The document discusses GDACS and the Virtual OSOCC. GDACS is a disaster monitoring and alert system that collects hazard data and issues color-coded alerts. It also includes the Virtual OSOCC, an online coordination platform. The Virtual OSOCC allows responders to exchange information during disasters. It supports coordination and situational awareness in the early stages of sudden-onset disasters. The document provides details on the tools and services provided by GDACS and guidelines for how different responders should use the Virtual OSOCC.

1. GDACS SYSTEM &VIRTUAL OSOCC
BY
ANUP SINGH
NDRF ACADEMY,NAGPUR

2. AGENDA POINTS FOR THIS LECTURE ARE
• GDACS SYSTEM
• VIRTUAL OSOCC
• PURPOSE ,FUNTION AND FACILITIES

3. GLOBAL DISASTER ALERT AND COORDINATION SYSTEM
• The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) was created as a cooperation framework between the United Nations
and the European Commission in 2004, in order to address significant gaps in information collection and analysis in the early phase
of major sudden-onset disasters.
• It was created to reduce the various monitor websites for the different disaster types.
• It is a multi-hazard disaster monitor and alert system for earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, volcanoes, and tropical cyclones.
• It started as GDAS, but was later coupled with the coordination information system of OCHA (the OCHA Virtual OSOCC).
• In 2004, the Virtual OSOCC was integrated into the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDCAS) as GDACS’ online
coordination platform for first (bilateral) disaster responders.
• GDACS collects near real-time hazard information and combines this with demographic and socio-economic data to perform a
mathematical analysis of the expected impact.
• The result of this risk analysis is distributed by the GDACS website and alerts are sent via email, fax, and SMS to subscribers in the
disaster relief community, and all other persons that are interested in this information.

6. GDACS - DEVELOPS DATA TOOLS AND SERVICES FOR;
 International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) Guidelines
 UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Field Handbook
 International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Publications
 Standard Operating Procedures from the European Community Mechanism for Civil Protection
 International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP)
 Euro Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC)

7. GDACS TOOLS AND SERVICES
GDACS offers the following information:
– Disasters alerts and impact estimations after major disasters
– The Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination Center (OSOCC)
– Maps and Satellite Imagery
– A Science portal

8. GDACS DISASTER ALERTS
Floods
– Inundation
– Deaths
– Displacement
Tropical Cyclones
– Winds
– Heavy rain
– Storm surge
Earthquake and Tsunamis
– Intensity and magnitude
– Hypocenter depth
– Population within 100 km from the epicenter
– Vulnerability of the affected countries

9. COLOUR CODED ALERTS
1. Green: unlikely to be a disaster requiring international assistance, although
it can be a local disaster
2. Orange: can be a disaster requiring international assistance
3. Red: most likely a catastrophic event, requiring international assistance
• Note that lower levels include higher levels. If you register for Green alerts, you will also receive Orange and
Red alerts.
• Quiet Night option: it is possible to queue alerts sent at night (in your time zone set in the previous step) until
06:00 the following day

10. GDACS - VIRTUAL ON-SITE OPERATIONS COORDINATION CENTER
• Real-time disaster information system portal
• User account required
• Disaster managers exchange information
• Summary reports of on-going disaster reports posted

11. iGDACS - mobile app
• Allows you to get the latest GDACS alerts and key statistics
right on your iphone or ipad.
• In addition, it allows you to provide feedback on GDACS
events, which is - after moderation - communicated to the
GDACS community (http://i.Gdacs.Org).
• This is available for all GDACS alerts, including green alerts.

12. VIRTUAL OSOCC (VOSOCC)
• The Virtual OSOCC (VOSOCC) is a real-time online coordination platform that allows information exchange
early in an emergency.
• Specific features of the VOSOCC allow responders to exchange information such as baseline country
information (including relevant socio-economic and demographic information), entry points and other
logistical aspects, relief team status, assessment information, cluster activities, civil-military coordination
arrangements, environmental risks and security.
• User community Access to Virtual OSOCC is restricted to disaster managers from governments and disaster
response organizations – Registration is required.
• The activation of Virtual OSOCC in case of an earthquake is usually triggered by a Red GDACS alert.

13. Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (VO)
• All Virtual OSOCC users have the opportunity to create E-mail and
SMS messages that are sent automatically to subscribers to inform
about critical situation updates during disaster response operations.
• Through the Virtual OSOCC the United Nations Assessment and
Coordination Team (UNDAC) can be mobilized effectively through on-
line workflow procedures including SMS and E-mail.
• Virtual OSOCC provides its users with a discussion forum for any area
of interest, including information exchange on best practice and
lessons-learned after disaster response operations.
• Virtual OSOCC includes a photo library where users can share disaster
and other related photos as documentation or presentation material or
souvenir of a joint mission.

16. USE OF THE VIRTUAL OSOCC - DISASTER-AFFECTED COUNTRY
The following information would be expected from the national authorities following a major sudden-
onset disaster:
 Clarify the need for international assistance.
 The sooner the modalities of international assistance (requested, welcome, not required, etc.) are posted on the Virtual OSOCC,
the better and more adequately the international community will react.
 A brief description of the disaster management and/or coordination set-up within the government, and contact details of relevant
focal points.
 Information about the situation in the disaster-affected areas, including access of the affected areas and related constraints.
 Priority needs and operational priorities - which type of relief is most needed (search and rescue, water, food, shelter, fuel, air
transport, etc.) and in which geographic areas.
 Customs and immigration - contact details of national and/or local customs focal points, procedures relating to immigration of
relief workers and equipment, and additional information to allow responders to adequately prepare.
 Urgent announcements and/or key information updates, as needed.

17. USE OF THE VIRTUAL OSOCC - RESPONDERS
To support information analysis and decision making, international responders should provide
information on the Virtual OSOCC reliably and timely in the following areas:
 Updates on planned or mobilised relief teams and experts, description of type and capacity, estimated arrival,
transport or other support requirements in the field.
 Information about planned or mobilised in-kind contributions, such as relief or medical items, but not cash, along with
description of type and capacity, estimated arrival, and indication of consignee to take over at the arrival point in the
affected country and manage the distribution.
 Updates about established coordination structures at regional or field level by the own country or organization.
 Examples of such structures include military command posts, preliminary Reception/Departure Centre (RDC) and
OSOCC and information centres at embassies.
 Any available and recent information about the situation in the affected areas and additional needs and gaps
identified.
 Maps, satellite images, situation and assessment reports.

19. WHAT DOES THE VIRTUAL OSOCC OFFER TO USAR TEAMS?
For international USAR teams which are about to deploy to the affected areas, the Virtual OSOCC provides a
one-stop-shop for information about the operational environment in the field:
 Basic country information
 Operational priorities
 The rules and regulations for equipment entry and visas
 Security situation
 Logistical constraints
 Available and working communications systems
 The location and contacts of the OSOCC
 RDC and other relief teams
 etc.
During operations in the field, USAR teams use the Virtual OSOCC for information exchange and coordination.

20. WHAT ARE USAR TEAMS EXPECTED TO POST, WHEN AND WHERE?
1. As per the INSARAG Guidelines, all international USAR teams need to register prior to their deployment,
indicating their status in the response (monitoring, stand-by, mobilizing, deployed or stand-down).
This information will be used by the OSOCC and national authorities to prepare for and coordinate the
response.
If the USAR team is ready to deploy (i.e. changing its status to mobilizing) it needs to fill out the fact sheet,
providing contact details, capacity and arrival times.
USAR teams need to change their team status when the situation requires doing so.
2. USAR teams are expected to keep abreast of the latest information from the ground and of any instructions
from LEMA or OCHA provided on the Virtual OSOCC.
In case of questions or a need for clarifications, teams should post a question in the comments section of the
relevant discussion title.

