WebEOC Professional
Version 7.0.1
Crisis Information Management Software provides real-time information to emergency responders
Following the events of September 11, 2001, the Department of Justice,
National Institute of Justice (NIJ)/Office of Science and Technology (OS&T)
conducted an evaluation of what is now known industry-wide as Crisis Information
Management Software (CIMS). At the time there existed relatively few software
firms providing CIMS the software used in emergency operations centers (EOCs)
to manage crisis information.
WebEOC first received industry-wide exposure in the July 1999 edition of the
International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Bulletin. In an article
written by then IAEM Region IX President B.J. Sibley, WebEOC and the concept of
a virtual EOC were given widespread recognition.
Today, WebEOC is used by agencies within DOD, DOE, DHS, EPA, NASA, state,
county, and city EOCs, domestic and international airlines, corporations, public utilities, and universities. It has also been
adopted by government agencies internationally.
In DOJs 2002 evaluation, State and local Emergency Management Agencies
indicated that Crisis Information.
Management Software must:
- Be affordable.
- Be user friendly
- Be easy to maintain by existing EMA Staff with access to
vendors technical support.
- Be easy to tailor to the conditions and policies of the agency
- Allow for remote access by authorized users located outside the
LAN.
- Comply with the provisions and standards for Incident Command
System (ICS).
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- Comply with the provisions of the Emergency Support Functions (ESF).
- Integrate with other systems such as mapping, other CIMS, and
telephonic alert notification systems.
- Integrate public health into emergency management.
- Operate within a variety of network configurations.
- Have a wide range of features.
- Offer help desk support 24/7
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Why WebEOC?
Affordability
Unlike other products, there are no recurring costs with WebEOC. WebEOC does not
rely on third party products whose licenses must be renewed annually. Nor must
additional licenses be purchased as emergency events unfold. WebEOC is sold on a
per server basis (unlimited users) and once purchased, should continue to
perform for as long as you own your system.
Ease of Use
WebEOC has an intuitive interface that even new users can grasp within minutes.
In their first use of WebEOC during an actual emergency, the State of
Washingtons Emergency Management Department had State and Federal agency
liaisons using it in less than 15 minutes and all agreed it was very user
friendly. American Airlines and Atlanta Fulton County made similar comments
when they implemented WebEOC as the events of September 11, 2001 began to
unfold. Easy to Maintain WebEOC was designed to be administered by an average Emergency Management
Director. System maintenance is minimal. Software updates and associated release
notes are downloaded from our website. Easily Tailored Although WebEOC includes a suite of default status boards and forms ready for
immediate use, agencies have the ability to locally create or customize an
unlimited number of status boards using WebEOCs Board Wizard. Agencies can also
use an HTML editor such as Front Page or Dream Weaver to create status boards
for use in WebEOC. Access from Outside a LAN WebEOC is accessed using a Web browser, whether connecting to a local server or
through the internet to a remote server. Given appropriate permissions, user
access is possible from any PC running Internet Explorer 6.0 (or higher). ICS Compliant In addition to requirements outlined in NIJs 2002 CIMS evaluation, the
Department of Homeland Securitys March 1, 2004 publication of the National
Incident Management System (NIMS) made compliance with certain aspects of NIMS,
such as adopting the basic tenets of the Incident Command System, a condition
for Federal preparedness assistance. WebEOC supports the five major functional
areas of Incident Command Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics and
Finance/Administration and includes a full suite of ICS Forms. These forms are
drawn from the U.S. Department of Agricultures Forest Service and match those
contained in NIMS. Other templates can be developed locally. ESF Compliant Agencies implementing WebEOC have access to Status Boards built around FEMAs
twelve Emergency Support Functions. Customers can choose from different examples
that have been implemented by various agencies at both the state and local
level. Interoperability The 2002 CIMS study and the Department of Homeland Securitys NIMS both cite
integration with other systems and/or interoperability and compatibility as
crucial elements of any Incident Management System. Because WebEOC uses the
latest XML (Extensible Markup Language) technology, integration with other
products can be more easily achieved. - In March 2004, WebEOC was the Crisis Information Management Software used to
manage interagency communications as part of a three state exercise and
technology demonstration called Northwest EPAD One. The Emergency Provider
Access Director (EPAD), aligned with ComCARE, is a key means of facilitating
interoperable data communications between emergency agencies.
