Emergency managers and researchers from across the state attended the conference, held March 2 -5 at Sunset Beach. RENCI, in collaboration with emergency management partners at the state and county levels, conducted two sessions about deploying Web-based tools and prototypes of new technologies for disaster planning and response. RENCI also set up an exhibitor’s booth to showcase and demonstrate its various disaster management tools.

“It was an outstanding informational conference,” said Ken Gallupi, RENCI director for emergency management. “The sessions and booth were both well attended with conference attendees, including state officials, interested in our desktop conferencing, NC-FIRST, weather information portal, projects on storm surges and flooding, and ideas for new prototype ideas for emergency management.”

For its first conference presentation, RENCI researchers and representatives from the NCEMA Technology Committee and NCEM Geospatial and Technology Management, presented plans for integrating and deploying electronic tools for the emergency management community. RENCI demonstrated its Web-based workspace for emergency managers that pulls together a number of RENCI-developed products and services, including NC-FIRST, the RENCI weather information portal, and desktop conferencing software.

The second presentation introduced new RENCI prototypes of technologies for emergency managers and discussed how these tools enhance communications and capabilities when used with other tools, such as WebEOC, Web-based software designed to communicate real-time emergency information to emergency operations centers. The new prototypes are:

• Portable GIS. The deployment of portable geographic information systems (GIS) available on flash drives the size of a thumb will enable emergency managers and responders to take critical data and GIS functions to the field. The flash drives with portable GIS data can be used on any computer with no licensing fees for mapping, identifying and using critical information. The portable information will also free up GIS experts to work on more critical tasks, since basic GIS information will be available to anyone.
• GPS tracking. This prototype global positioning system uses wireless cards communicating over cell phone networks to track vehicles in the field and identify what is happening at specific sites during an emergency. The device can be used with a laptop or PDA and is intended to be a low-cost entry into Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems.
• Lightning detection network. RENCI introduced a prototype of a device that is designed to detect lightening strikes in real time and display the data visually in a Web portal environment. Commercial lightening detection devices are available; however, they are usually too expensive for county or even state government.
• Micro Rain Radar. This device provides advanced warning of icing events and other localized weather. Data acquired during several winter rain and ice storms was displayed to illustrate how the MRR can be used.

RENCI…Catalyst for Innovation
The Renaissance Computing Institute brings together computer and discipline scientists, artists, humanists, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, state leaders and educators for collaborations designed to reshape science, the economy, the state of North Carolina and the world. RENCI leverages its expertise and resources in leading edge computing, networking and data technologies to ignite innovation and find solutions to previously intractable problems. Founded in 2004 as a major collaborative venture of Duke University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the state of North Carolina, RENCI is a statewide virtual organization.  For more, see www.renci.org.

The conference takes place March 2 -5 at Sunset Beach, where state and local emergency managers and researchers will discuss strategies for emergency planning and response. RENCI, in collaboration with emergency management partners at the state and county levels, will conduct sessions about deploying Web-based tools and prototypes of new technologies for disaster planning and response.

RENCI researchers and representatives from the NCEMA Technology Committee and the NCEM Geospatial and Technology Management, will present plans for integrating and deploying a number of electronic tools to the emergency management community. RENCI will demonstrate its Web-based workspace for emergency managers and discuss the initial deployment of the prototype site feedback received so far. The site pulls together a number of RENCI-developed products and services, including NC-FIRST, the RENCI weather information portal, and desktop conferencing software.

The session will include strategies on how these tools can enhance communications and capabilities when used with other tools, such as WebEOC, Web-based software designed to communicate real-time emergency information to emergency operations centers.

RENCI researchers and members of the NCEMA Technology Committee will also unveil initial prototypes of new technologies for the NCEMA, such as:

• Portable GIS. The deployment of portable geographic information systems (GIS) available on flash drives the size of a thumb will enable emergency managers and responders to take critical data and GIS functions to the field. The flash drives with portable GIS data can be used on any computer with no licensing fees for mapping, identifying and using critical information. The portable information will also free up GIS experts to work on more critical tasks, since basic GIS information will be available to anyone.
• GPS tracking. This prototype global positioning system uses wireless cards communicating over cell phone networks to track vehicles in the field and identify what is happening at specific sites during an emergency. The device can be used with a laptop or PDA and is intended to be a low-cost entry into Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems.
• Lightning detection network. RENCI will introduce an early prototype of a device that is designed to detect lightening strikes in real time and display the data visually in a Web portal environment. Commercial lightening detection devices are available; however, they are usually too expensive for county or even state government.
• Micro Rain Radar. This device, which provides advance warning of icing events and other localized weather, will be demonstrated. Data acquired during several winter rain and ice storms will de displayed to illustrate how the MRR can be used.

RENCI…Catalyst for Innovation
The Renaissance Computing Institute brings together computer and discipline scientists, artists, humanists, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, state leaders and educators for collaborations designed to reshape science, the economy, the state of North Carolina and the world. RENCI leverages its expertise and resources in leading edge computing, networking and data technologies to ignite innovation and find solutions to previously intractable problems. Founded in 2004 as a major collaborative venture of Duke University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the state of North Carolina, RENCI is a statewide virtual organization.  For more, see www.renci.org.

