Modeling and Simulation of Incident 

Management for Homeland Security 

Applications

Charles McLean

Y. Tina Lee

Dr. Sanjay Jain

Dr. Charles Hutchings

NISTIR 7787
NISTIR 7787

Modeling and Simulation of Incident 

Management for Homeland Security 

Applications

Charles McLean

Y. Tina Lee

Manufacturing Systems Integration Division

Engineering Laboratory

Dr. Sanjay Jain

George Washington University

Dr. Charles Hutchings

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

September 2011

U.S. Department of Commerce

Rebecca M. Blank, Acting Secretary

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Patrick D. Gallagher, Under Secretary for Standards and Technology and Director
ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate sponsored the 

production of this material under Interagency Agreements HSHQDC-09-X-00009 and HSHQDC-09-X00357 with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The work described was funded 

by the United States Government and is not subject to copyright.

DISCLAIMERS

The findings expressed or implied in this report do not necessarily reflect the official view or policy of the 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, or the United States 

Government.

Some software products may have been identified in context in this report. This does not imply a 

recommendation or endorsement of the software products by the authors or NIST, nor does it imply that 

such software products are necessarily the best available for the purpose. 

Comments or questions about this report may be e-mailed to: simresponse@cme.nist.gov.
iii

Contents

1. Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................1

2. Introduction to Incident Management and Associated DHS Guidance.................................................2

3. Perspectives on Methodologies, Models, and Simulations....................................................................5

4. Needs Analysis Overview....................................................................................................................11

5. Requirements Specifications ...............................................................................................................12

5.1. Intended Use.................................................................................................................................12

5.2. Functional Requirements..............................................................................................................12

5.3. Data Requirements.......................................................................................................................13

5.4. User Interface Requirements........................................................................................................13

5.5. Performance Requirements ..........................................................................................................14

5.6. Credibility and Evaluation Requirements.....................................................................................14

6. Identification of M&S Resources........................................................................................................14

6.1. Projects, Facilities, and Capabilities.............................................................................................14

6.2. Simulations, Models and Tools....................................................................................................16

6.3. Relevant Standards and Guidelines..............................................................................................21

6.3.1 Domain Specific Standards...................................................................................................21

6.3.2 Conceptual Modeling Standards...........................................................................................32

6.3.3 Distributed Simulation Standards..........................................................................................32

6.3.4 Selected Geographic Information System (GIS) Standards..................................................34

6.3.5 Selected Communication Standards......................................................................................39

6.3.6 Training System Standards....................................................................................................40

6.4. Data Sources.................................................................................................................................41

7. Discussions and Recommendations.....................................................................................................49

7.1. Best Practices ............................................................................................................................... 50

7.2. Uncertainties, Cautions and Warnings.........................................................................................50

7.3. Research, Development, Standards, and Implementation Issues .................................................51

8. Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................51

9. References ...........................................................................................................................................52
iv

This page left blank intentionally.
1

1. Purpose

Incident management models and simulations may be used to support analysis, planning, and training 

needs pertaining to terrorist attacks, national security events, natural and man-made disasters. Simulation 

models may be used to understand incident management systems, interdependencies with other systems, 

their vulnerabilities, and the impact of emergency incidents on the population and responder community. 

Incident management models and simulations will be used to support training exercises, performance 

measurement, conceptual design, impact evaluation, response planning, analysis, acquisition, 

conceptualizing and evaluating new systems, vulnerability analysis, economic impact, and determining 

interdependencies between incident management and other infrastructure systems.

The goal of this document is to capture the current knowledge and information resources that can serve as 

a common baseline for researchers and developers of incident management models and simulations for 

homeland security applications. This initial version of the document attempts to assemble relevant, 

publicly available information from a number of sources within U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) and the modeling and simulation (M&S) communities. 

This document is intended to help initiate the discussion of the current leading research, development, 

standards, and implementation issues within the incident management M&S community, as it relates to 

homeland security. The document will be updated based on the input of domain experts across 

government, research, and commercial organizations. These experts will be invited to join together in a 

workshop to review and extend this document for its final publication. The workshop will focus on 

simulation and modeling activities and needs that support analysis, planning, and training for the 

healthcare systems as well as the integration of M&S applications with each other and other data systems. 