Integration WebEOC has existing mapping interfaces to ESRIs ArcIMS, Microsofts MapPoint
WebService, Visual Risk Technolgys VRiskMap and MapInfo. In addition, WebEOC 7
provides access to all NWS Watches, Warnings and Advisories using the Common
Alerting Protocol (CAP 1.0). Essentially, WebEOC is designed to interface with
any system that supports open standards. Public Health
WebEOC isn't simply a tool for use by emergency managers. As a tool, it can be
used to support almost any operation.
 Operate with Various Networks
WebEOC can be installed on customer equipment residing on a LAN/WAN (Local/Wide Area
Network) or it can be a hosted (ASP) solution in which ESi provides the
hardware, software and infrastructure needed to run the application. Our ASP
servers provide customers 99.9% site availability, excluding scheduled outages.
ESi provides all hardware, network infrastructure and software to host WebEOC
and you pay one low annual fee ASP Model ASP benefits include: - Rapid Deployment
- Minimal demands on in-house IT
- Managed Services
- Guaranteed availability
ESi also offers a hybrid model where the system can be configured to operate in both environments (LAN and ASP). Help Desk Support Year 1 software support is included with the purchase of any WebEOC core product
(i.e., Professional, AT, ST). This includes access to our help desk and all
software updates. Toll free numbers are provided for routine technical support and for
after-hours, emergency support. Agencies can submit problems by email or through
ESis WebEOC user forum. WebEOCs user forum also provides the ability to submit
suggestions, post questions, or share ideas with other WebEOC customers. Beginning with Year 2, customers may choose one of ESis optional Software
Support Plans or opt for software upgrades and technical support at ESis then
current rates. Product Suite
WebEOC is currently offered in three versions (Professional, ST, and Air).
WebEOC Professional was developed to meet the needs of emergency management
organizations everywhere.
The Enterprise Edition permits an agency to add web servers and is required
in server environments in which web servers are clustered for load balancing
purposes. WebEOCST and Air are designed specifically for the surface transportation and
airline industries.
Reliability
As a Microsoft Certified Partner, ESi developed WebEOC based on proven Microsoft
technology. ESis product quality and customer service have enabled us to retain
every customer since WebEOCs introduction.
Architecture
WebEOC is a standard, three tier application. - Microsoft SQL Server is the backend database.
- Microsoft IIS is the Web server.
- Microsoft Internet Explorer is the user interface.
Database Software
WebEOC and ESiWebFUSION™ require Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
may be used as the WebEOC database. However, it does have limited management capabilities with respect to
backups, etc. In addition, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express only supports one 32-bit processor and database size
is limited to 4 GB. For most WebEOC deployments, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition (licensed per CPU)
is strongly recommended. ESiWebFUSION™ requires Microsoft Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition
(Express is not an option).
ESiWebFUSION™ requires features in Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and cannot be deployed with Microsoft SQL
Server 2000.
Internet Information Server
WebEOC and ESiWebFUSION™ require Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Services).
Replication Software
Because WebEOC and ESiWebFUSION™ are used primarily by emergency management organizations to manage a
crisis, consideration should be given to some level of redundancy. With respect to hardware, this can be achieved
by installing servers with RAID1/RAID5 configured hard drives, split backplanes, redundant power supplies, etc.
However, data availability must also be considered. For high availability purposes, ESi recommends redundant
web/database servers. Our preferred solution relies on Double-Take® from Double-Take® Software.
