Development of Software for Emergency Management System
Emergencies and disasters have the potential to arise unexpectedly, regardless of timing. These incidents can manifest on varying levels, ranging from minor events like car accidents to more extensive occurrences, including natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. As demonstrated in 2022, even event like war can suddenly disrupt the lives of ordinary individuals. Ensuring readiness to handle such situations is crucial, and one effective approach is the utilization of software designed for emergency management systems.
In this article, we’ll dive into the technical aspects of the Emergency Management System development process, inclusive of the discovery, design, implementation, and testing phases. We’ll highlight the best practices for the success of the project & the future scale of the system.
What does Emergency Management System mean?
Emergency Management System software is a precious tool, particularly in such volatile times. It ensures a centralized platform for consumers to gather and spread emergency-related data. This software can help in tracking resources & allocating them more efficiently.
Additionally, emergency management systems (EMS) can assist in communication between various agencies. This, in turn, increases the coordination of response efforts. Besides its core functionalities, the EMS software can also aid in emergency planning.
Worldwide Experience & US Cases
Emergencies have the potential to present significant risks to residents within the United States. The Maryland Emergency Management System (MEMS) has the objective of safeguarding citizens from natural calamities, acts of terrorism, and other unforeseen crises. MEMS adheres to a comprehensive four-phase approach: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The organization has devised an emergency operations plan encompassing protocols for evacuations, sheltering, and more.
MEMS has programs in place to provide the state is ready. The first one is Maryland Alert Program for emergency notifications. Another one is Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for civilians and responders.
Numerous EMS software solutions are accessible in the market, each possessing distinct attributes and functionalities. Let’s explore a selection of the most widely used options.
WebEOC is a SaaS solution. It ensures EMS software with industry-specific board sets. They can be modified for new utilize cases. The software’s features include:
- situational awareness;
- mapping capabilities;
- powerful workflows that streamline or automate routine tasks;
- annotations;
- program management;
- enterprise continuity.
Its Alerts function permits consumers to automate notices through a variety of channels. The system provides rapid and secure notice delivery across jurisdictions & disciplines.
A variety of industries can benefit from WebEOC’s comprehensive & flexible EMS software.
Veoci
Veoci stands as a versatile software platform designed for both emergency management and day-to-day operations. It facilitates real-time monitoring of assets, personnel, and weather conditions. Additionally, it keeps track of other crucial data to ensure comprehensive awareness among all stakeholders.
Veoci features:
- Real-time tracking of assets, personnel, weather, and other vital information;
- Coordinated text, email, and phone communications;
- Integrated mass notification capabilities;
- Secure communications, cloud backups, and offline functionality;
- Dashboards that track responses in real-time;
- Follow-up on a second device if the primary device is not responding.
Adashi C&C Incident Command Software
Adashi C&C represents robust incident management software, equipped with capabilities to assist public safety agencies in effectively handling extensive emergencies. Several prominent features of Adashi C&C comprise:
- Real-time collaboration tools;
- Map-based management using ESRI layers, Google, Bing, Pictometry, and Navteq maps, used to provide real-time situational awareness;
- Customizable benchmarks and checklists;
- CAD and RMS integration for automatic data transfer;
- Incident Action Plan to assign resources onto the map
Adashi C&C is a robust and intuitive incident command software platform. It’s a powerful tool for emergency management professionals with a map-based management system.
Navy Emergency Response Management System (NERMS)
NERMS is a web-based emergency management system utilized by the US Navy. The system ensures real-time information on emergency incidents. It’s also good for facilitating communication between emergency responders. NERMS can be utilized to manage incidents such as natural disasters, hazardous material spills, & terrorist attacks.
NERMS has several features, including:
- Real-time incident tracking;
- Address verification;
- GIS real-time services;
- Emergency notification and alerting;
- Map displays;
- Resource management;
- Messaging and collaboration;
- Situation reporting and analysis.
Rave Alert
Rave Alert stands as an additional valuable EMS emergency management system software. It facilitates swift and dependable communication between organizations and their communities. This software holds a FedRAMP authorization as a mass notification system, enabling users to dispatch desktop notifications and messages with just three clicks.
Some of its key features include:
- Sends messages in 60+ languages
- FedRAMP-authorized mass notification system
- Backed by public safety grade infrastructure
- Easy-to-use interface
- EMS Functionality
- Scalable communication
An EMS is a tool that can increase the efficiency of responding to emergency events. To reach this, the system must have a strong set of features that permit it to perform at its best.
Data Collection & Storage
Data collection and storage are among the primary functions of an EMS. The system must possess the capability to gather and retain data pertaining to emergency occurrences. This encompasses incident reports, resource requisitions, and situational awareness updates. Subsequently, this data becomes instrumental in guiding decision-making throughout emergency situations.
Fault Tolerance
Incorporating fault tolerance is a vital aspect of a standardized emergency management system. Develop a system that can maintain operation even in the presence of failures in one or multiple components.
Here are some crucial aspects of fault tolerance in EMS software:
- Redundancy. The system ought to incorporate redundancy, ensuring that an alternate component can assume control in the event of a failure. In emergency scenarios, even the slightest interruption could result in significant consequences. To reach fault tolerance, EMS software often incorporates redundancy at various levels. Utilize of redundant hardware components, such as servers and network devices. They assist to prevent single points of failure. Redundant data storage & backup systems are also essential.
- High availability. A fault-tolerant EMS software must uphold elevated availability levels, ensuring the system’s functionality persists even when components experience failures. Features such as load balancing and automatic system recovery lessen downtime & disruption.