Issues to be addressed within the scope of this workshop include the establishment of consensus on: 

• identification of subject matter experts 

• definition of customer and user needs

• system requirements specifications

• recommended/approved modeling techniques and approaches

• identification of data sources, reference data sets, formats, and standards

• identification of appropriate model evaluation and accreditation practices

The workshop will also help identify the current leading research, development, standards, and 

implementation issues. Such analysis by the workshop participants may be found to be relevant by future 

efforts for developing standards, conducting research and development, and enhancing implementation 

policies and procedures for homeland security applications of M&S to improve the protection of critical 

infrastructure systems. A preliminary workshop that addressed modeling and simulation of healthcare 

systems was held in 2008, see [NIST 2010b] for further information.

This document provides a compendium of information that has been assembled that is relevant to incident 

management M&S. Incident management is introduced in Section 2. Section 3 provides a general 

background on methodologies, models, and simulations. An initial set of high level user and customer 

needs for M&S applications in the incident management domain is presented in Section 4. Section 5 

translates the high level needs to a representative set of M&S system requirements (a more detailed 

specification is currently under development in a related effort). The existing M&S resources and 

capabilities such as projects, tools, standards, and data sets that have been developed over the years to 

meet the needs and requirements are identified in Section 6. Section 7 presents a discussion of issues, 

concerns, and recommendations for advancing M&S for critical infrastructure protection emanating from 
2

a comparison of current resources and capabilities with the needs and requirements. Section 8 concludes 

the document while section 9 provides list of references used.

Three additional documents have been prepared as a part of this effort. The other documents address 

M&S for critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR), healthcare systems, and releases of hazardous 

materials. To minimize redundancy between the documents, each document focuses on the M&S 

techniques that are most significant to the sectors mission and objectives. The CIKR document 

emphasizes modeling and simulation supporting analysis of systems (e.g., vulnerability, security), 

whereas the incident management document focuses more on training and exercises. The healthcare 

systems document addresses M&S for analysis, training, and exercises, but at a more detailed level than 

the previous two documents. The hazardous material releases document focuses on the more physical 

aspects of M&S associated with explosions, fires, plumes, and the flow of hazardous materials in building 

ventilation systems, bodies of water, and the soil. The authors recognize that each of the domains may 

employ all of the M&S techniques that have been identified in the other documents, but typically to a 

lesser extent.

The authors welcome identification of omissions as well as suggestions for improvements. Please contact 

the authors directly or submit comments or questions by e-mail to simresponse@cme.nist.gov.

2. Introduction to Incident Management and Associated DHS Guidance

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) [DHS 2008] and National Response Framework 

(NRF) [DHS 2008] provide the relevant guidance for the incident management domain. Incidents and 

their management are defined in NIMS as below.

“Incident: An occurrence, natural or manmade, that requires a response to protect life or property. 

Incidents can, for example, include major disasters, emergencies, terrorist attacks, terrorist threats, civil 

unrest, wildland and urban fires, floods, hazardous materials spills, nuclear accidents, aircraft accidents, 

earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tropical storms, tsunamis, war-related disasters, public health and 

medical emergencies, and other occurrences requiring an emergency response.”

“Incident Management: The broad spectrum of activities and organizations providing effective and 

efficient operations, coordination, and support applied at all levels of government, utilizing both 

governmental and nongovernmental resources to plan for, respond to, and recover from an incident, 

regardless of cause, size, or complexity.”

From the definitions it is clear that incident management has a broad scope since it involves a wide range 

of activities, includes a large number of organizations, in response to an even wider range of emergency 

threats and occurrences. DHS has developed a set of documents to organize and manage the complexity 

of the broad scope. The two major documents are the NIMS and NRF mentioned above, each with a set 

of associated documents and components. Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5 (HSPD-5) [DHS 

2003], called upon the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a national incident management system 

(NIMS). The NIMS provides a systematic approach to guide all involved organizations through the entire 

life-cycle of preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating the effects of 

incidents while the NRF focuses on preparing for and providing a unified national response to incidents. 