Why Double-Take? Due to the dynamic structure of the WebEOC database and the dynamic capabilities within WebEOC,
a higher level of mirroring to copy the data and structure is needed. Microsoft SQL Server 2005 does offer replication
capabilities, however it is more complicated to administer.
For more information on Double-Take, click here.
Customers electing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or other third party replication/mirroring tools must obtain
installation and maintenance support from the appropriate vendor.
| WebEOC Professional and AT Feature Set |
| Status Board Suite |
- Significant Events
- The Significant Events Status Board is WebEOC’s equivalent to the Event Log or as is sometimes called, the Incident Journal. It can be used to track events and activities and log ‘who did what when’; it provides the real-time chronology of actions taken during an event – from beginning to end.
- Infrastructure
- Allows user to track status of various critical infrastructure such as roads, waterways, pipelines, bridges, ports, airfields, and rails.
- Road Closures
- Allows user to track closures of roads, priority levels and estimated time of reopening.
- Mission/Task
- The Mission/Task Status Board provides the ability to assign missions and monitor the status of tasks.
- Resources
- Allows agencies to maintain, manage, and assign inventory or available resources.
- Position Log
- Provides users who have their own PC with a method of documenting actions taken during a shift.
- Situation Reports
- Provides a standard format that may be used based on two common methodologies – ICS or ESF.
- Task Tracker
- This Status Board differs from the Mission/Task board in that it provides a vehicle to capture tasks that are of a recurring nature independent of incident type.
- Press Release
- Provides the capability to display Press Releases or other media related items.
- After Action
- Provides the capability to document after action items following drills, exercises, or actual events.
- Controller Review
- Provides the capability to implement a process by which a position reviews items before their addition to a Significant Events Board.
- Sign In
- Provides a place for emergency responders to sign in when responding to an event.
- Shelters
- The default Shelter Board allows users to track the status of one or more shelters.
- ICS Forms
- WebEOC contains a full suite of ICS Forms (201 – 207, 209, 211 – 216, 218, 220, 221, 224, 225, and 230), thereby allowing DMA/WEM to claim jurisdictional compliance with the basic tenets of the Incident Command System as outlined in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s March 1, 2004 issue of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
- FEMA Forms
- WebEOC ships with a current set of Forms as published in the FEMA Applicant Handbook. Preparing FEMA forms within WebEOC provides not only an electronic method of completion, but aids in document retention because data contained within each form is saved to the database when the Incident/Event is archived.
- ESF
- Unlike ICS or FEMA Forms where specific formats are prescribed, ESFs contain no such structure. Various customers have developed ESF Status Boards based on their interpretation and implementation of each Emergency Support Function. These forms can be made available upon request.
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| WebEOC functionality is enhanced by several plug-ins. Plug-ins come standard with WebEOC unless otherwise specified. |
| Chat |
As the name implies, agencies can implement Chat Rooms within WebEOC thereby providing users with an informal method of communication. |
| Checklists |
WebEOC’s Checklist module allows for the input of individual checklists. Checklists can be setup with the look and feel of a word document. During setup, steps can be identified as a ‘main’ numbered step or‘substep’ and they can be easily ordered/reordered using arrow buttons. The WebEOC administrator grants users access to Checklists and specifies which checklist(s) will be presented in a drop-down list to the user. Steps and sub-steps can be statused as Complete, Open [in-progress], Previously Accomplished, or Not Applicable; alternatively, users can just mark a checklist step complete if they do not desire the added functionality. When running a checklist, remarks can be added to a step and ‘displayed’ or ‘hidden’ as desired. Steps configured during setup with an E Time will turn red when past due. |
| Contacts |
Provides the ability to maintain and display contact information. |
| Messaging |
