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National Deployment of E-Plan: Prioritization Scheme and other strategies Research area synopsis: UTD will research the “best practices” to expand this highly successful emergency response system to cities outside of EPA Region 6. UTD will partner with other academic institutions, and coordinate with the member agencies of the National Response System, and other appropriate organizations, to extend the E-Plan Emergency Response Information System coverage to a predetermined prioritized list from the 120 Nunn-Lugar cities. Research team: Professors Benn (team leader), Raghavachari, Gupta, Krishnan, Messer’s, Staves, Bao Tran, 8 graduate research assistants. Research description: E-Plan is a web-based, highly-secure information system for first responders, which stores and dispenses information regarding hazardous chemicals (HazMat) and other pertinent data to emergency personnel, so that they can make speedy but informed decisions to effectively deal with chemical or other accidents, including terrorist strikes or arson. As documented in several recent studies, emergency response is currently severely handicapped by a lack of access to information pertaining to onsite Hazmat contents and their characteristics. Much of the information necessary for effective incident command is currently stored on paper, making it almost impossible to find the right information in an emergency. Additionally, the number of paper copies stored at various agencies makes it practically infeasible to keep up-to-date (which is critical to first responders). UTD will work with all concerned stakeholders to develop a prioritization scheme for deploying E-Plan nationally over a three-year period. Plans include: 1) A geographic, hazardous agents risk-based prioritization scheme for the 120 Nunn-Lugar-Domenici cities, adjusted for concentration of fixed facility and transportation chemical hazards, 2) Expanding the Region 6 security plan, including user validation scheme to appropriate Federal, State, and local officials in the affected cities, 3) Assisting public agencies with responsibility for maintaining facility hazards information and emergency response plans in the development of E-Plan compatible databases, 4) Establishing partnerships with other universities to provide technical assistance centers, and creating redundant, fault-tolerant mirror sites, and 5) Assisting affected local agencies in identifying available grant programs for capital acquisition necessary to implement the system. The order in which system expansion will occur will be based on the geographic risk analysis of step 1) and the current state of data management sophistication at the affected public agencies. |
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