NIMS, together with NRF and other documents, provides the structure needed to coordinate, integrate, 

and synchronize activities derived from various relevant statutes, national strategies, and Presidential 

directives to create a unified national approach to implementing the incident management mission (see 

Figure 1). 
3

NIMS has five major components: Preparedness, Communications & Information Management, Resource 

Management, Command & Management, and Ongoing Management & Maintenance. The ongoing 

management & maintenance component specifically refers to M&S. The component has two subsections: 

National Integration Center (NIC) and Supporting Technologies. NIC’s role includes developing M&S 

capabilities for training and exercise programs and maintaining a repository of best practices manuals, 

models, and recommendations.

Figure 1: National Framework for Homeland Security (from [DHS 2009a])

A major sub-component of the Command and Management component of NIMS is the Incident 

Command System (ICS). The Incident Command System is “a standardized, on-scene, all-hazards 

incident management approach that:

• Allows for the integration of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications 

operating within a common organizational structure.

• Enables a coordinated response among various jurisdictions and functional agencies, both public 

and private.

• Establishes common processes for planning and managing resources.” [FEMA 2010]

The ICS calls for use of technical specialists in planning and other parts of the recommended incident 

command organizational structure. The technical specialists’ roles include providing information that 
4

may support tactical decisions on an incident. Numerical modelers are specifically identified as a 

category of technical specialists. M&S experts may thus be included as technical specialists in ICS to 

provide support for tactical decisions.

The NRF defines the roles and responsibilities, response actions and organizations, and emphasizes 

planning as a critical element of the response. It introduces national planning scenarios to be used as a 

critical element for preparedness. The 15 national planning scenarios [FEMA 2009] may be used to help 

focus efforts to prepare for natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other serious incidents. The national 

planning scenarios are Improvised Nuclear Device; Aerosol Anthrax; Pandemic Influenza; Plague; 

Blister Agent; Toxic Industrial Chemicals; Nerve Agent; Chlorine Tank Explosion; Major Earthquake; 

Major Hurricane; Radiological Dispersal Device; Improvised Explosive Device; Food Contamination; 

Foreign Animal Disease; and Cyber Attack.

• Improvised Nuclear Device scenario is based upon a 10-kiloton nuclear detonation in a large 

metropolitan area.

• Aerosol Anthrax scenario is an aerosol attack spread by a truck in a city.

• Pandemic Influenza scenario involves the outbreak of influenza for which there has not been an 

effective preplanned response.

• Plague scenario is a pneumonic plague that strikes three areas of a major metropolitan city.

• Blister Agent scenario involves a light aircraft spraying chemical blister agents into a packed college 

football stadium.

• Toxic Industrial Chemicals scenario is an attack where a group of terrorists land helicopters at a 

petroleum refinery, start fires with rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices that 

result in a toxic chemical release.

• Nerve Agent scenario involves the release of Sarin vapor into the ventilation systems of three 

commercial office buildings in a busy metropolitan area.

• Chlorine Tank Explosion scenario involves an explosion at an industrial facility and the release of a 

large quantity of chlorine gas.

• Major Earthquake scenario is a 7.2 magnitude quake that occurs along a fault zone in a major city.

• Major Hurricane scenario is a Category 5 hurricane that hits a major metropolitan area.

• Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) scenario involves separate Cesium Chloride bomb attacks on 

three regionally close, moderate-to-large cities.

• Improvised Explosive Device (IED) scenario involves IED bombings inside a sports arena, at a 

parking facility near an entertainment complex, and suicide bomber attacks in an underground public 

transportation concourse.

• Food Contamination scenario involves the distribution of anthrax-contaminated ground beef and 

orange juice to different states and cities.

• Foreign Animal Disease scenario is a coordinated bio-terrorism attack that infects farm animals with 

foot and mouth disease at several large livestock operations.

• Cyber Attack is a computer attack that is directed at several parts of the national financial 

infrastructure over the course of several weeks.

M&S tools and applications should, wherever possible, support the fifteen national planning scenarios 

defined by DHS. It is likely that incident management systems will play a significant role in most of the 

national planning scenarios, with the possible exception of the cyber attack scenario.

The NRF defines 15 emergency support functions (ESFs) that can be used to coordinate response in 

functions such as transportation, communications, firefighting, mass care, housing, public health and 

medical services, search and rescue, and energy. Some of the annexes specifically call for use of M&S. 

