RESPONSE SOFTWARE
OVER MY DEAD BODY
you have not: alien invasion, electromagnetic pulse, zombie apocalypse. Which would be the most disruptive? Which one would throw you off your planned response? In reality, there is nothing first responders have not in some way prepared for, and no scenario, including a Dawn of the Dead-style zombie outbreak, should force you to throw your game plan out the window. All incident response is handled through following pre-developed plans and procedures; even if there are times a first responder is thrown a curve ball, good preparation always them improvise and overcome.
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All hazards Defense Group Inc.’s CoBRA software solutions support the responder’s ability to quickly accomplish the mission and manage the incident, whether hazmat spill, car bomb, or zombie apocalypse. In fact, to launch its newest solution – CoBRA WEB Mapping – the company created a marketing campaign around such an event. While this ad campaign was meant to grab the reader’s attention, it also highlighted our product’s growth from a well- known CBRN decision support tool into a true all-hazards solution.
(right) CoBRA Plume Manager (below) Latest update to CoBRA — V4.4.2
hink of all the emergency response scenarios you have prepared, trained and equipped for. Now think of the one
CoBRA software has been deployed to
US military installation fire departments worldwide, as well as to such entities as the 20th SUPCOM, Air National Guard, Army National Guard WMD Civil Support Teams, FBI Bomb Squads, US Coast Guard and Federal, State and local first-responder agencies in all 50 states. And while the product has continually been updated, the release of CoBRA 4.4.2 in March represented a significant leap forward in capabilities, and we chose zombies for our launch campaign for several reasons.
Reacting to true chaos Most of our customers fall within the CBRN community – and in horror movies, zombies are usually the result of an CBRN experiment gone awry. I could have chosen Godzilla or Mothra, who stem from CBRN testing, but they are just not as scary. Second, zombies are scary. Very scary. They cannot be romanticised like vampires or the Wolfman. There is nothing sexy about a zombie. Third, zombies represent true chaos. There is no reasoning or agenda behind a zombie attack: they have no fear, and a zombie-related incident will grow exponentially through contagion if not
Neil Cohen has the answer to the ultimate attack
immediately contained. Not much different than a large chemical spill, radiological release or bomb response. Since its initial release, CoBRA has
provided chemical look-up tools, radiological calculations and explosives stand-off data, along with tools which simplify plume creation and the presentation of such imagery on a map. Collaboration features such as real-time status updates, chat, and command board and resource requests make it an all-inclusive incident management tool, bringing order to the chaos of a large-scale incident.
New mapping tools The 2012 release of Version 4.4.2 triggered the move of CoBRA from being a standalone, laptop- based software to a connected, collaborative, small-enterprise platform which can provide real-time collaboration between CoBRA systems, allowing users to share information, update their response status, and keep track of each other’s location and position resources. The CoBRA small-enterprise license includes WEB CoBRA, allowing users to access tools and capabilities within CoBRA from any Internet-connected device and to collaborate with all other connected CoBRA users. Laptops can drop off the Internet and reconnect without losing any data. Defense Group Inc. recently teamed up
with TrueVector Technologies to debut CoBRA WEB Mapping, which will allow users to quickly develop situational awareness by viewing all essential information on a web- based map, down to street-level detail. The application provides a common operating picture, where emergency personnel can log in and collaborate on a single universal map, viewed and updated in real time. Users of the map can draw and mark up incident information, helping to save time, minimise property losses, and protect the safety of personnel and the general public. The collaboration with TrueVector enabled
CoBRA to take a cloud-based mapping solution and layer it with first responder icons, symbolising such threats as active shooter, suspicious package, car bomb, or hazardous chemical, and drag and drop them on the map. Drawing tools allow for the quick creation of cordons, road blocks and detours, decon
68 | CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL & NUCLEAR WARFARE | 2012/02
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