Framework for multi-risk emergency response

Recent emergency situations such as large fires (in cities, forests), flooding, terrorist attacks, road-side emergency, etc., have shown the indispensable need of a geo-information in reliable systems to help rescue operations. Specialized systems are necessary not only for rescue teams but also for ordinary people in/around the area with emergency occurrences. The presented framework for the use of geo-information in emergency response is motivated by fast developments in hand-held industry and maturing three-dimensional (3D) geographic information systems (GIS). Presently, almost everyone possesses a handheld device. A process of convergence is observed overall: Cell phones incorporate functionality, which was the domain of ultra-portable computers while later ones are updated with communication abilities. GIS are in growing expansion and changing nature. The third dimension is getting increasingly familiar. Many GIS vendors already provide extended 3D visualisation although spatial analysis is still in the 2D domain. The traditional stand-alone, desktop GIS evolve into a complex system architecture in which database management systems (DBMS) play the critical role of a container of administrative, geometric and multimedia data. This paper promotes wider utilisation of 3D geo-information in an integrated system for different types of users (working in different environments) and decision-makers in the response phase. The paper is organized in three general sections. The first section discusses requirement for such a system taking into account different factors. The second section outlines the proposed system architecture. The third section provides an elaborated discussion on needed research and developments.