Disaster Management Carried out by Specialized Software

Specialized Software — By Shopping Blogs on December 11, 2009 1:20 am

After the most dreaded Katrina hit several cities in the United States, disaster management became very essential for these areas. It was during this time that technicians in Louisiana invented specialized software for the purpose. Popularly known as the emergency management system, it acted in a more specialized way than supply chain software. Apart from managing supplies and logistics, it also managed various other resources to bring about quick relief.

Used vigorously throughout the state of Louisiana, this specialized software employed reporting tools to manage rescue team requests, transportation to relief camps, shelter management, and the food supplies. Crafted to carry out the most distinctive services, this specialized software package performed multiple tasks in one go. It also sourced the supply chain management tasks and provided efficient demand-side planning.

This specialized softwarewas designed with the specific purpose of disaster management in contrast to its counterparts in the business-oriented category. This fact was also confirmed by the IT director of the Emergency Management Office, Matt Farlow, at Louisiana.

And today, this specialized software is being widely used in most of the government departments for disaster management. We can quote the example of Tarrant County in Texas, which is using the software to facilitate the timely delivery of various capitals to Katrina evacuees. Texas, along with the New York City, is employing these software packages to offer make-shift homes to thousands of Katrina victims who have been bereft of their shelters after the tragedy.

This specialized software was also used in 2001, when the New York City had to deal with the deadly terrorist attacks of 9X11 involving around 1,700 personnel from about 150 national jurisdictions, including local, regional, and state level.

The role of these specialized software packages has always remained contradictory to the general tools of supply chain management. The latter are considered to be less important due to their only usability in the routine business, as opposed to the latters more significant role of emergency resource management.

What Makes These Software Packages Special
The specialized software packages are considered to be special because of their mission-oriented approach. Such software help manage the crises situations in a timely manner.

These software packages are structured to support various methodologies, processes, and operations of different organizations. Some government organizations have got the more specialized software installed that even tells them about their expected code of conduct in an emergency situation. It gives them tips for organizing responsive regulations during emergencies.

Another very distinct feature of these disaster managing specialized software is their inclusion of ICS forms. They incorporate these forms to record the exact course of incidents, and the best part is that these forms can either be distributed in a hard copy or electronically.

Having a virtual whiteboard is yet another distinctive feature of these packages. This system implies a real time repository, which can be used to post information by various participants of the system. Available to all the users, it can thus be used for drilling down the required details. What more can one ask for in a specialized software.

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