HazNet - All Hazards Network
HazNet is a web-based, all-hazards, emergency management, common operating picture (COP) linked to smartphones for tracking and reporting from the field to an Emergency Operations Center or Unified Command. HazNet has
been jointly developed using existing technologies provided by The Boeing Company, NVision Solutions, Inc., and NAVTEQ.
The HazNet development team is made up of ICS-certified programmers and ex-military specialists who are also first responders in emergency operations centers along the Gulf Coast. HazNet is based on lessons learned from multiple Hurricane response and recoveries as well as ongoing participation as exercise controllers in emergency response exercises around the nation.
About HazNet
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HazNet Promotional Video (7 min.): |
HazNet Brochure (1.9 MB pdf):
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HazNet Web Presentation |
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Why Use HazNet? |
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Operational Deployments and Exercises
2009 |
NASA Emergency Operations
NASA Headquarters, The NASA Stennis Space Center, and the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility purchased HazNet in preparation of the 2009 Hurricane Season.
This deployment included a variety of customizations including a NOAA-supported development of a Web-only version of the NOAA/EPA ALOHA air-dispesion model.
Though many organizations have incorporated ALOHA output into a geographic information system before, this version is a complete port of the ALOHA model to
a server environment allowing it to be run through the web. In addition the NASA Web ALOHA model automatically pulls in the current weather conditions
needed to run the model from weather staions around the facility.
Because the surrounding local governments use HazNet, NASA officials can view regional emergency operations ICS reports through an authorized direct link to county versions of HazNet. |
2008 |
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Center for Asymmetric Warfare - Marine Tatical & Rescue Operation (MTARO-08N) - Seattle, WA The exercise script centered around a commercial passenger vessel, Argosy Cruiselines' "Spirit of Seattle" which had an explosion on board. Rescue agencies had to pull simulated victims out of the water. As part of the operation a Coast Guard helicopter located a victim from the air and then extracted him from the water. Local Seattle tv news station KiroTV captured this highlight on video. [VIEW VIDEO]
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Hurricane Ike - Hancock County Mississippi Emergency Operations Center
Hurricane Gustav - Hancock County Mississippi Emergency Operations Center |
2007 |
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Center for Asymmetric Warfare - Pacific Northwest Asymmetric Warfare Initiative (AWI-07N) - Tacoma, WA
An article in "Geospatial Solutions" titled, "Envisioning a Common Operating Picture" documents NVision and Boeing's involvement in the exercise. HazNet provides both a first responder and an "exercise control center" edition. The exercise control center editon allows exercise hosts to see and track the actions and injections by exercise controllers in the field while also monitoring the response of first responders. The exercise control center additon also provides "VCR" controls to step forward and backward in time or replay the exercise at different timesteps for hotwashes. During this exercise at the Port of Tacoma the control center planned to use VOIP telephones for controller communication to prevent exercise players from eavesdropping on the surprise elements of the script. The VOIP phones failed but the controllers were able to continue the exercise by tracking everything through HazNet. In addition to monitoring the exercise events the HazNet system allowed controllers to communicate and bring under control two actual emergencies without stopping the exercise. A smoke grenade lacerated a participants hand went it exploded accidentally and a chemical truck leaked at one of the terminals. Exercises can be complicated and HazNet provides a robust solution to manage them. The following video by the Center for Asymmetric Warfare provides an excellent overview of the exercise. Center for Asymmetric Warfare AWI-07N Video: |
HazNet provided excellent exercise control feedback throughout the exercise. During operations HazNet controllers were able to identify a ship-to-shore communications failure on channel 23A. Some agencies were able to switch frequencies but some were not leaving them out of the communications loop. These teams were able to communicate the problem through the HazNet System. During the exercise hotwash afterwards the agencies wanted to know if they had formed a true 360 degree search perimeter. They were unsure because of the communications problems. HazNet captured not only the locatons of the boats in a nice circle but also photos taken from all the vessels showing other vessels in a smooth arc.
The Hancock County Emergency Management Agency and the floodplain managers used HazNet to monitor flooding around the county.
The Center for Asymmetric Warfare used HazNet for exercise control for a massive exercise at the Port of Tacoma in July, 2007.