In many Crisis Information Management Software packages, email is used to communicate event information among respondents. In WebEOC, event information is input/monitored via status boards making the information universally available to all authorized users simultaneously. WebEOC does have a Messaging plug-in that allows users to communicate between each other via an internal messaging link unique to WebEOC. Users can send messages to any email server or email addressable device such as cell phones or pagers. It also allows users to send/forward messages to email accounts external to WebEOC. If WebEOC’s Messaging component is to be used to pass email, SMTP traffic must be allowed on the network. |
| File Library |
Provides the capability for WebEOC users to upload and share documents and files with other users through WebEOC. The file could be a standard operating procedure, a situation report, a .pdf file, an image, or other file type. Depending on the permissions granted, users may add, view, and/or delete files from the library. (NOTE: In order to open the file, the appropriate application must be loaded on the PC.) |
| Calendar |
Allows organizations to track drill and exercise schedules, training sessions, meetings, etc. |
| Mapper Lite |
With Mapper Lite, users can display live data from multiple WebEOC boards on a Yahoo satellite or street map and integrate address location into WebEOC boards. |
| Team Management (OPTIONAL PLUG-IN) |
Team Management provides the ability to track data on emergency response personnel (e.g., training, skills, languages, deployment history, etc.) |
| Resource Manager (OPTIONAL PLUG-IN) |
Resource Manager enables customers to catalog and deploy resources in a manner that is compliant with FEMA’s National Incident Management System (NIMS). |
| WebEOC Mapper (OPTIONAL PLUG-IN) |
WebEOC Mapper Professional is the Geographic Information System (GIS) interface between ESi’s WebEOC and ESRI® ArcGIS® which will allow data from WebEOC boards to be viewed on the same map and can use colors and icons to represent the state of the WebEOC data. |
| WebEOC includes the following features and capabilities, which expand our customers’ ability to tailor the system to meet their specific needs |
| Board Builder |
Provides the capability within WebEOC to build an unlimited number of status boards and forms tailored to local requirements. This allows an organization to configure the system to meet their unique operational needs. |
| Positions |
Provides the capability to assign and manage users who may be assigned to multiple roles within an organization. |
| Self Registration |
Enables first-time users to create their own account using the position name and position access code (PAC) provided by the system administrator. Once the new user has successfully authenticated themselves by successfully entering the position name and PAC, the user will enter their personal information (e.g., phone number, e-mail, etc.) and complete user registration. Self-registration is an optional feature in WebEOC that the system administrator may or may not enable in your WebEOC. |
| Multiple Events |
WebEOC can be used to manage multiple events (actual, exercise or both in any combination). With WebEOC, users can track individual events, or multiple events can be “rolled-up” for viewing in a common, master event. Once configured by an administrator, a user logged into a master event can view the data from all sub-events together, or on a per event basis. |
| Links |
Allows user-creation of links to URLs (Internet or Intranet) and other applications, systems or databases. |
| CAP |
WebEOC includes a tool, CAP (Common Alerting Protocol) Messaging, that enables users to send and receive CAP messages through the Disaster Management Interoperability Service. |
| Archives |
Provides the ability to store, query, and view historical data associated with an incident. |
| Import/Export |
Status Board data can be imported/exported in either WebEOC or Comma-Separated Format. Contacts can be imported/exported in either comma or tab separated format. Simulations can also be imported/exported from within the plug-in. |
| Audit Logs |
Tracks and displays in pre-defined format events that have occurred in the system. Examples include successful/failed logins and logouts, account lockouts, add/delete/updates operations, etc. |
| HTML |
Status boards can be created or edited in external HTML editors. |
| Data Linking |