ESF#8 – Public Health and Emergency Services calls for use of Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric 
5

Assessment Center (IMAAC) to provide predictions using M&S of hazards associated with atmospheric 

releases for use in emergency response. ESF#10- Oil and Hazardous Material also calls for use of 

IMAAC for such predictions and for use of M&S for oil spill trajectory analysis and calculation of 

pipeline oil discharge volumes. The ESF#12- Energy recommends use of M&S for modeling impact of 

disruptions to the energy sector on economy, and on other critical infrastructure and key resources. 

ESF#13 – Public Safety and Security calls for use of modeling and forecasting for crowd size, impact of 

weather, and other conditions to analyze potential factors that may affect resource allocations. It also 

notes the possibility of requesting National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) capabilities 

for geospatial modeling and decision support if needed.

3. Perspectives on Methodologies, Models, and Simulations

Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 1996, defines Methodology as “a body of methods used in 

a particular activity.” Methodology is principles of method, and such principles can be used to study and 

inform problem solving and decision-making. [Checkland 2000] describes a useful model linking 

methodology and the user of a methodology to problem solving: 

‘A problem-solving situation with three elements:

• A user of methodology (this assumes that the user is familiar with the methodology)

• Methodology as documented

• Situation as perceived by the user

Relationship and interactions between the three elements are encapsulated in the LUMAS model 

(Learning, User of methodology, Methodology formally described, Actual approach adopted, and 

real world problem Situation) shown in figure 2. A simple example narrative for the diagram 

may be: A user, U, appreciating a methodology, M, as a coherent set of principles and 

perceiving a problem situation, S, asks, “what can I do?” The User then tailors from M a specific 

approach, A, judged to be appropriate for S, and uses it in an attempt to improve the situation. 

This generates learning, L, which may change the user, U or the methodology, M.

A methodology is, then, a logical framework that not only brings forth learning for an individual, 

but does so in a consistent and systemic manner so learnings can be shared and passed on.’

Another perspective on methodology comes from the International Council on Systems Engineering

(INCOSE) where methodology is defined as “a collection of related processes, methods and tools” 

[INCOSE 2008]. This is based on definitions from [Martin 1996]:

‘Methodology can be differentiated from other related concepts using the following definitions 

from [Martin 1996]:

• A Process (P) is a logical sequence of tasks performed to achieve a particular objective. A 

process defines “WHAT” is to be done, without specifying “HOW” each task is performed. 

The structure of a process provides several levels of aggregation to allow analysis and 

definition to be done at various levels of detail to support different decision-making needs.

• A Method (M) consists of techniques for performing a task, in other words, it defines the 

“HOW” of each task. (In this context, the words: “method,” “technique,” “practice,” and 

“procedure” are often used interchangeably.) At any level, process tasks are performed 

using methods. However, each method is also a process itself, with a sequence of tasks to be 

performed for that particular method. In other words, the “HOW” at one level of abstraction 

becomes the “WHAT” at the next lower level.
6

Yields

Perceives,

Has a concern for

Tailors “M” to “S” yielding

Used to Guide Inquiry 

and Action in

Modifies, Enriches 

Appreciation of

Changes

Appreciates

Actual Approach 

Adopted

(Situation or User 

Specific)

A

Real World Problem 

Situation

S User of Methodology

U

New Problem Situation

“Improved”

Methodology 

Formally 

Described

M

Learning

L

Yields

Becomes 

Becomes 

Figure 2: The LUMAS Model (from [Checkland 2000])

• A Tool (T) is an instrument that, when applied to a particular method, can enhance the 

efficiency of the task; provided it is applied properly and by somebody with proper skills and 

training. The purpose of a tool should be to facilitate the accomplishment of the “HOWs.” In 

a broader sense, a tool enhances the “WHAT” and the “HOW.” Most tools used to support 

systems engineering are computer- or software-based, and are also known as Computer 

Aided Engineering (CAE) tools.

Closely associated with methodology is an Environment (E) that consists of the surroundings, the 

external objects, conditions, or factors that influence the actions of an object, individual person 

or group [Martin 1996]. These conditions can be social, cultural, personal, physical, 

organizational, or functional. The purpose of a project environment should be to integrate and 

support the use of the tools and methods used on that project. An environment thus enables (or 

disables) the “WHAT” and the “HOW”.’

