Interoperable Biometric API for Mobile Devices

How the Organization Chart May Change to Reflect Current Operations 

With continuing chlorine and oil leakages and fires, the crisis has not been properly managed. At the top of the organization chart, might constitute a crisis management team. The team will be responsible for coordinating the efforts of the response team and disaster recovery. The incident commander who should be a member of the crisis management team and should, provide the team with periodic reports during the response. Once they do the reposting, the emergency response team should be sent back to handle the emergency duties. A member of the crisis management team will be tasked with recording the information provided by the emergency response team. Also, the crisis management team should coordinate activities related to initiating disaster recovery efforts. One of the incident commanders should be tasked with informing the crisis management team that the emergency is controlled, and that disaster recovery can start. The ambulances should be under crisis management to ensure prompt handling of the situation. Crisis management will then assume the coordination role. The safety officer will have to work directly with the response management team to ensure safety from potential life-threatening measures to the rescuers. Also, the liaison officer. The public information officer might be forced to work with the triage crew and the search team in disseminating information to the public. Also, the planning section will have to work in tandem with the finance section as well as the logistic section to ensure that all the necessary arrangements are made and that the personnel and financial allocations are geared towards disaster management. On the other hand, the operation section might need to create a business continuity department to ensure the smooth operation of the company during the crisis moment. When the disaster recovery is completed, the crisis management team can then pave way to the normal management channels. 

Staffing of the Logistics Section 

Disaster logistics involves planning, implementation, and management of safekeeping and release of aid materials and vital information during moments of disaster . Chorine is still leaking and spreading meaning that the personnel to tackle the same have either not arrived at the site or are incapacitated. The logistic section needs to invest in staffing more drivers to ensure efficient delivery of personnel and equipment to disaster locations, this might be accompanied by buying more vehicles to do the deliveries. Oil leakage has stopped but there is heavy oiling along the South Shore. The logistics section should have a team that can salvage the situation. Also, hiring more firefighters, and equipping them with the best firefighting equipment. As evidenced by the continued fire, there is a need for the company to invest more in the firefighting team. Other efforts can be geared towards recruitment of expertise in the early warning systems detection for the impending disaster. In response unit, humanitarian aid becomes effective. Staffing the humanitarian aid to enhance speedy delivery of humanitarian aid materials and services at a sufficient amount, time, and conditions to the location of the disaster. Will also assist the survivors and offering the restoration goals in longevity. 

Ensuring there is a good emergency preparedness unit, emergency planning as well as education by hiring an individual who will carry out periodic drills to teach people how they should react during disasters. The five Stauffer Chemical employees are still missing, but their last known location was in the work. The logistic section is tasked with employing humanitarian aid to save these lives during the disaster. There is an evidenced ineffectiveness of the rescue efforts so far. To help save these lives in the future, the logistics section must ensure the right distribution of aid materials and enough aid personnel inform of evacuation experts tackle the same. In the reconstruction and restoration unit, my logistic section will hire some psychological counselors to offer psychological support to the survivors of an emergency disaster. 

Staffing of the Finance Section 

The finance section is vital during an emergency since accountable financial management ensures effective and timely cash and budget management for efficient implementation of programs. The company has lost 20,000 gallons of oil. Mitigating against financial loss, is the main goal of almost all organization’s risk strategy, providing for the actions taken to avoid, mitigate, and retain risks businesswise. The hired financial staff should ensure sufficient internal controls and processes that enhance accountability and accuracy in the management and reporting of expenses. The finance team should do effective budget preparation and expenditure reporting, cash management, and accounting. The finance section will need to address the organization’s exposure to monetary losses by having better financial disaster preparedness managers. Financial preparedness should ensure maximum financial recovery after the disaster. The finance section may also put in measures that ensure continuity in operation and generation of revenue, and by establishing business continuity planning which will look into how, and to what extent, the organization continues to serve its customers and maintain solvency following a shutdown of operations resulting from the disaster. It can further outsource services from other firms to serve their customers during this period. Also, the sections will be tasked with following up on the insurance claims if the insurance policy covers property destruction, business disturbance, loss of business, and any other expenditure to ensure the company is compensated for the losses incurred. The Finance team explore all the available options to ensure the company has funding for continued operation. Tasking the section employees with early risk identification and prevention and ensuring cost-effective management of the same. By doing so, the company will be shielded from avoidable financial losses. Proper planning for liquidity maintenance is important because insurance settlement always takes longer. Thus, good planning will enable the company to avoid cash shortages which might disrupt the continuous operation of the company. 

