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Franclin Foping, & Ioannis M. Dokas. (2013). A saas-based early warning information fusion system for critical infrastructure safety. In J. Geldermann and T. Müller S. Fortier F. F. T. Comes (Ed.), ISCRAM 2013 Conference Proceedings – 10th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 156–165). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: Maintaining the critical infrastructures, such as Drinking Water Treatment Plants (DWTP), transportation, power generation and communications systems, in a safe state is a complex problem. The effective collaboration, as well as the collection aggregation and dissemination of early warning information among the stakeholders of the Safety Management System (SMS) responsible for the safety of these critical infrastructures are some of the challenges that need to be addressed. This paper argues that the Software as a Service (SaaS) deployment model can offer new ways of enhancing the fusion of early warning information during the operation phase of critical infrastructures. It presents the requirements, the architecture and a number of features of a working prototype SaaS-based early warning information fusion system for DWTP safety issues in the Republic of Ireland. It is the first time that a SaaSbased working prototype system is reported of providing early warning information fusion services in the literature.
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Leire Labaka, Josune Hernantes, Tina Comes, & Jose Mari Sarriegi. (2014). Defining policies to improve critical infrastructure resilience. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 429–438). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: Industrial accidents increasingly threaten society and economy; the increasing exposure and vulnerability of our modern interlaced societies contributes to intensifying their impact. Critical Infrastructures (CIs) have a prominent role, since they are vital for the welfare of the population and essential for the economic growth. As hazards are hard to predict, decision-makers need to implement adequate adaptation and mitigation strategies to improve CI resilience. Although CI resilience has attracted increasing attention, empirical studies are rare. Research on the implementation of policies aiming at identifying a clear sequence of measures to improve CI resilience is lacking. Therefore, we present a framework to identify resilience policies across four dimensions (technical, organizational, economic and social) and to define the temporal order in which the policies should be implemented. This research provides a framework grounded in our empirical work. Future work will aim at developing quantitative approaches to complement our results.
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Madhavi M. Chakrabarty, & David Mendonça. (2005). Design considerations for information systems to support critical infrastructure management. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 13–18). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: This paper develops a set of design considerations for information systems to support the management of interdependent critical infrastructure systems. Constraints on how these systems are managed are oriented along technical, political and organizational dimensions, though objectives along these dimensions may conflict and thus be difficult to satisfy. This paper harnesses methodologies from software engineering and cognitive science in order to specify opportunities for using information systems to support human-centered management of critical infrastructure systems. The particular focus of this work is on developing information systems to support visualization and visual problem solving. Progress to date is discussed in terms of an ongoing research project which uses as a test-bed data associated with lower Manhattan (New York, USA).
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Marie Bartels. (2014). Communicating probability: A challenge for decision support systems. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 260–264). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: This paper presents observations made in the course of two interorganizational crisis management exercises that were conducted in order to identify requirements for a decision support system for critical infrastructure operators. It brings into focus how different actors deal with the uncertainty of information that is relevant for other stakeholders and therefore is to be shared with them. It was analyzed how the participants articulated und comprehended assessments on how probable the reliability of a given data or prognosis was. The recipients of the information had to consider it when making decisions concerning their own network. Therefore they had to evaluate its reliability. Different strategies emerged.
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Murray Turoff, Victor A. Bañuls, Linda Plotnick, & Starr Roxanne Hiltz. (2014). Development of a dynamic scenario model for the interaction of critical infrastructures. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 414–423). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: This paper summarizes the development of a Cross Impact and Interpretive Structural Model of the interactions of 16 critical infrastructures during disasters. It is based on the estimates of seven professionals in Emergency Management areas and was conducted as an online survey and Delphi Process. We describe the process used and the current results, indicating some of the disagreements in the estimates. The initial results indicate some very interesting impacts of events on one another, resulting in the clustering of events into mini-scenarios.
