An award-winning Hawaii-based engineering firm introduced MERCI, a mobile emergency response and command interface system. MERCI allows emergency managers to rapidly assess damage following disasters by collecting geospatial data, photos, and videos using mobile devices. This provides situational awareness and supports recovery efforts. The system was developed with Hawaii Civil Defense and follows FEMA standards. It has been tested in exercises and can integrate with other platforms. MERCI streamlines damage assessments and provides cost savings compared to traditional paper-based methods.

1. March 2012
Mobile Emergency Response & Command Interface Introduction

2. Award-Winning Hawai‘i Company
Founded 1985 in Hawai‘i as a Consulting Engineering Firm
Diversified Engineering, Science, & Technology, Information Technology
Award-Winning Consulting Engineering Firm
2011 & 2004 USACE Award of Excellence
2007 & 2003 Pacific Business News Best in Business
2006 & 1997 Tibbetts Award Winner
2004 Surfrider Foundation Environmental Company of the Year
2002 City Bank TIGR Award Ocean & Earth Sciences
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3. What is ?
MERCI = Mobile Emergency Response & Command Interface
What MERCI Does? It is a rapid damage assessment system that
allows emergency managers to have a picture about the extent of
damage following a natural disaster
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4. Post-incident
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5. Why are Damage
Assessments Needed?
Reason 1: Determine severity
2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami
Hurricane Iniki
Hits Hawaii
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6. Wake Up Quiz:
Question: Name the hotel
that closed down on the Big
Island after the 2011 Japan
Tsunami?
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7. Answer: Kona Village
Resort
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8. Why are Damage
Assessments Needed?
Reason 2: Quantify damage t homes,
R 2 Q tif d to h
infrastructure, and business
Individual (homes) Infrastructure Business
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9. Why are Damage
Assessments Needed?
Reason 3: Determine whether local
resources are sufficient to respond and
recover ffrom the event.
County
State
St t
Federal
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10. Life Before
How Data Was Collected for Damage Assessments:
Digital Camera
g
Pen and Paper GPS
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11. The Problem?
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12. What is ?
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13. History of
Over 10 years of field data collection experience
Uses the mobile technology platform
Developed in partnership with Hawaii State Civil Defense:
» Faster damage assessments with enhanced data & information
» Follows FEMA standards
» Real-time command center with reporting and data analysis tools
MERCI Testing Milestones:
» March 2011 - Hawaii Tsunami Damage Assessment
» May 2011
y - Makani Pahili Hurricane Preparedness Exercises
p
» Oct 2011 - Agile Bloodhound Exercises
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14. - How it Works
1 2
Damage assessment teams / individuals are deployed with The Command Center receives MERCI damage reports, photos
MERCI enabled handheld devices following an event. and videos direct from the field.
3 4
MERCI collates all data and presents emergency management MERCI s
MERCI’s interactive data analysis capabilities assists with
staff with up to date damage information about the event. planning, prioritization, resource deployment and relief activities.
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15. Data Transport Options
Data Transport Options When Commercial Cellular is Down
Private Cellular
Commercial Cellular
Satellite BGAN’s
WiFi
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16. Live Demo
Li D
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17. iPhone Interface
1. Choose Type 2. Fill Out Assessment
3. Add Media 4. Sync to Server
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18. Command Interface
Emergency Operations Center Map View
Query View Media View
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19. Report and Query Functionality
1. Make a Query
y
2. Generate a Report
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20. UICDS Compliance and Open
Architecture – UICDS Friendly
MERCI used the EDXL data exchange format for part of an
HA/DR Exercise
Open GIS KML data exchange
In progress – Ushahidi – Open Source System integration
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21. - Features & Capabilities
Easy to use
New users can be operational in under 15 mins
Replaces paper forms, digital cameras and GPS devices
with a single device
Supports all damage assessment phases:
» Pre-assessment
» Assessment Planning
» Assessment
» Post Assessment
Data and information is encrypted
Open architecture and data base interoperability
Multiple network connectivity options
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22. - Costs
Package 1 - MERCI Single County License
Package 2 – MERCI Consolidate State License
Package 3 – MERCI National
Variable Costs
MERCI Implementation Services
- Server setup & installation
- MERCI configuration
g
- Training
MERCI mobile device user license
Annual support: (optional)
All prices quoted exclude server & mobile device hardware, SQL Server license and Crystal Reports license.
For cloud hosted solutions, additional hosting fees will apply.
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23. Business Case: State of Hawaii Civil
Defense
Tangible Benefits:
Small Incidents: Save
around 12-15 person days.
Medium to Large Incidents:
– Save 6-15 person/days
– $20,000 - $50,000/month
savings
g
Intangible Benefits:
Reduced Fatigue
More accurate, real-time
operation picture
COTS easy t use and
to d
distribute
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24. - Other Benefits
Direct support for Stafford Act reporting requirements
Disaster recovery efforts begin sooner due to a shorter
damage assessment timeframe.
Improved information availability at the command center
enhances critical decision making capabilities
Flexible, low cost off the shelf technologies
Standardized procedures based on FEMA forms
Geographical view of the damage (maps, photos, videos)
Advanced data analysis, filtering, prioritization, reporting
and historical analysis
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25. Questions ?
Q ti ?
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26. Thank You
Th k Y
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