CHAPEL HILL, NC, March 10, 2009 – Emergency managers and first responders across North Carolina can now interpret weather data from their own pockets using the mobile version of  the Renaissance Computing Institute’s (RENCI) NC-FIRST Web portal.

The NC-FIRST made-for-mobile resource was launched this week at the annual spring conference of the North Carolina Emergency Managers Association at Sunset Beach, NC. Just like the NC-FIRST desktop version, the mobile resource will allow users to track late-breaking and targeted weather hazards in real time, and allow them to interpret weather data and coordinate response plans.

“The mobile version is a condensed edition of NC-FIRST that was created at the request of our users,” said Jessica Proud, RENCI meteorologist and NC-FIRST program manager. “It is designed for hand-held devices, like Blackberries and other smart phones, and includes the same features and technologies as our desktop version.”

Those features include radar tracking, weather warnings and watches from the National Weather Service, a text forecast, and information about weather hazards such as tropical storms and hurricanes, thunderstorms, and winter storms.

NC-FIRST includes two components: the weather data Web portal and classroom training on interpreting weather data. The Web portal pulls together a wide range of weather data into an easy-to-use Web environment. It includes desktop conferencing software that helps decipher weather data, understand weather threats and choose actions that minimize threats to lives and property caused by extreme weather.

The NC-FIRST training course is a four-day program design to help first responders understand scientific weather data and is offered through 27 community colleges across the state.  The program is taught by meteorologists and was recently incorporated into North Carolina’s emergency Management Certification Program.

The NC-FIRST mobile site is aimed at emergency managers with passwords for the site. For more on NC-FIRST, see http://www.renci.org/focus-areas/disaster-and-environmental-research/nc-first.

RENCI…Catalyst for Innovation
The Renaissance Computing Institute, a multi-institutional organization, brings together multidisciplinary experts and advanced technological capabilities to address pressing research issues and to find solutions to complex problems that affect the quality of life in North Carolina, our nation and the world. RENCI leverages its expertise and resources in leading edge computing, visualization, networking and data technologies to catalyze new collaborations and solve 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.

CHAPEL HILL, NC, March 3, 2009 – RENCI will showcase new disaster management tools and programs at the annual spring conference of the North Carolina Emergency Managers Association (NCEMA) in Sunset Beach, NC.

The conference, to be held March 8-11, will bring emergency managers and researchers from across the state together to discuss current trends, tools and technologies in emergency management. RENCI will feature its 360-degree video system, a new version of the North Carolina Emergency Management Web Portal, and a new training course – “Thunderstorms” – a unit of the NC-FIRST weather portal. The RENCI exhibitor’s booth also will demonstrate and display its disaster management tools.

The new video system, made by Immersive Media of Portland, OR, acquires high definition imagery from a moving vehicle or a person on foot that covers a full 360 degrees. The system uses 11 high-definition video cameras and stitches the images together into one high-definition video. RENCI is testing the system in rapidly assessing disaster situations with video shot from a car, helicopter and even a Segway scooter. Before the start of the hurricane season, RENCI plans to capture complete visual data of the North Carolina coastline so that emergency responders will have a comprehensive “before” picture of the coast in case a hurricane strikes.

The new North Carolina Emergency Management Web Portal, a collaborative website that allows users to post their own content and working groups to post training opportunities, documents and other content, has many new and updated features. The portal includes:

• A quarterly newsletter with news and articles by the members,
• A blog by Rocky Hyder, president of the NCEMA,
• NC-FIRST weather information portal, where live weather data is posted for the user’s residential area.
• An instant messaging feature

RENCI will also field test one unit of its NC FIRST training course “Thunderstorms.” The unit presents an in-depth discussion of thunderstorm meteorology that is applicable to emergency managers and an introduction to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) products that can be used for understanding thunderstorms. The training will be presented by Jessica Proud, RENCI meteorologist and NC-FIRST program manager, and Jeff Orrock, warming coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Raleigh.