- Failover and disaster recovery. In the event of an EMS failure, failover mechanisms would transition to backup systems. This provides the continuity of critical functions & services. Disaster recovery strategies are also essential for recovering and restoring the system. These strategies include data replication & off-site backups.
- Load balancing. During emergencies, EMS software might encounter heightened traffic and demand. Load balancing aids in dispersing the workload across numerous servers or resources. This prevents any single component from becoming overloaded & failing. So, it assists sustain system performance and reliability during periods of peak usage.
- Observation and preemptive upkeep. This permits administrators to recognize and tackle potential problems or breakdowns. Thus, devs can address these problems before they cause significant disruptions. Automated alerts and notices can be set up to prompt next action.
- Scalability. Fault tolerance is closely linked with scalability. As the frequency of emergencies and the amount of data surge, the EMS software should possess the capability to expand its resources and infrastructure. This adaptation will effectively cater to the escalating requirements of the system. This scalability assists prevent performance bottlenecks. It provides that the system can handle the enhanced workload without compromising reliability.
Communication
An EMS should ensure a platform for communication & coordination between emergency responders. Efficient communication holds paramount importance during emergencies. A reliable system should facilitate seamless communication and coordination among emergency responders.
Integration
The software seamlessly integrates with various systems, such as public safety databases, weather monitoring tools, and social media platforms. This integration is essential for gathering pertinent data and ensuring smooth information exchange.
Mobile & Offline Entrance
The EMS application should ensure offline entrance to emergency resources. Thus, consumer can entrance critical information & implement key functions with limited connectivity. This guarantees that critical information is available when needed. It also ensures the continuity of workflows.
Development Phases and Cost Analysis
The development cost of an EMS emergency management system fluctuates based on the desired features to be incorporated. Generally, the cost ranges from $80k to $200k. However, this cost can fluctuate, either increasing or decreasing, depending on the degree of intricacy and customization required.
The development journey encompasses multiple phases, with each stage playing a pivotal role in the ultimate success of the end product.
Discovery phase
In the first stage, you’ll work with a team of devs to construct a detailed plan of what you want your application to do. This entails brainstorming sessions aimed at pinpointing the vital features crucial for your EMS. During these sessions, you might also conceive of supplementary features that could prove beneficial.
Design
In the design stage, the team will generate a software prototype while also defining the user interface and experience. This involves creating wireframes & designing the layout. At this stage, you’ll also determine the flow of the application.
UX is a very crucial aspect of the design stage. In emergencies, time is very important. Your software should be clear & intuitive for emergency responders to utilize. They shouldn’t waste time trying to find necessary functions. So, partnering with them during the design phase is advisable, aiming to craft a design conducive to swift decision-making and prompt actions..
Development
Devs begin constructing the software once the requirements are understandable. This involves writing the software code, integrating various modules, & developing the required features. This procedure may span multiple months and entails extensive coding and rigorous testing. Development can be approached iteratively or through an agile methodology, enabling gradual advancement and ongoing enhancement based on user feedback.
Testing
Thorough testing is conducted on the developed EMS software to verify its functionality and reliability. The devs need to manage many rounds of testing. It’s to identify & fix any bugs or glitches. This includes:
- unit testing of individual components;
- system testing to assess the overall system behavior;
- integration testing to verify the interaction between different modules.
Performance testing is especially important for EMS software. It should possess the capability to manage substantial loads during emergencies. During performance testing, devs test the software under various simulated loads. It’s to provide that it can handle the expected volume of data & requests during a crisis. The system is tested by generating a high volume of requests, transactions, or data input. This assists measure the system’s response times and determine any performance bottlenecks.
Release
Once the software is complete, the devs will work with emergency responders to integrate it into their existing infrastructure. This involves training the staff on how to utilize the software. It’s necessary to acquaint them with the features & best practices of the system.
Consumer documentation is prepared to ensure comprehensive reference material and maintain. Documentation includes consumer manuals, guides, and FAQs.
Maintain
Following deployment, continuous maintenance and support are essential for the EMS software. Devs verify the system for performance and security problems. They also refer consumer feedback and bug reports. At this stage, updates are released to increase functionality or address emerging requirements.
Consistent software updates and scheduled system audits hold significance, guaranteeing the software stays current and aligned with the evolving requirements of emergency management.
The EMS software development process is complex and time-consuming. With the right team of developers, like at Stfalcon, you can construct a robust and reliable system. A system that will assist to react to emergencies quickly & effectively.
Our Experience
An Air Alert application
At our company, we’ve extensive experience in creating custom software solutions. We also have experience in developing EMS software. Our development procedure entails collaborating with clients to pinpoint their distinct requirements. This assists us develop software that meets their requirements. Read the full case study
The project Stfalcon is currently working on is subject to NDA. This prevents us from disclosing specific details about it. We desire to create an intuitive & user-friendly user experience for emergency operators. Our focus is to provide that operators can quickly implement their obligations. To do this, we are using reliable technologies. This includes a carefully selected tech stack, programming language, & back-end infrastructure.
We also engage in communication with pertinent government services, aiding us in ensuring that our product aligns with their needs and specifications. All these factors hold paramount importance for the project’s success and its potential influence on emergency response endeavors.
Conclusion
Creating software for emergency management systems is a intricate and demanding endeavor. The software should exhibit dependability, fault tolerance, and a robust array of features. Additionally, it should seamlessly integrate with other systems and offer offline access to emergency resources.
Stfalcon can assist you through every stage of the development process. Our experienced devs can deliver high-quality software solutions that meet your needs.
If you need EMS software or any other customized solution, please feel free to contact us. We’re happy to discuss your needs and ensure you with a complimentary consultation & a cutting-edge solution afterward.
Originally published at https://stfalcon.com.