Mutualink Interoperable Communications technology 

The organization currently uses radio communication. Communication is critical because it links important parts of an organization during any emergency. For effective communications during such emergencies, there is a need for a platform that will not be interrupted by any eventuality. The company needs to supplement the existing radio communication system with the Mutualink Interoperability platform. According to Sanchez-Reillo et al. (2013), interoperable communications are managed communications, determined and extended by public safety organizations for use just before the occurrence of a crisis and during the disaster. Vermesan (2018) argues that it is effective in the routing of communications that easily translates into emergency communications for everyone involved in the crisis. The organization can incorporate integrated digital wireless communications systems into the mobile radio systems they already have. This will merge the strengths of the organization’s systems with the strengths of commercial systems hence the best total system solution. According to (Sanchez-Reillo et al. (2013), nonemergency communications can be routed through commercial systems, thus increasing the capacity of information display systems of organizations that deal with public safety. During an emergency, the platform enables effective communication within the organization as communications that are not considered urgent can be routed to other channels while maximizing the use of emergency communication in the available channel. Thus faster data traffic, removal of redundancy in infrastructure, and implementation of efficient technology into the system. Also, the Mutualink Interoperability platform provides immediate interoperable voice, video, and data communications when a disaster occurs. It allows organizations to maintain vital interoperable communications even in situations where traditional communications networks cannot operate (Sanchez-Reillo et al., 2013). It combines an interoperable network and an IP address to ensure connectivity by bridging voice communications systems, including radio calls and mobile phones. It can also share videos and data with anyone connected to the network during an emergency for effective communication. So when the network is out of coverage, the members of the organization can continue to communicate without any breakdown. Through the sharing of video, the team can ascertain the extent of damage following a disastrous event while planning for the organization's capacity to counter the effects. 

From a collaboration perspective, the Mutualink Interoperability platform uses an innovative peer-based design that allows stakeholders to work together at any time while securing their systems and assets . According to Vermesan, (2018) it is s network agnostic; hence the stakeholders can use any Internet-enabled connection, for instance, phones to access the network. This can also include wired and wireless gadgets, as well as satellite-based connectivity. Because of its peer-based design, the stakeholders can dynamically connect whenever there is a demand to do so. This can allow the stakeholders to make any necessary adjustments needed. Since the Mutualink platform uses an advanced broadband satellite in the IP access, the stakeholders can communicate without the need to route their communication through communications networks that are ground-based. Thus, during a disaster, communication can continue without any damage. According to Sanchez-Reillo et al. (2013) when a platform uses SaaS, like Mutualink using the IP Access International, it also provides a back-up tolerance by ensuring that interoperable communications and multimedia collaboration are delivered through software as a service just in case the organization’s physical infrastructure is destroyed. Thus, ensure the continued operation of an organization.  Its interoperability and capability to bridge communications and share information among the stakeholders in the worse of situations such as failure or damage of networks. As such, the stakeholders can have a platform where issues are raised regarding the next course of action, thereby mitigating the adverse impacts of the disaster. 

Responding Agencies 

Federal Emergency Management Agency will be tasked with coordinating the response of other Federal agencies during this disaster and communicate disasters information between the agencies and the public as prompt as possible. Other agencies like the United States Environmental Protection Agency will be contacted to manage the chemical release d and make the public aware of hazardous chemicals. Also, the Federal Government will contact the American Red Cross to offer immediate disaster relief coming in the form of evacuation efforts. Once the victims are rescued, the agency will offer food and health services to the victims as well. The Health Human Services Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) will come in to offer health service and recovery efforts during this time of disaster. Communication with this agency will have to come from the federal government. The U.S. Coast Guard is already on the ground responding to maritime emergencies and also may assist the local officials in dealing with the chemical incident. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration will help to protect against the risks to life and property resulting from the transportation of hazardous materials in commerce by all transportation modes. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement will come in to investigate the worker safety, disaster preparedness, and environmental compliance as practised by JPB Train Company.  (SEMS), and carrying out investigations when serious incidents do occur . The accident has not been confirmed with a totality that it is not an act of terrorism. The Federal Bureau of Investigation would be interested in investigating the causes of the disaster for any possible terrorism. 

The information inflow and outflow should be revised and prioritized to ensure prompt and efficient response decisions by the disaster management team. Communication in the form of websites, electronic mails, and any other system that would work best for the community should be put into use. The communication can take the form of a calling tree where a central designated person becomes the source of information. Also, subscription to receive texts on updates about the developments on the disaster and making use of downloaded apps that are particularly meant for the disaster, for instance, the Red Cross App. Furthermore, social media apps through chats and messengers can provide a major source of information during this moment. 

References 

Sanchez-Reillo, R., Romero-Garcia, R., Herrero-Berengue, D., & Elliott, S. (2013). Interoperable biometric API for mobile devices.  2013 47th International Carnahan Conference on Security Technology (ICCST) .  https://doi.org/10.1109/ccst.2013.6922046 

Vermesan, O. (2018). Advancing IoT platforms interoperability.  Advancing IoT Platforms Interoperability , 1-92.  https://doi.org/10.13052/rp-9788770220057