The interrelationship of processes, methods, tools, and environments is graphically represented in Figure 

3.

“Model” and “simulation” can be defined or classified in many ways. For example, the DHS Lexicon 

[DHS 2010] includes the following definitions: 

• Model: approximation, representation, or idealization of selected aspects of the structure, behavior, 

operation, or other characteristics of a real-world process, concept, or system. 

• Simulation: model that behaves or operates like a given process, concept, or system when provided a 

set of controlled inputs. 
7

Figure 3: The Process, Methods, Tools, Environments Elements, and Effects of Technology and 

People (from [INCOSE 2008])

In addition, Department of Defense glossary [DoD 2010] provides the following definition.

• Modeling & Simulation: Modeling and Simulation (M&S): The discipline that comprises the 

development and/or use of models and simulations. M&S is highly dependent upon Information 

Technology as defined in DoD Directive 4630.05, Interoperability and Supportability of Information 

Technology (IT) and National Security Systems (NSS), May 5, 2004. 

a. The use of models, including emulators, prototypes, simulators, and stimulators, either statically or 

over time, to develop data as a basis for making managerial or technical decisions. The terms 

"modeling" and "simulation" are often used interchangeably, but simulations generally execute 

models over time, space, events, or other processes.

The focus of this document is on computer models and simulations – computer implemented physical, 

mathematical, process, phenomenological or other types of models. One perspective on the way in 

which computer models and simulations support methodology is modeled in Figure 4 (M in the LUMAS 

Model). 

Models can broadly be divided into structural and behavior representations of systems, which could 

include mathematical or empirical modeling. Each of these types of models can be implemented using 

computer models for simulation and used to study questions of interest about a particular system. Various 

examples of model types are shown. This list of model types is not complete or exhaustive, but is meant 

to show typical applications of M&S that support methodologies such as operations research, systems 

engineering, experimentation, or other types of analysis.

Although M&S capabilities are tools in many different methodologies, M&S using computers is itself a 

methodology with supporting processes, methods and tools. Figure 5 illustrates a simplified, generic 

process for development of computational M&S capabilities to address a non-trivial engineering or 

scientific problem from the perspective of an M&S developer. The process shown in Figure 5 also maps 

to the LUMAS model as shown in the figure. This process is also applicable to simpler problems where 

trivial steps may be combined. Also, the M&S developer may be the problem solver and consumer of the 

M&S results such as an engineer addressing a systems design question or a program manager doing a 

“what if’ analysis to assess the risk to a program.
8

Modeling

Behavioral 

Structural

Mathematical 

Modeling

Data 

Modeling

Computer Modeling

and Simulation 

Conceptual (language, images)

State Charts

Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) 

Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL)

Finite Element Model (FEM)

Finite Volume Model (FVM)

System Environment Models

Parametric/Empirical Models

Uncertainty Models

Differential Equation Specified Systems (DESS)

Stochastic Models

Logic Models

Linear Programs

Discrete Event System Specification

Discrete Time System Specification

Agent-Based Models

Cellular Automata

Neural Networks

Object-Oriented Models

Mock-up/Prototype

Scale Models; e.g., ships, airplanes

Maps

General 

Knowledge

(Epistemology)

METHODOLOGY

M

Examples of 

Methodologies:

• Policy Analysis

• Operations 

Research

• Systems 

Engineering

• Experimentation

• Statistics

• Test and 

Evaluation

• Computer 

Modeling 

 and 

 Simulation

Figure 4: Modeling in methodology

The first step in the process includes the model or code developer (U) developing a clear understanding of 

what problem situation (S) the consumer of the M&S results is trying to address. A conceptual model of 

the system or problem serves as a framework in developing and implementing the appropriate computer 

modeling capability (A) using the M&S methodology (M) to address the question at hand. With a clear 

conceptual model in mind, developers have a number of choices to make in generating results:

• What data, knowledge, theories, or models are available or applicable to address the problem at hand?

• Is the data, knowledge, or understanding sufficient in both quality and quantity to address the problem 

at hand, or will additional data or observations be required to support development?

