System and method for providing centralized emergency management

• US 7,587,030 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States of America As Represented By The United States Postal Service
• Inventors: Blalock, John R., Mendonca, Pat, Pruett, Jonathan C., Fanning, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/952,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20050220277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 379320-350, 340/286.02, 340/506, 340/531, 340/539.17, 707/100, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks

Abstract

A system and method for management of emergencies. The system includes a database containing procedures for addressing specific emergencies, an input system linked to the database for receiving input information indicative of an emergency, an evaluation system linked to the database for determining if information input to the input system justifies the designation of a specific emergency and dissemination of information related thereto. A communication system is linked to the database for disseminating information about the input information and information related thereto to designated entities. The method for management of emergencies includes the inputting procedures for addressing specific emergencies into a database, inputting information about potential emergencies into to the database, determining if the information about potential emergencies justifies the designation of a specific emergency and determining if the information about potential emergencies justifies dissemination of information related thereto. Based on the determination of whether said information justifies the designation of a specific emergency and dissemination of information related thereto, information of a specific emergency and information related thereto may be disseminated via the database to designated entities.

Claims

1. A system for management of emergencies comprising:

a database containing procedures for addressing specific emergencies, the database comprising a continuation of operations database that maintains information related to an alternative facility that can be used in the event of an emergency;

an input system linked to said database for receiving input information indicative of an emergency;

an evaluation system linked to said database for determining if information input to said input system justifies the designation of a specific emergency and dissemination of information related thereto;

a communication system linked to said database for disseminating information about said input information and information related thereto to designated entities; and

an information exchange system linked to said database for facilitating the exchange of emergency related information between the designated entities during a response to the specific emergency.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said database resides on a server connected to the worldwide web.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said input system comprises a remote threat sensor.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said threat sensor is disposed to detect one of:

fire, explosion, heat radioactivity, toxic chemicals and toxic biomaterials.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said system disseminates information based on the type of threat detected by said threat sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said input system comprises a telephone system.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said evaluation system comprises software stored in a system linked to said database.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication system comprises a plurality of handheld devices capable of receiving information from said database.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said communication system comprises a plurality of handheld devices capable of displaying information graphically on a display.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said communication system comprises a plurality of handhold dotes capable of displaying information graphically on a display.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said communication system comprises a plurality of handhold dotes capable of dissemination information audibly.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said communication system comprises computer software disposed to transform emergency information in digital text format into audible emergency information.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication system comprises a plurality of handheld devices programmed to receive information only relating to emergencies.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said communication system comprises a plurality of handhold devices programmed to receive information only relating to emergencies for a particular entity.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication system communicates with selected external agencies.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said designated entities are selected from the group consisting of:

agencies of the federal government, agencies of the state government, agencies of the county government, and agencies of the city government.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein external agencies of the federal government are selected from:

the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Occupation Safety and Health Administration.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said designated entities comprise internal agencies selected from the group of:

security, health services, human resources, and personnel.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said database includes personnel information such that said communication system communicates with selected internal agencies selected from the group of:

security, health services, human resources, and personnel.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said database includes information concerning the identify of individual employees, medical information about said employees, and the known location of said employee such that information disseminated by said communication system can be related to specific employees.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein said database includes information specific to a commercial entity.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said database includes information concerning the physical configuration of structures of said commercial entity such that that said information disseminated by said communication system can be related to specific structures.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said database includes information including the identify of individual employees and the location of said employee such that said information disseminated by said communication system can be related to a specific location and include the identify of employees at such a location.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein said database includes predetermined responses to specific emergencies.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein predetermined responses to specific emergencies are included in said information disseminated to designated entities.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein said database includes the identity of preselected individuals and their expected responses to specific emergencies.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein said database selects said designated entities.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein said database initiates communication of expected responses to specific emergencies to designated entities.

29. A method of managing emergencies comprising the steps of:

inputting procedures for addressing specific emergencies into a database;

inputting information about potential emergencies to said database;

determining if said information justifies the designation of a specific emergency and dissemination of information related thereto;

based on the determination of whether said information justifies the designation of a specific emergency and dissemination of information related thereto, disseminating information of a specific emergency and information related thereto via said database to designated entities and disseminating information pertaining to a continuation of operations and relating to an alternative facility that can be used in the event of an emergency via said database; and

facilitating the exchange of emergency related information between the designated entities during a response to the specific emergency.

30. The method of claim 29 including the step of disseminating information based on the type of threat detected by a threat sensor.

31. The method of claim 29 including the step of displaying information graphically on a handheld display.

32. The method of claim 29 including the step of dissemination said information audibly with a hand held electronic device.

33. The method of claim 29 including the step of transforming emergency information in digital text format into audible emergency information.

34. The method of claim 29 including the step of communicating with selected external agencies.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein said designated entities are selected from the group consisting of:

Agencies of the federal government, agencies of the state government, agencies of the county government, and agencies of the city government.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said external agencies of the federal government are selected from:

the Federal Bureau of investigation, the Office of Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control and the Occupation Safety and Health Administration.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein said designated entities comprise internal agencies selected from the group of:

security, health services, human resources, and personnel.

38. The method of claim 29 including the step of communicating with selected internal agencies selected from the group of:

security, health services, human resources, and personnel.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said database includes information concerning the identify of individual employees, medical information about said employees, and the known location of said employee and said method includes the step of disseminating information related to specific employees.

40. The method of claim 29 wherein said database includes information specific to a commercial entity and includes information concerning the physical configuration of structures of said commercial entity and said method includes the step of disseminating information related to specific structures.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said database includes information including the identity of individual employees and the location of said employee and the method includes the step of disseminating information related to a specific location including the identity of employees at such a location.

42. The method of claim 29 wherein said database includes predetermined responses to specific emergencies and said method includes the step of disseminating said predetermined responses to said designated entities.

43. The method of claim 29 wherein said database initiates communication of expected responses to specific emergencies to designated entities.