Disaster Preparedness and Response Business Process Management (DPRBPM)

The Disaster Preparedness and Response Business Process Management (DPRBPM) is a process that offers disaster mitigation capabilities by using Disaster Policy Documents, Guidelines, Acts, Orders, Directives, Declarations as rules to determine disaster response parameters and response resource needs:
# The DPRBPM can integrate and accommodate all other software applications and systems already in existence. None of these would have to change, or be replaced except as an operational choice.
# The process is capable of infinite expansion in its structure, and as such invites collaborative and cooperative use simultaneously. It can reconcile all programs into common use.
# The system does not need to rely on internet capability, but it can be configured such that secure assurance of continuous internet capability will always be accessible by default if available.
# Communications can be integrated as completely interoperable, always reliable, and without the need to upgrade systems or equipment.
# The DPRBPM system instantaneously and simultaneously creates the following from a single word incident report: creates a non-alterable audit trail of information and assigned duties; immediately locates, retrieves and defines the most suitable responder resources at the level at which policy indicates; creates instantaneous response plans which are up to date, and which are immediately ready for dissemination at the click of a virtual approval button
# The process can reside in a laptop or BlackBerry, and is globally accessible and secure.
# Emergency Alerts to and from any kind of system or equipment can be totally integrated and simultaneously disseminated, and accessed. An alert can instantaneously be flagged and recalled, upgraded, changed, with instantaneous notification if desired. Notification can and will default to any and all user systems and can accommodate all different programming languages.
# The process can run as completely automated, but can also, and only with proper authority, be manually changed internally if necessary. The audit trail will reflect all changes and types, and that portion cannot be altered. It can accommodate different levels of authorized access in a completely secured system. The system is very user friendly and easy to operate. Integration can be completed in fairly short order and stovepipe systems can be integrated. The time factor is dependent upon what each organization has in its inventory and how complete its response option is already. In any case, each can be brought to a level at which it is interoperable, integrated, and able to respond collaboratively and at its best capability. This has been included as written response for Executive Order 13407 of June 26, 2006 [President George W. Bush [http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo/eo-13407.htm] Public Alert and Warning System] under consideration for legislation.

This basic BPM system is already in the public domain and its use is to drive business and trade transactions – fast, utilizing all resources, communicating accurately and quickly. Here it has been adapted specifically to Disaster Response. The system is capable of exponentially expediting capability to respond to disaster. It provides complete and immediate emergency alert, as well as disaster response plans which can adapt immediately to new rules, new incidents, evolving situations, collateral activity. It can facilitate total interoperable communications which are reliable, without new equipment upgrades.

The DPRBPM system is the business engine software which drives instantaneous transactions for Wall Street, Federal Reserve, etc. Its use has never been contemplated for this specific Disaster Preparedness and Response application before now. That is, this working model uses the same BPM software already in use by Wall Street entities, in which the rules have been changed from business rules to disaster response policy and guidelines as the new rules governing its use. It can readily be built to include, accommodate and access all declarations, Stafford Act, State regulations, local ordinances, allocate appropriate available resources. This type of adaptive use of an existing powerful system is an innovative idea built to generate instantaneous resource availability and simultaneous immediate response plans instead of business transactions. It also has a complete and unalterable audit trail. The process can reconcile, coordinate and integrate stovepipe systems – much as there are the constant and continuous uses of custom software diversity on Wall Street operating in a coordinated fashion to produce instantaneous and constantly upgraded and fast trade transactions.

Response plans are ready, governed by the rules of policy guidelines, in the moment, with designated resources, to be assigned in the very instant the incident is reported. Plans automatically adapt with incoming information from the field or from other sites, and yet there is manual capability (with proper authority) to change the plans, insert a new guiding policy directive. The response plans will change collaboratively and instantaneously and reflect the new information, in the immediate moment, simultaneously as an incident or collateral incidents are entered into the system by an "incident reporter".

As mentioned this system can include any and all policy documents even as they are updated or change (add Presidential Declaration, Stafford Act, local town ordinances, etc.) , also disaster preparedness and response resources (ambulances, HAZMAT responders as units, etc. with numeric designations such as 12345, where 1 indicates type of resource, 2 indicates geographic area, 3 indicates unit association such as "local" Fire Department, OEM or WMD, National Guard, FEMA, etc.; 4 designates skill level, etc.

This process can reside globally and securely, completely interoperable communications - in a laptop or Blackberry. This enables responders to be able to send photos, stats, updates, needs, reports securely and immediately from the field. These are instantaneously integrated into the overall process and may generate alternative response and resource allocation depending on the nature of the information from the field(s). At all times this can be changed manually if desired, but is otherwise automatic and instantaneous.

The Interoperable Communications component, when included, is reliable and secure, defaulting to the optimal system use with dedicated secure (cots) processes within this system.

This model which has been developed can clearly show how this happens and highlight the potential it has for completely facilitating a new way in which national capabilities can be exponentially expedited and modernized to be more proactive in response to catastrophic events. [the basic BPM software is in the public domain, and this application is not a product, it is a process. Copyright Paula Smith PhD 2008]

ee also

Emergency Management Information System

Citations and notes

References

* * http://www.bpm.com/perform-business-continuity-and-disaster-recovery-via-business-process-management-and-other-software-tools.html
* "DPRBPM" Paula Smith PhD Disaster Recovery Journal – Spring World Conference East 2008
* "Old dog/New Tricks" Paula Smith PhD Architecture and Process National Conference 2008
* "Disaster Preparedness and Response Using BPM" Paula Smith PhD Contingency Planning and Management Conference - West 2008 – as handout paper 2008
* "DPRBPM, Interoperable Communications, National Emergency Alert and Warning Capability" Paula Smith PhD Homeland Security Stakeholders Conference – EO DHS Science and Technology Directorate 2008 (Invited one on one presentation)
* "DPRBPM as a Comprehensive System" Paula Smith PhD House of Representatives Office of the Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee 2008
* "Disaster Preparedness and Response and BPM as the Ultimate tool" HSGAC Paula Smith PhD – submitted for consideration on request 2008
* "The Future of National Catastrophic Planning”Homeland Defense Conference Paula Smith PhD - Invited presentation - to be delivered August 2008
* "Alternate Use of BPM for COOP and Disaster Response and Recovery Wall Street Group Paula Smith PhD - Invited presentation 2008 Registered Process CP-MI 2008