Center for National Preparedness: Projects

The Pittsburgh Framework for Disaster Preparedness and Response :: Website
Description: The system is a circumstance-independent laboratory for testing how the type and scale of an event, as well as situational variables and command decisions affect responders' efficiency and effectiveness in dealing with disasters.
First Responder Training :: Website
Description: When first responders enter an endangered building anything could be waiting for them. Exits may be un-findable. Parts of the structure may collapse. Hazardous materials may burn, poison, and maim victim and rescuer alike. By the time a responder reaches the building, it is already too late to do anything. 707 is a training and live support system designed to provide first responders with the information necessary to do their jobs safely and effectively.
ADVISE
Description: ADVISE is a visualization system that allows users to view, navigate, map and mine large data sets. In the strategic intelligence community, there are two well-accepted observations: our ability to collect strategic information has far outpaced our ability to analyze that information and the best technique for evaluating strategic information is still the human strategic intelligence analyst. ADVISE and its visualization, statistical and mapping analytical tools assist analysts to understand the behavior of data such as the CIA data shown at the left.
Web-based Mapping :: Webstie
Description: The Visual Information Systems Center has created for the Center for National Preparedness a web-based mapping service to display geographic information. Mapping interfaces are provided for critical assets, worldwide terrorism incident tracking and Homeland Security related resources. Through the interfaces researchers throughout the US can gain real-time access to up-to-date information.
RETIMO
REal-TIme MObile terrorism threat detection system

Description: An early warning system capable of detecting and locating potential sources of component terrorist activities throughout the country is essential to the concept of homeland security. RETIMO (REal-TIme MObile terrorism threat detection system) is a mobile sensing system, capable of detecting radiological, chemical and biological agents, that routinely and systematically surveys the environs of the country. Conventional vehicles that routinely traverse municipalities, such as refuse, post office, maintenance and public transportation vehicles would be utilized. GIS techniques would be used to compile the data from these sensors such that a clear and concise “picture” of a region’s status is portrayed.
Threat Potential Modeling :: Webstie
Description: Protecting valuable assets is a key element in thwarting terrorism. In the Threat Potential Modeling system, every important "asset" (schools, power companies, telecommunications facilities, businesses, population centers, etc.) in a region is identified, evaluated and geo-located. An indexing function combines the effects of all the assets into a "Threat Potential" measure. Functions are provided to simulate the effects of various terrorist actions (explosions, poisons, crashing, etc.). Other features analyze various scenarios of attack, security, precautions, interventions, etc
Geo-Spatial Crime Analysis
Description: The map to the left shows police incident reports for Salinas, California. Reports of investigations that resulted in criminal charges are presented in green and reports of non-crimes are represented in red. In a project for the FBI, VISC researchers showed that reports of crimes and non-crimes were distributed differently geo-spatially. Modeling the spatial distribution of criminal activity can assist law enforcement agencies to allocate their scarce patrol, prevention and investigative resources more effectively