• What is the risk of using erroneous results, e.g., will these results be the only input to a decision, or 

will other sources of information be available to support decision making?

• How can the conceptual model be expressed mathematically or physically?

• What boundary and initial condition should be used?

• What modeling paradigm or approach would be most appropriate to implement the analysis?

• Given the developers’ experience, what particular codes or capabilities would be most suitable for 

implementing the model, considering software, hardware, and other constraints and limitations?

• Given the code or computer capability has been developed, have any mistakes or errors been made in 

completing this or in entering the data?

• Given there are no mistakes or errors found in developing the capability or entering the data, are the 

results realistic, and do they make sense?

• What approach should be used to ensure that the results are correct?

• How do uncertainties and approximations affect the computational results?

• Given that everything else is correct, are the results suitable to address the problem at hand?

• How should the results and associated uncertainty be present for use in decision making?
9

Grounds

Uses

Includes

Informs

Computer Model/

Simulation A

Problem at Hand / 

System S

Model Developer

U

M&S Results

M&S 

Methodology

M

Consumer of Results

Observations and 

Data Conceptual Model

Evaluation Process

(VV&A)

L

Uses

Supports

Supports

Creates 

Produces

Enhances

Address Checks

Data from 

Existing 

Systems

Interprets

Grounds

Creates

Evaluates

Specify Intended

Use to Address

Inform 

Accredit 

Grounds 

Guides Development and Use of

Needs

Figure 5: Computer Modeling and Simulation – Developer’s Perspective

M&S capabilities are used to model only selected aspects of a system and the models are implemented in 

a computing environment; therefore, the models need to be critically evaluated to ensure that the results 

are credible for their specific intended use, and this is typically done using an evaluation process (L) 

which is included in the M&S methodology (M) and informs the model developer (U) of the quality of 

the M&S capability and results in addressing the problem at hand (S).

Evaluation of M&S capabilities and results should take into account the many factors that affect the 

quality of the results including the level of understanding or knowledge of the issues being addressed and 

the experience level of model developers. Several organizations have developed processes and guidelines 

to address the credibility of M&S capabilities. For example, DoD has a process for documentation, 

evaluation, and certification of M&S results known as Verification, Validation and Accreditation 

(VV&A) that is defined in a recommended practice guide [DoD 2006]. The DoD process is implemented 

in policy, which develops a common understanding of the major steps in the VV&A process defined as 

below [DoD 2009]:

• Verification. The process of determining that a model implementation and its associated data 

accurately represents the developer’s conceptual description and specifications. 

• Validation. The process of determining the degree to which a model and its associated data are an 

accurate representation of the real world from the perspective of the intended uses of the model. 

• Accreditation. The official certification that a model, simulation, or federation of models and 

simulations and its associated data are acceptable for use for a specific purpose.
10

All M&S capabilities should complete verification and validation (V&V). M&S capabilities used as the 

primary input to critical decision making, e.g., on cost, schedule, or performance of the system, should be 

formally accredited to certify that the results are credible for their intended use. Analysts and decisionmakers need to be aware of these sorts of issues when presented with computational modeling and 

simulation results.

[Balci 1998] developed a taxonomy and describes the use of different methods to evaluate M&S 

capabilities and results based on software testing approaches. Figure 6 identifies these verification, 

validation, and testing methods or techniques which can be used to support an evaluation process such as 

VV&A. 

Figure 6: Taxonomy of Verification, Validation, and Testing Techniques (from [Balci 1998])
11

In addition to the use of recommended practices for conceptual modeling and ensuring model credibility, 

model developers should employ recommended practices for a number of other aspects. [Jain 2011] 

recommends best practices for modeling, simulation, and analysis for homeland security applications for 

the following aspects:

1. conceptual modeling 

2. innovative approaches 

3. software engineering 

4. model confidence/ verification, validation and accreditation (VV&A) 

5. use of standards 

6. interoperability 

7. execution performance 

8. user friendliness and accessibility 

4. Needs Analysis Overview

Modeling and simulation should be used to support the needs of various managers, analysts, service 

providers, and first responders within the homeland security community. Most importantly, it must 

support the planning and response needs of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) partners 

including the Department of Homeland Security and other federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and 

private sector organizations. The high level needs, identified below, have been derived from the NIPP, the 

National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC) mission statement [NISAC 2010], as 

well as a number of other DHS documents, and outside sources. A list of high level user/customer needs 

for incident management M&S follows:

• Provide models of the normal operations of incident management systems, as well as the effects of 

epidemics, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks upon them to support analysis, planning, and 

response activities of homeland security incident management system partners.