The Thunderstorms unit will be incorporated into the NC-FIRST training course, which now part of North Carolina’s Emergency Management Certification Program offered through 27 community colleges across the state.

RENCI…Catalyst for Innovation
The Renaissance Computing Institute, a multi-institutional organization, brings together multidisciplinary experts and advanced technological capabilities to address pressing research issues and to find solutions to complex problems that affect the quality of life in North Carolina, our nation and the world. RENCI leverages its expertise and resources in leading edge computing, visualization, networking and data technologies to catalyze new collaborations and solve 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.

Emergency managers and responders across the state attended the three-day conference, held Oct. 12-16 in Clemmons. The conference provided a forum about the latest topics, tools and technology in emergency management.

RENCI seized the opportunity to demonstrate its new and existing innovations through a training session and exhibitor’s booth. Over 60 participants attended the RENCI training session about interactive desktop conferencing and the NC FIRST weather portal.

The RENCI booth also featured existing programs and introduced new disaster research projects, such as the North Carolina Geographic Information Systems (NC GIS) Team, the lightning detection network, and the Immersive Media camera system. Over 170 people visited the booth including U.S. Rep. David Price (D-Durham). Rep. Price, who is chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, was recognized by the National Emergency Managers Association for his continued efforts to help state and local emergency managers meet preparedness goals. Recently, Rep. Price visited RENCI headquarters in Chapel Hill and expressed his appreciation for RENCI’s collaborations with the NC emergency management community to improve disaster preparedness, response and mitigation.

The booth also included a video presentation about the Severe Weather Data Inventory (SWDI), a collaboration with the National Climatic Data Center and RENCI’s engagement center at UNC Asheville. The SWDI provides efficient and user-friendly access to an extensive archive of severe weather data. It assists in quality control of severe weather products, facilitates new research and assists in disaster response and mitigation.

Other disaster research tools and prototypes presented at the conference by RENCI are:

• SmileTiger. This is the RENCI-hosted video conferencing system that is available to all NCEMA members. SmileTiger is a low-cost and effective solution that allows members of the NC emergency management community to keep in touch.

• NCEMA Portal. RENCI hosts a Microsoft SharePoint collaborative website for the NCEMA that allows all members to update and post their own content. The site is used by NCEMA committees and working groups and to post training opportunities, documents, and other content.

• Immersive media camera system. RENCI recently acquired a system that captures 360-degree high definition images from a moving vehicle. The system will be tested for its usefulness in rapidly assessing disaster situations from both a car and a helicopter. RENCI has acquired its first data from the camera and will soon begin to collect comprehensive data along the coast in preparation for the next hurricane season.

• NC GIS Team. RENCI and its engagement centers at UNC Asheville and East Carolina University are creating a new volunteer geographic information systems (GIS) support group that will utilize RENCI expertise and capabilities to gather information for county and state emergency managers during disasters. Local capabilities are often overwhelmed when disasters strike, and that’s when emergency personnel need critical information about real-time events. NC GIS Team will make RENCI’s computing resources, staff, and network connections available to state and county emergency workers to ensure they have they have the information they need to respond quickly across the state.

• Lightning detection network. This device is a cost effective way for emergency teams to detect lightning strikes in real-time and display the data visually in a Web portal environment.

• NC FIRST. This weather information portal keeps emergency managers informed about local weather conditions and helps them interpret and easily access scientific weather data so they can make better decisions during weather emergencies.

• Automated Vehicle Location (AVL). This new RENCI prototype is a very low cost system developed to track emergency vehicles in the field. The system relies on open source software and can track vehicles using a Blackberry, a laptop computer and a mobile phone aircard.

RENCI…Catalyst for Innovation
The Renaissance Computing Institute brings together teams of talented researchers, engineers, technologists and leaders in government, business, the arts and humanities to attack major research questions and community issues in ways that accelerate discovery and drive innovation. RENCI has nationally significant expertise and capabilities in high performance computing, visualization, collaborative tools, networking, device prototyping, and data systems as well as engagement sites across the state. 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.