Precipitation can reach the ground in many different forms, including rain, freezing rain, drizzle, snow, sleet, and hail. In order to plan an accurate response to a weather event, it is crucial to know what kind of weather event is in the works. Heavy rain could mean flooding; whereas, freezing rain, ice or snow could make roads slippery, dangerous and impassable. Snow and ice also bring the added hazards of falling trees, downed power lines and power outages. Ice storms can result in massive power outages, disruptions to everyday life because of the lack of power, and road closures.

To better assist North Carolina meteorologists and emergency managers, RENCI is working to make it easier to determine the type of precipitation a weather event will bring. Its main tool: the Micro Rain Radar, or MRR. RENCI is one of the first U.S.-based organizations to use this German-built weather prediction technology.

The MRR is a compact, vertically pointed radar that calculates and provides the rain rate, liquid water content, reflectivity, and the vertical fall velocity of precipitation in real time. The radar detects precipitation in the atmosphere and how high above the ground that precipitation will remain frozen before beginning to melt — the freezing line. Above the freezing line, precipitation is frozen, and how close to the surface that line is determines whether precipitation falls as rain, freezing rain, sleet or snow. The radar also can be used to accurately predict rain rates—how fast rain is falling—during severe storms. The radar system consists of an antenna dish, transmitting and receiving unit, and a data transmission interface.

“The MRR is providing real-time, upper air data about precipitation that is not otherwise available during hazardous events such as ice storms,” said Jessica Proud, RENCI meteorologist. “Used in conjunction with other observations we think the MRR is an extremely useful resource for forecasters making a short-term forecast.”

Currently, RENCI has its mobile MRR stationed at a facility in Chapel Hill, where it is continuously collecting weather data along with two other instruments RENCI is testing, including a weather station and laser disdrometer, an instrument used to measure the drop size distribution and velocity of falling precipitation. The MRR sends its data in real time to a RENCI website, (mmrr.renci.org), that posts the data from the MRR, weather station and disdrometer. The web page is updated every few minutes with new data. This data is available for forecasters and researchers to use both during events for short-term forecasting and after events for case studies that assess the utility of the data.

To date, the MRR data has provided information on three winter weather events and several rain events at various North Carolina locations. The MRR unit will remain at its Chapel Hill location. If a winter storm is predicted outside the Chapel Hill area, it will be transported to that area to collect storm data.

Once a full winter’s worth of data is collected and analyzed and research is complete, RENCI will collaborate with emergency managers, power company officials, and others on how to best use the MRR. RENCI envisions developing and deploying a network of MMRs to assist the state of North Carolina in disaster planning, mitigation, and response.

RENCI…Catalyst for Innovation
The Renaissance Computing Institute brings together computer and discipline scientists, artists, humanists, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, state leaders and educators for collaborations designed to reshape science, the economy, the state of North Carolina and the world. RENCI leverages its expertise and resources in leading edge computing, networking and data technologies to ignite innovation and find solutions to previously intractable problems. Founded in 2004 as a major collaborative venture of Duke University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the state of North Carolina, RENCI is a statewide virtual organization.  For more, see www.renci.org.

The upcoming Spring meeting of the North Carolina Emergency Management Association, the 2007 North Carolina All Hazards Conference, will feature much of the work being done through RENCI’s disaster research efforts.

The conference, which takes place March 4 – 7 at Sunset Beach, brings together state and local emergency managers, first responders, and researchers to discuss strategies for emergency planning, response, mitigation, recovery, and training. For the first time, RENCI will have a display at the conference, which will showcase much of the institute’s work in disaster research. RENCI also will host a reception at on the evening of Tuesday, March 6, where staff members will be on hand to discuss disaster research efforts. Among the RENCI projects to be highlighted at the conference are:

• The RENCI Experimental Emergency Response Vehicle. This custom-built flatbed truck is equipped with a mobile wireless network activated via a retractable helium balloon and a satellite dish. It can be deployed in emergency situations to enable wireless communications between first responders and to assist in search and rescue operations.  It also serves as a demonstration and teaching tool for emergency response teams. 
• HydroMet modeling software. RENCI’s new storm modeling and forecasting system merges atmospheric and hydrology data with coastal storm surge data. HydroMet models will have nine times the resolution of National Weather Service forecasts, making it possible to zero in on storm effects in a 4-kilometer radius.
• ADCIRC modeling software. ADCIRC models the height of storm surges that hit the coast during severe weather. Developed by Rick Leuttich of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Institute of Marine Sciences, RENCI has helped to create a version of this software specific to the North Carolina coast.
• A next-generation webpage for the North Carolina Emergency Management Association created by RENCI. This webpage utilizes new technology to help emergency managers communicate using such features as SmileTiger, an online conferencing software package. 
• Introduction to OK-First. This discussion will include panelists from RENCI, the National Weather Service, the State Climate Office and participants from Oklahoma discussing a training program for emergency responders developed in Oklahoma. RENCI is helping to create a North Carolina version of the program.
• RENCI’s umanned aerial vehicle. Equipped with a digital camera and programmed to receive transmissions from battery operated, low-power sensors in remote locations, the UAV can gather data from areas too dangerous or too remote to be reached by humans.
• Micro Rain Radar. RENCI is deploying a Micro Rain Radar (MRR)—one of only six in the U.S—to improve ice storm prediction. The radar detects precipitation in the atmosphere and how high above the ground that precipitation will freeze—the freezing line.