21. 3. If the USAR team is the first to arrive in the affected areas and establishes a provisional
OSOCC or RDC, it needs to provide location, contact details and any other relevant
information as a comment in the ‘Response coordination’ title.
• Discussion moderators will move information to the relevant subtitles.
4. During the operations phase, information about the field coordination (discussion between
USAR teams, exchange of situation reports and information sharing) should be exchanged
under the USAR coordination subtitle.
• If the operational are is divided into sectors by the OSOCC, discussion moderators will
create relevant subtitles, eg. USAR Sector 1, USAR Sector 2
WHAT ARE USAR TEAMS EXPECTED TO POST, WHEN AND WHERE?

22. VIRTUAL OSOCC GUIDELINES
 Virtual OSOCC Handbook Vol I: User Manual
 Virtual OSOCC for UNDAC teams
 Virtual OSOCC for USAR teams
 Virtual OSOCC for Foreign Medical Teams
 OSOCC Virtual manual del usuario
 GDACS Guidelines 2014
 OSOCC Guidelines - Position checklist
 OSOCC Guidelines - Operations Cycle
 OSOCC Guidelines - Org Chart
 OSOCC Guidelines - RDC Layout
 OSOCC Guidelines - OSOCC setup
 OSOCC Guidelines - Site Selection
 OSOCC Guidelines - USAR Planning Tool
 OSOCC Guidelines - Forms
 Guías OSOCC - En Español
 UN-CMCoord Field Handbook

23. THANKS

24. GDACS - DISASTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND ONLINE COORDINATION TOOLS
1 . GDACS Disaster Alerts, which are issued and disseminated to some 25,000 subscribers immediately
following sudden-onset disasters.
The automatic estimates and risk analysis – the basis of the alerts are provided by the European
Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Global Flood Observatory.
2. The Virtual OSOCC – a password-restricted online platform for real-time information exchange and
cooperation among all actors in the first phase of the disaster.
Information updates from the affected country and international responders are moderated by a
dedicated team.
The Virtual OSOCC is managed by the (UN OCHA).

25. • 3. Maps and satellite imagery from various providers, including UNOSAT and Map Action, are
shared on the Virtual OSOCC.
• The GDACS Satellite Mapping and Coordination System (SMCS) provides a communication and coordination
platform where organisations may monitor and inform stakeholders of their completed, current and future
mapping activities during emergencies.
• This service is facilitated by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Operational Satellite
Applications Programme (UNOSAT).
• 4. A Science Portal dedicated to several scientific communities with special interests and a number
of Expert Working Groups; the Portal is managed by European Commission Joint Research Centre
(JRC) .
GDACS - DISASTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND ONLINE COORDINATION TOOLS

26. GDACS SCIENCE PORTAL
• Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, floods and volcanoes
• Crisis response and management technology
• Geospatial infrastructure and modelling
• Social media for crisis management
• The portal provides dedicated discussion spaces for expert working groups and hosts
experimental systems that are candidates for further integration in GDACS

27. GDACS TOOLS AND SERVICES
GDACS offers the following information via its websites:
 Disasters alerts and impact estimations after major disasters through a multi-hazard
disaster impact assessment service managed by the European Commission Joint Research
Centre (JRC)
 The Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination Center (VOSOCC), a password-restricted site
managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
 Maps and Satellite Imagery
 A Science portal

28. GDACS TOOLS AND SERVICES
GDACS offers the following information:
– Disasters alerts and impact estimations after major disasters
– The Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination Center (OSOCC)
– Maps and Satellite Imagery
– A Science portal

29. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
• The primary purpose of Virtual OSOCC is to facilitate information exchange among disaster
responders in order to establish a better situational awareness in the early stages of
sudden-onset disasters, to inform deploying responders of the operational environment,
and to track response to support decision-making and coordination.
• The Virtual OSOCC supports preparedness activities, including meetings, training events,
expert discussion fora, and simulation exercises.
• The Virtual OSOCC is activated in major sudden-onset disasters and supports international
coordination during the first weeks of the response.