you answer this question? preston Cook: Im not versed enough of the subject. anyone else Amy Sebring: ? Russell Coile: Vice Pres Al Gore in 1997 had this dream of a Global Disaster Information Network... Avagene Moore: Amy. Amy Sebring: Basically the GDIN/NDIN effort is a struggle to find a way to put the Information ... Amy Sebring: Highway to use for disasters in a more organized and less ad hoc fashion. Russell Coile: USGS thought that we should develop a National system before we did something larger. Avagene Moore: (Russell is also giving info. thanks to both of you.) Amy Sebring: To enhance coordination between all the various organizations typically involved. Avagene Moore: Allen, did you have a question? We need address from you too. Allen Jakobitz: The SALEMDUG web site is located at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/4818/index.htm If you have any suggestions, email me at a.jakobitz@emd.wa.gov We need plenty of input to make this web site more valuable. Avagene Moore: Thanks, Allen. Other questions. We have time for a couple more. Avagene Moore: ? Amy Sebring: ? Judy Valentine: Did I answer the question on Y2K and 911 for the gentleman earlier? Avagene Moore: I think that was Jack Long who asked the question. Avagene Moore: And Russell. Jack Long: Not me preston Cook: ? Avagene Moore: My question is about membership in SALEMDUG. Is there an application on the web site? Avagene Moore: Judy, Preston or Allen? preston Cook: There not at his time, we are reworking it and it will be soon. A request can be made for one... preston Cook: on the web site or to myself or any other officers. Avagene Moore: Thanks, Preston. Amy lost her connection. Preston, you have a question. preston Cook: It will be on the site in the near future.. preston Cook: Yes Avagene Moore: Please go ahead. preston Cook: My question concers the sending of this information across wide areas... preston Cook: Does anyone see secure video technology as being beneficial in our coordination efforts? Judy Valentine: Our personnel director does in that he feels we won't have to spend time on scene . . . Judy Valentine: taking us out of harms way. Jack Long: Video would be wonderful if there's enough bandwidth. Imagine sending live video feeds to FEMA to support a Presidential disaster request? Avagene Moore: Other comments on Preston's question? Amy Sebring: Yes, but it must be low cost and reliable. Judy Valentine: It would save time and money in the long run... Judy Valentine: when trying to get disaster information to those who make declaration decisions and... Judy Valentine: what is needed in the way of resources. Avagene Moore: We have time for one last question: Amy, your question, please. Amy Sebring: Does anybody know what the lag time is between when the Census is taken and when any data is available? Of course we are going to have two counts this time I understand! Jack Long: ? Avagene Moore: Don't know, Amy, usually take quite a bit of time. However, technology is supposed to help this time round. Judy Valentine: No, we don't Avagene Moore: Jack, is yours a new question or comment? Real quick. Jack Long: Has anyone thought about integrating "smart highway" networks with EOCs? What a tool for real-time evacuation traffic control! Avagene Moore: Any more answers for Amy or one for Jack? preston Cook: Yes, I think it is very necessary and beneficial. preston Cook: We looked at it here in Orange county but we use it very little. Judy Valentine: It sounds like a good idea. David Crews: The Georga EOC has camera for traffic. Used it during the Olympics. Avagene Moore: We are basically out of time for today. We can discuss further after we officially close if you like ..... preston Cook: We are trying to get the cameras into the eoc as we speak. It is a great tool. Avagene Moore: Thank you, Judy. Very good discussion today. Thanks to our audience as well. You are very important to our dialogues. ... Avagene Moore: Before closing the Round Table, I would like to remind you of upcoming events in the Virtual Forum. ... Judy Valentine: Thank you for the opportunity to join. Jack Long: This could go way beyond live video... smart highways can actually predict congestion based on volume and calculate different routing patterns. Avagene Moore: Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 4, 12 Noon EDT, we will be in the Virtual Library to discuss "Communication Between Researchers and Practitioners." Our guest speaker will be Adele Chiesa, Chief, FEMA NETC Learning Resource Center. ... Avagene Moore: Next week, the Round Table on Tuesday, August 10, 12 Noon EDT, is hosted by FEMA's Community & Family Preparedness Program. The session will be moderated by Kellye Junchaya with guest speaker from FireWise. ... Avagene Moore: On Wednesday, August 11, 12 Noon EDT, Jim McGinty will be with us in the Virtual Classroom to discuss Bomb Threat Management. ... Avagene Moore: Would like to remind you that the EIIP Virtual Forum celebrates our second anniversary/birthday on Wednesday August 18. We have special things planned for that important date. Make plans to attend. ... Avagene Moore: If you would like to send the EIIP a card, please send to Amy Sebring asebring@emforum.org . We will post as many of them as we can to share with everyone. ... Avagene Moore: ONe more important thing ... Avagene Moore: We launched a Pledge Drive this week. You are asked to pledge your support of the EIIP Virtual Forum by committing to attend X number of sessions per month. Number is up to you. ... Avagene Moore: See 'Pledge' link on the EIIP Virtual Forum homepage or http://www.emforum.org/eiip/pledge/pledge.asp ... Avagene Moore: And on FEMA's homepage http://www.fema.gov and ... Avagene Moore: In the August edition of Emergency Partner Postings; see link on homepage. ... Amy Sebring: (or just click on the Pledge Now banner above when it comes around.) Avagene Moore: Our goal is 100 pledges -- Good News! The pledges are coming in. You can monitor our progress by viewing the thermometer Amy placed on the Virtual Forum homepage. ... Avagene Moore: Those who complete their pledges over the coming year will receive special recognition at our annual birthday party during August 2000. ... Avagene Moore: One more reminder: Please resubscribe to our newly condensed mail lists. We lost subscribers totally due to the lightning strike. We need your involvement via the lists. ... Avagene Moore: Again, Judy, thank you. Preston and other SALEMDUG members, glad to have you with us also. And the audience -- thank you!