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.

Emergency managers and responders from across the state attended the three-day conference, held Nov. 28-31, in Atlantic Beach. The conference provided a forum for current trends and topics, information about the latest tools and technology in emergency management, and encouraged stakeholders in all levels of government, the private sector and related professions to collaborate and exchange ideas about disaster management.

“Communication and collaboration are key components of successful emergency management,” said Ken Galluppi, RENCI director for emergency management. “The fall NCEMA meeting provided an excellent opportunity for RENCI to introduce and share our current innovation in disaster research, our Collaborative Workspace Environment. The workspace is designed to facilitate communications between agencies and managers.”

RENCI experts introduced the new program to over 50 participants in two training sessions and held demonstrations at its exhibitor’s booth. Over 130 people visited the booth and registered for passwords for the Collaborative Workspace Environment. U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington), a keynote speaker at the conference, commended RENCI for its efforts to improve North Carolina emergency management technology and facilitate communications across groups.

“We are very pleased with the turnout and feedback to our program,” said Galluppi. “We look forward to attending the next NCEMA meeting in March and planning more training sessions across the state. Our goals are to get more people comfortable using our tools, evaluate their effectiveness, and strategize on integrating the program at the state level.”

The components of the Collaborative Workspace Environment enhance the kinds of communication and collaboration necessary in emergency management.

• The NCEMA Web portal uses Microsoft’s SharePoint technology and provides a variety of capabilities to emergency managers, such as Web conferencing, video conferencing and virtual classroom software.

• The desktop conferencing tool allows users to share applications, such as storm surge data and presentations, with other professionals around the state. 

• The NC-FIRST weather information portal helps emergency managers interpret weather data, understand weather threats and choose actions that minimize the threats to lives and property caused by extreme weather.

NC-FIRST, first introduced last March, also includes new modules on winter weather, thunderstorms, fire, heat and drought.

Many of the audience members, including members of the governor’s cabinet, department heads within state government, and leaders of the North Carolina National Guard, listened from their desktop and laptop computers. Hoell delivered his address from the State Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh and the talk was broadcast to more than 30 receiving sites using a collaboration tool called SmileTiger.

As part of its disaster research efforts, RENCI is implementing SmileTiger, a product of Charlotte-based SmileTiger Software Corporation, as a collaboration and communication tool among employees of the state EMA and other county and state emergency management officials.

“During disasters, the main problem is communication and in everyday situations, meetings among emergency managers require a lot of time and travel,” said Ken Galluppi, who leads RENCI’s disaster research efforts. “Implementing SmileTiger within the EMA lets these managers not only talk to each other, but also share data and visuals, including maps and models.”

In the case of a real emergency, the software would allow emergency managers across the state to collaborate at a time when phone lines are likely to be down and travel might be dangerous, he added.

On April 30, Hoell put the software to use for the first time by delivering his “state of emergency management” address via SmileTiger. The address focused on the state’s preparedness for the upcoming hurricane season. In past years, this address has been made available to members of the statewide emergency management and response community through a phone bridge, a communications solution that did not allow for showing weather models or sharing datasets.

The SmileTiger software runs off a server at RENCI’s main office in Chapel Hill and is accessible to EMA staff and collaborators through a password protected website. Using the software requires nothing more than an Internet connection, a desktop PC and standard multimedia peripherals.

Over the summer, EMA will continue to test SmileTiger’s usefulness as a general collaboration tool. If a hurricane, flood, or other emergency occurs, they also will have the chance to test the software’s usefulness as an emergency communication and collaboration tool. RENCI will evaluate how much server capacity is needed to support EMA’s remote collaborations and will work to integrate SmileTiger into its custom tools that merge atmospheric and hydrological data models with storm surge models. These tools, designed to help emergency workers as well as planners and researchers, will be enhanced by the remote collaboration capabilities made possible by SmileTiger, according to Galluppi.