Selected issues of cartographic communication optimization for emergency centers

Figures & data

Table 1. Activities within the operational emergency management demanding spatial operations.

Activity	No.	Characteristics	Stakeholders	Cooperation (type)
Emergency call localization	1	Spatial localization according to the call identification (telecommunication operator cells or fixed line address) or direct interview with the calling person	Call operator (112)	Vocational interaction with emergency caller, semiautomatic localization. Human–human
Incident classification	2	Identification and classification of the incident according to the standardized listing	Call operator (112)	Incident classification. Human–machine
Information processing and handover	3	XML data clause definition and handover to the responsible IRS units	Call operator (112)	Data clause definition. Human–machine and machine–machine
Dispatch decision about forces and means	4	If relevant for the fire brigade, the dispatch officer makes a decision about the necessary means and forces to be used for incident intervention including the best routing and information support for the intervention commander	Dispatch unit (150)	Dispatch center communicates with the intervention units. Human–human. Bi-directional feedback about the current situation at the incident
Alarm sound	5	Raising the alarm for intervention units of the IRS via phone or fire horn	Dispatch unit (150)	Human–human and machine–human
Processing of document for incident intervention	6	Intervention order and incident localization map printout. Optional: incident object fire protection details including detailed plans	Dispatch unit (150)	Human–human and machine–human
Navigation to and cooperation at the place of intervention/incident	7	IRS units' harmonization and control in order to solve the incident with the optimized amount of means and forces	Dispatch unit (150)	Human–human and machine–human
Intervention command	8	Optional, in the case when the intervention demands controlled cooperation with the regional headquarters	Dispatch unit (150)	Human–human and machine–human

Table 2. A map handling overview.

Cartographic documents	Document type	Timeliness and update	Geodata structure	Activity link	Interaction type
Paper maps	Road atlas	Commercial product	Reduced topographic map with extended road structure and specific POIs (park places, gas stations)	4	Visual contact
	Wall maps	Commercial product, often replenished by local updates (hand drawn)	Administrative units, IES regions, and local responsibility	4	Visual contact
	Operational plans	Available for selected buildings and areas. Regular update	Fire intervention large-scale plans for important buildings and areas with fire relevant thematic data (hydrants, rescue and evacuation routes)	5, 7, 8	Visual contact at place of incident
	Map sheets generated from digital geodata	Direct localization of incident generated on demand for intervention unit	Basic topography, routing, place of incident, fire and rescue intervention relevant thematic data (if available)	4, 6, 7	Localization of incident and orientation support at the place of incident
Web maps	Thin web client	Batch update from the central database	Only region relevant data available, often extended by region-specific or local data (POI, municipal transportation stops, detailed electricity infrastructure). WMS ready, but not used so far. Real-time information about weather conditions (CHMI) and traffic situation (ìSD) planned in the near future	4, 5	Not in use in the analyzed KOPIS center.
	Mapy.seznam.cz	Predefined map content from the information provider	Basic topography, POI, street network, and address points	4, 5	Query on demand for unknown address points or POI
Desktop GIS	ArcGIS	DTTO GiSel	DTTO	6, 7, 8	Spatial analysis and modeling of new spatial layers to be used in GiSel
	GiSel IZS	Only region relevant data available, often extended by region-specific or local data (POI, municipal transportation stops, detailed electricity infrastructure). Basic editing of local layers with a permanent update (brushwood burning)	Reference data: topography, administrative units, address points, economic subjects registry, road and street network. Thematic data: water management and network, rail and road segmentation network, forest inventory and management	4, 5, 6, 7, 8	Visual analysis and basic cartographic decision support
Mobile GIS	GiSel GPS (planed)	Online cooperation with intervention units	To be developed	7, 8	Update of situation from the field: incident place

Figure 1.  Original (left) and current (right) types of visualization used in GiSel IZS (from Skrivanek et al. 2009).

Figure 2.  Multi-parametric symbol with (left) and without multiple attributes (right).

Figure 3.  Finding the way: by road atlas (part of the common knowledge; left), in an emergency management-oriented environment (expert knowledge; right).

Figure 4.  Comparison of the map with full-scale topography (left) and with strongly reduced features (right).

Table 3. Incident classification for emergency calls.

Incident type	Incident categories
Fire	Low buildings
	High buildings
	Industrial, agricultural, and storage buildings
	Assembly points
	Underground spaces, tunnels
	Electricity distribution point
	Transportation vehicles
	Dustbins, waste, dump sites
Traffic accident	Persons extrication
	Vacation of road, towing
	Road cleaning
	Railway accident
	Aeroplane accident
Natural disaster	Flood, torrential rain, rain
	Snow, hoarfrost
	Gale
	Landslide
	Other
Technical assistance	Cooperation with Integrated Rescue System
	Building destruction
	Opening of locked space
	Obstacles elimination
	Elimination of dangerous circumstances
	Water pumping
	Monitoring and measurement
Persons and animal rescue	From height or depth
	Closed spaces, elevator
	Smothered
	From water
Other extraordinary events	Radiation accident
	Evacuation of inhabitants
	Other
Undefined	Undefined
	Technological testing

Figure 5.  Example of two different contexts (visualization for transport of dangerous cargo: monitoring (left) and incident (right)).

Figure 6.  The testing tool – pre-calibration – task tests the ability of the test person to draw a line within the Web environment and to keep the edited line inside the bounding tolerance buffer (left); the real test task: choosing the evacuation route (right).

Figure 7.  Sissi contextual Web map service interface.