SubscribeThe delivery of Atlas products via a secure hosted capability.
Following the strategic alliance formed between APL and Ultra Electronics Datel, it is now possible to access all of the Atlas product range, including Atlas OPS and Atlas AIMS via a secure government accredited system used for the delivery of restricted information.
Background
In July 2005 APL entered into a Strategic Teaming Agreement with Ultra Electronics Datel for secure data exchange solutions incorporating their market leading emergency planning and management applications.
APL has over 19 years experience in delivering crisis management tools and solutions to the emergency response community
Ultra Electronics Datel has eight years proven capability in delivering secure and accredited collaborative solutions to Government, providing web based secure information exchange solutions to the MOD and CESG, the information assurance arm of GCHQ. And nine years experience delivering crisis management solutions via as the specialist support contractor to MOD for the Nuclear Accident Response Information Management System. (NARIMS).
Overview of capability
The service being made available will allow 'collaborative working' practices to be adopted between different departments or agencies, allowing them to access the Atlas AIMS incident management system, Atlas OPS emergency planning system and e-rooms document sharing and management tools
Overview of Atlas AIMS - incident management system
Atlas Incident Management System (AIMS) is a highly intuitive software solution meeting the requirements of local authorities and other emergency response agencies that have a need to effectively plan, manage and coordinate their response during an emergency or crisis situation.
AIMS has been developed to provide an extremely intuitive and easy to use central management tool to support all levels of an integrated emergency management process.
Key features of Atlas AIMS include:
- Facilitates effective assessment of an any on-going emergency situation
- Pre-defined auto-generated actions dependent on incident type
- Generation of actions and tasks in response to an evolving emergency situation
- Full access and availability to emergency plans and guidelines
- Complete chronological event / incident log
- Allocation of "tasks" to individuals, departments or agencies
- Logging of any actions taken in response to tasks received
- Provides an audit trail of all actions and decisions taken
- Generation of SITREPS providing an overview of key incident information
- Generation of multiple incidents (with appropriate filtering)
- Access to information such as contacts database and on-line emergency plans
- Extremely intuitive and easy to use
- Incidents cannot be closed unless all tasks are completed
- "Ticker tape" style scrolling messages broadcast for update of key information
AIMS screen displaying tasks and alert messages
Overview of Atlas OPS - emergency planning system
Atlas OPS is used for the planning and interactive management of either spontaneous or scheduled events. Utilising the latest graphics technology to display geo-specific information it is easily complemented by user defined overlays and plans to manage a coordinated response.
Key Features of Atlas Ops Application
- Provides shared visual awareness at all levels of the command structure
- No intensive GIS skills needed for the user
- User can easily call upon interactive contingency and emergency plans
- Contains detailed procedures and instructions for any type of incident
- Full audit log listing all actions, decisions and full order of events
- Intelligent map base allows easy retrieval of key information
- Simple to use mapping and drawing tools
- User can manipulate and add in 'real time' information relating to an incident
- Resource command & control (Single agency or multi agency)
- Single or multi user operation
- Live situation and status overview
- Replay of event / incident for debrief and post incident analysis
- Explosive blast area calculation with Vulcan module
- Toxic chemicals downwind hazard prediction templates with Vulcan module
Atlas OPS plotting incident details
Benefits of a 'hosted' solution
There are many benefits to be gained from accessing the APL market leading emergency management tools via a hosted and secure environment
Availability: Atlas products will be 'securely' available in a virtual environment from any desktop delivering critical information to responders via WWW / PNN / GSI etc
Reduced IT requirements and infrastructure: because the systems are delivered as part of a fully managed service, the requirement and associated costs to install, backup, maintain servers, install any required databases and provide general maintenance of these systems are removed from the user.
Connecting and Collaborating: Often an organisation does not have the necessary infrastructure in place to enable all of their disparate geographic locations, or partner agencies to connect in times of crisis. Via secure internet connection, any authorized person can connect.
Under the Civil Contingencies Act it is deemed essential that all local, regional and central Government responders are prepared to react appropriately and collaboratively in the event of an incident ( Establish a Local Resilience Forum and ability to respond to critical incidents seen as Strategic Objectives 2005-2008)from anywhere in the world. This has unprecedented benefits for the coordinated response to an emergency situation.
Crisis scalability: The ability to scale up the numbers of users or responders during a crisis can be provided. This can allow great flexibility and resilience to any organization during a major incident.
Low set up costs and budgeting: Because the systems are hosted this removes any up front capital expense for licences, servers or hardware. Annual budgeting is also made easier by a cost per user per annum system. This provides a method of controlling the total costs of crisis management technology ownership
AIMS displayed on a PDA device
"The combination of these proven and market leading technologies allows the requirements of tomorrow to be delivered today"