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Philippe Kruchten, Carson Woo, Kafui Monu, & Mandana Sotoodeh. (2007). A human-centered conceptual model of disasters affecting critical infrastructures. In K. Nieuwenhuis P. B. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Intelligent Human Computer Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM 2007 Academic Proceedings Papers (pp. 327–344). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Understanding the interdependencies of critical infrastructures (power, transport, communication, etc.) is essential in emergency preparedness and response in the face of disasters. Unfortunately, many factors (e.g., unwillingness to disclose or share critical data) prohibited the complete development of such an understanding. As an alternative solution, this paper presents a conceptual model-an ontology-of disasters affecting critical infrastructures. We bring humans into the loop and distinguish between the physical and social interdependencies between infrastructures, where the social layer deals with communication and coordination among representatives (either humans or intelligent agents) from the various critical infrastructures. We validated our conceptual model with people from several different critical infrastructures responsible for disasters management. We expect that this conceptual model can later be used by them as a common language to communicate, analyze, and simulate their interdependencies without having to disclose all critical and confidential data. We also derived tools from it.
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Rae Zimmerman, & Carlos E. Restrepo. (2006). Information technology (IT) and critical infrastructure interdependencies for emergency response. In M. T. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2006 – 3rd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 382–385). Newark, NJ: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Information technologies and other critical infrastructures are interconnected in ways that can lead to vulnerabilities in the ability of these infrastructures to perform during natural disasters and acts of terrorism either to reduce adverse consequences or provide needed emergency response services. This research applies and adapts a number of indicators of infrastructure interdependency based on the authors' earlier research to determine where weak points and strengths occur in the interconnections between infrastructure technology and other infrastructure support services such as electric power and transportation, and where weak points create vulnerability that can be improved for more effective response in emergencies.
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Sarp Yeletaysi, Frank Fiedrich, & John R. Harrald. (2008). A framework for integrating GIS and systems simulation to analyze operational continuity of the petroleum supply chain. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 586–595). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Crisis and disaster management is a field that requires the understanding and application of tools and knowledge from multiple disciplines. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 have proven that U.S. petroleum infrastructure is vulnerable to major supply disruptions as a direct result of disasters. Due to the structure of U.S. oil supply chain, primary oil production centers (i.e. PADD* 3) are geographically separated from primary demand centers (i.e. PADD 1), which creates a natural dependency between those districts. To better understand the extent of those dependencies and downstream impacts of supply disruptions, a multi-disciplinary research approach is necessary. The cross-disciplines in this research include disaster management, critical infrastructure and oil supply chain management, and the utilization of geographic information systems (GIS) and systems simulation. This paper specifically focuses on the framework for integrating GIS and systems simulation as analysis tools in this research.
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Tina Comes, & Bartel A. Van De Walle. (2014). Measuring disaster resilience: The impact of hurricane sandy on critical infrastructure systems. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 195–204). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: Modern critical infrastructure (CI) systems are tightly coupled, resulting in unprecedented complexity and difficulty to predict, limit and control the consequences of disruptions caused by hazards. Therefore, a paradigm shift in disaster risk management is needed: instead of focusing on predicting events, resilience needs to be improved as a basis for adequate response to any event. This paper starts from a definition of CI resilience that provides a basis for quantitative and qualitative decision support. For the quantitative modelling approach, which aims at measuring the resilience of individual CIs, we focus on two CIs of fundamental importance for disaster response: transportation and power supply. The qualitative framework details relations between CIs. The results of this research are illustrated by a case study that analyses the impact of Hurricane Sandy. The findings highlight the need for a framework that combines qualitative and quantitative information from heterogeneous sources to improve disaster resilience.
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Tina Comes, Valentin Bertsch, & Simon French. (2013). Designing dynamic stress tests for improved critical infrastructure resilience. In J. Geldermann and T. Müller S. Fortier F. F. T. Comes (Ed.), ISCRAM 2013 Conference Proceedings – 10th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 307–311). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: This paper outlines an approach to support decision-makers in designing resilient critical infrastructure (CI) networks. As CIs have become increasingly interdependent disruptions can have far-reaching impacts. We focus on the vulnerability of CIs and the socio-economic systems, in which they are embedded, independent from any initial risk event. To determine which disruptions are the most severe and must be avoided, quantitative and qualitative assessments of a disruption's consequences and the perspectives of multiple stakeholders need to be integrated. To this end, we combine the results of consequence models and expert assessments into stress test scenarios, which are evaluated using multi-criteria decision analysis techniques. This approach enables dynamic adaption of the stress tests in the face of a fast changing environment and to take account of better information about interdependencies or changing preferences. This approach helps make trade-offs between costs for resilient CIs and potential losses of disruptions clearly apparent.
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