• Establish incident management models, simulations, and data sets that support the national planning 

scenarios.

• Support planning for facility defense and security, selection and placement of incident management 

monitoring devices and system sensors to update status information, damage assessment, coordinated 

shutdown, and accelerated recovery of incident management systems.

• Provide M&S capabilities to help establish priorities and potential mitigation strategies for protecting 

and/or isolating the impact of events on the population and incident management systems.

• Predict economic impacts of disasters and other relevant incident management events.

• Provide decision-makers the ability to assess policy, investment, and resource allocation options that 

address critical infrastructure needs – near and long term.

• Provide an integrating function that includes the identification and modeling of incident management 

system interdependencies. Supported interdependencies should include physical, geographic, cyber, 

and logical (see [Rinaldi 2004]); enable the integration of national, regional, local systems and data 

sources; bring together disparate users, information providers, and individual infrastructure sector 

leaders.

• Move towards predictive capabilities that use science-based tools to understand the behavior and 

expected performance of interrelated infrastructures (predictive capabilities should support various 

conditions, incident management systems, and event parameters such as time of day for events, level 

of demand for the incident management system, system weaknesses, capacity of facilities, 

mobilization resources, surge capacity, temporary support organizations, their systems, and 

functions).
12

• Establish virtual capabilities that provide portals for nation-wide remote access and communications 

to incident management-related modeling, simulation, and analysis capabilities.

• Identify user data and interfaces needed for each incident management model and event type.

• Provide standard formats for the import and export of data between the portal and external data 

sources.

• Assist in planning for the backup and/or remote siting of critical data sources outside of regions 

affected by events, e.g., hurricane disaster areas.

• Provide simulation and analysis capabilities to a wide range of users that will enhance the 

understanding of vulnerabilities, risks, and event consequences to incident management systems.

• Provide education and training to public and private decision-makers on how to cope effectively with 

crisis events.

• Provide capabilities for coordinating incident management operations with other government

agencies, and other organizations as well as conducting media interactions.

5. Requirements Specifications

This section provides a high level “shopping list” of requirements for incident management simulations 

and models. Requirement specifications are categorized into the following major areas:

• Intended Use (Section 5.1)

• Functional requirements (Section 5.2)

• Data requirements (Section 5.3)

• User interface requirements (Section 5.4)

• Performance requirements (Section 5.5)

• Credibility and Evaluation Requirements (Section 5.6)

A specific system implementation may contain only a subset of these requirements as determined by 

program management and/or the customer/user.

5.1. Intended Use

Incident management models and simulations will be used by incident managers, emergency planners, 

first responders, and training personnel to:

a) Analyze the resource requirements, behavior, and performance of incident management systems.

b) Conduct training exercises, drills, emergencies, tests, alerts, real world incidents, and planning for 

national security events.

c) Determine the readiness of incident management systems to respond to various types of emergencies.

d) Model past incidents for education, training, and analysis purposes.

5.2. Functional Requirements

This section identifies possible functions that may be included in incident management models and 

simulations.

a) Provide functions to create high level models of responder evolutions over time to support system 

performance and resource analysis.

b) Provide training and exercise simulations for incident management that provide functionality for 

various incident and exercise parameters, exercise control, and after action reviews.
13

c) Provide various types of training implementations including table top exercises, 2D and 3D computer 

gaming, and immersive virtual reality environments.

d) Provide capabilities to refine simulations based on actual incident data, field measurements, and 

sensor data.

e) Support vector and raster representations of geography, buildings, and other structures.

f) Support a range of different grid resolutions on incident management models, maps and displays, e.g., 

30 meter, 100 meter, 1 kilometer, 10 kilometer.

g) Support the integration and/or distributed execution of interrelated models including hazardous 

material release exposure and hazard effects, critical infrastructure systems, healthcare systems, 

weather, and watershed flows.

h) Identify regions where the exposed population will experience life threatening, serious long-lasting or 

notable effects from incidents.

