OODAlink Inc.

Emergency Supply Kits

Jeffrey Jacobson — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:14 +0000

By their very definition, emergencies leave little time to search for the supplies you need – especially if you’re not at home or you need to quickly change location.

It is imperative that individuals, households, and businesses prepare the necessary disaster supplies in case of emergency. First responders and relief workers may be constrained by numerous factors that could keep them from you, your family or your coworkers for hours or even days.

As a minimum, you should have supplies on hand in your home, office and vehicle that will last for three days. In cases where sheltering in place at home or elsewhere is necessary, think about a two-week supply for your household including the needs of your pets. In many cases, electricity, power, water, medical and communications services could be unavailable for days or even weeks.

Numerous resources exist for defining and helping you to create emergency supply kits including Ready.gov and the Red Cross. And to make sure you can communicate with others during or right after an emergency, consider obtaining emergency supply kits that include satellite phones, such as those developed by OODAlink (pictured above and below), and others that use satellite-based communications to circumvent destroyed or congested local infrastructure.

Everyone today needs to consider the possibility of surviving on their own after an emergency. This requires having ready access to sufficient quantities of basic necessities including clean drinkable water, food and any prescription medicine you may be taking. For many of us – ready access to an alternate means of communicating is also imperative especially in life or death situations!

Never forget disasters while enjoying peace …

Statistics and Costs of Disasters in 2011

Jeffrey Jacobson — Sat, 12 May 2012 21:13:58 +0000

It’s amazing how the news these days reports almost daily on a disaster somewhere in the world and the people – real people – who are affected.

Earlier this year, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) reported that natural disasters, including the huge earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan, caused a record US$366 billion in damage with a total of 29,782 people killed in 302 disasters in 2011.

Keeping track of disaster data and maintaining reliable statistics is a priority for enabling timely preventative actions and better preparations.

A valuable resource for accessing such statistics and data is The International Disaster Database (EM-DAT) developed and maintained by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) to help direct national and international humanitarian actions. It was initiated with support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Belgian Government in 1988.

The following graph shows the number of disasters reported from 1900 – 2010. What’s most intriguing is the trend.

Data can be accessed via their website, and a number of pre-formatted, fascinating graphs show the trends for natural and technological disasters in terms of numbers of events, numbers of people killed or affected, and associated costs of damages. CHECK IT OUT!

FEMA Finds OODAkits Consistent with all NIMS Criteria

OODAlink — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:00:35 +0000

In February 2012, OODAkits underwent a user acceptance test by FEMA conducted by the Supporting Technology Evaluation Project (STEP), managed by the Preparedness-Technology, Analysis, and Coordination (P-TAC) Center, which is is operated by FEMA’s National Preparedness Directorate.

One of two primary objectives was to evaluate OODAkits’ incorporation of NIMS (National Incident Management System) concepts and principles. Below are some of their key findings:

Read the Full Report

“OODAkit is consistent will all NIMS criteria; it is consistent with Emergency Support, Hazards, Preparedness, Communications and Information Management, Resource Management, and Command and Management.”

“OODAkit applies to all Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) (Transportation; Communications; Public Works and Engineering; Firefighting; Emergency Management; Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing, and Human Services; Logistics Management and Resource Support; Public Health and Medical Services; Search and Rescue; Oil and Hazardous Materials Response; Agriculture and Natural Resources; Energy; Public Safety and Security; Long Term Community Recovery; and External Affairs).”

As related to communications and information management:

“OODAkit provides access to critical information. The system allows for on- and off-scene personnel to have the same information about the incident, and it offers an incident overview by collating and gathering information that enables users to make effective decisions.”

How Does STEP Relate to Grant Programs or Guidance?

SAFECOM Guidance on Emergency Communications Grants provides guidance on eligible emergency communication activities and equipment standards. The guidance is directed toward grantees, including State, local, and tribal recipients. Within the SAFECOM guidance, STEP is referenced as follows:

“Grant funded systems, developmental activities, or services related to emergency response information sharing should also comply with the NIMS Supporting Technology Evaluation Program (STEP).”

STEP provides the necessary testing through an accredited laboratory to support evaluation of NIMS concepts and principles and associated technical standards.