Through Data Linking, information entered in one status board can be simultaneously sent (pushed) to one or more ‘target’ status boards. This eliminates the need to enter the same data multiple times while ensuring information integrity across multiple boards. |
| Dual Commit |
Dual Commit is a feature within WebEOC that allows information to be posted to a second server, typically outside your firewall. With Dual Commit, agencies can automatically, or selectively, decide which board entries to “post” to an outside server. |
| Remote Boards |
This feature facilitates the exchange of information among multiple WebEOC instances (e.g., across a region or state) by allowing users to access boards residing in another WebEOC directly from their Control Panel. One of the local WebEOC servers, or a separate server, can act as the host for the remote boards. |
| Simulator |
WebEOC's Simulator allows a training official or drill controller to build, edit and control delivery of scenario data to WebEOC user screens in real-time. The controller interface uses common VCR-like controls for play, pause, stop, etc. The tool enables organizations to perform virtual tabletops and drills. Simulations can be started, stopped, and reset as necessary to meet training or exercise objectives. It can simulate inputs that would (in an actual event) be generated by an entire cadre of emergency responders, while minimizing (during training or exercises) the number of support personnel needed for role-play activities. Through Simulator, an archive can be reviewed as though it were occurring real-time, an invaluable tool that can aid in post-critique and evaluation activities. Furthermore, the simulized archive can be edited and then run using the Simulator for training and drill purposes. Simulator can be run in parallel with any real-time incident. |
| Reporter |
Within WebEOC, agencies can generate preformatted or custom reports based on individual status boards, or a comprehensive event report consisting of all status boards in an agency’s WebEOC. Because WebEOC uses Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for the database, customers also have the option of using Access, Crystal, or other tools to generate reports. |
Hardware Requirements
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Web Server |
Database Server |
| Processors |
Two - Dual Core Intel Xeon 2.0GHz/2.6MB Cache,
1333MHzFront Side Bus |
Two - Quad Core Intel Xeon 2.5GHz/2.6MB
Cache, 1333MHzFront Side Bus |
| Memory |
4 GB 667MHz RAM Dual Ranked DIMMs |
4 GB 667MHz RAM Dual Ranked DIMMs |
| Hard Drive |
Two (2) 36GB, SAS, 15K |
Five (5) 36GB, SAS, 15K |
| Hard Drive Controller |
Single Channel |
Dual Channel |
| Backplane |
X4 |
Split |
| Hard Drive Config |
RAID1 |
RAID1/RAID5 |
| Floppy Drive |
1.44MB |
1.44MB |
| NIC |
Dual GB NIC |
Dual GB NIC |
| CD-ROM |
24X IDE CD-RW/DVD ROM |
24X IDE CD-RW/DVD ROM |
| Power Supply |
Redundant PS |
Redundant PS |
| Keyboard and Related |
Keyboard, Optical Mouse, Monitor |
Keyboard, Optical Mouse, Monitor |
| Operating System Software |
Windows Server 2003 or 2008 (32 bit, 64 bit),
Standard Edition, Includes 5 CALS
Note: IA64 is not supported |
Windows Server 2003 or 2008 (32 bit, 64 bit),
Standard Edition, Includes 5 CALS
Note: IA64 is not supported.
Microsoft .Net Framework 2.0 |
| Database Software |
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Microsoft SQL Server 2005 STD (CPU or CAL)* |
| Minimum System Requirements |
| Administrator |
Any computer running Internet Explorer (IE) 6.5 or 7.0. |
| User |
Any computer running IE 6.5 and 7.0, Safari 3.0.4 or Firefox 2.0.0.11. Minimum requirements can be found on respective vendor web sites. |
| Minimum System Requirements (PDA) |
| WebEOC has been designed to operate on a PDA running Microsoft’s Windows Mobile version 5 or 6. |
| Blackberry support is provided via the Blackberry OS browser, version 4.2.1 on the Cingular or AT&T network. |
| Opera is also supported on the Blackberry via any network. |
* Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is the WebEOC default database. SQL Server 2005 Express Edition does have
limited management capabilities with respect to backups, etc. SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is NOT supported on 64-bit
platforms. In addition, only one 32-bit processor and 1GB of RAM is supported. There is also a 4GB size limitation on the
database. For performance and future growth reasons, ESi recommends SQL 2005 Standard or higher be implemented on
WebEOC servers equipped with dual processors. ESi WebFUSION requires Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (Express Edition not
supported).
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