5.3. Data Requirements

This section identifies input and output data types that may be supported for incident management models 

and simulations.

a) Structure of responder organizations and inventory of responder resources

b) Standard incident management processes and procedures

c) Message logs and incident time lines

d) Specification of the incident area including event types and parameters, timing of events, schedule of 

responder activities, terrain and buildings in affected areas

e) Demographics data: population location, density, and attributes by time of day

f) Meteorological data: observed and forecast weather conditions that may affect an incident including 

wind speed, direction, and precipitation

g) Plume data hazardous material releases and explosions

h) Support of appropriate data standards in model implementations, training and exercise simulations, 

e.g., SCORM - Shareable Content Object Reference Model [ADL 2011]

5.4. User Interface Requirements

This section identifies user interface capabilities that may be supported for incident management models 

and simulations.

a) Provide capabilities to configure simulation runs with specific incident types and associated 

parameters, affected populations, responder resources, weather conditions, and geographic regions.

b) Generate graphical views of incident and responder activities over a 2D or 3D representation of area 

of interest at different levels of resolution.

c) Provide user control mechanisms that affect rapid execution/playback of simulation runs to move 

forward and back to desired points in time.

d) Use various DHS standard symbology, maps, and representation schemes to display incident 

parameters, resource locations, and timelines.

e) Provide virtual reality interfaces to support 3d gaming for incident management exercises.

f) Provide exercise controller interfaces to effect the initiation, execution, as well as playback of 

exercise simulations for after action reviews and hot washes. 

g) Provide interfaces to generate still image and video files that can be used to transfer results for 

viewing or playback using other software tools.
14

5.5. Performance Requirements

This section identifies possible performance considerations for incident management models and 

simulations.

a) Support time scaling of models and simulations and abilities to move forward rapidly in time to focus 

on events of interest (real-time and faster than real-time to support analysis during actual incidents).

b) Provide for updates from real time meteorological databases and observations.

c) Share model predictions with other software applications.

d) Provide capabilities for interoperable networked implementations at different sites by different 

organizations.

5.6. Credibility and Evaluation Requirements

This section identifies approaches that may be used to evaluate and determine the credibility of incident 

management models and simulations.

a) Conduct walkthroughs of simulation models of incident management simulations and models with 

experienced incident managers and first responders.

b) Compare results and predictions of incident management models against past events using historical 

data.

c) Conduct side by side training exercises using conventional techniques (e.g., tabletop exercises) and 

computer-based simulations to compare effectiveness in achieving intended goals such as training 

objectives, realism, and exercise resource requirements.

6. Identification of M&S Resources

This section identifies existing M&S resources that support incident management and are possibly 

relevant to meeting some of the needs and requirements presented in sections 4 and 5. Resources that 

primarily support other M&S areas or domains, e.g., critical infrastructure, are not included. Topics 

addressed include:

• Projects, facilities and capabilities (Section 6.1)

• Simulation models and tools (Section 6.2)

• Relevant standards and Guidelines (Section 6.3)

• Data sources (Section 6.4)

6.1. Projects, Facilities, and Capabilities

A number of projects have been initiated to address incident management M&S issues, although some 

have been sponsored by DHS, there have been others conducted by outside organizations both within and 

outside of the U.S. A preliminary list of projects follows:

Complex Event Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis Project: This project focuses on interdependencies, 

cascading effects, and the dynamics of multi-event and multi-vector attacks. This effort will provide 

significant improvements in timelines, quality and usability of information to provide decision makers upto-date information to make informed decisions during an event. The program will leverage the 

capabilities developed for the Critical Infrastructure Protection Decision Support System (CIPDSS) and 

sector-specific modeling, simulation and analysis (MSA). The project is within the Infrastructure 
15

Protection Thrust Area and the Modeling, Simulation and Analysis Program of the Infrastructure and 

Geophysical Division [DHS 2009b]. 

Emergency Operations Training Center (EOTC), Texas Engineering Extension Service: Located in 

College Station, Texas, the center is a state-of-the-art emergency management and incident command 

training facility operated by the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center, a division of 

the Texas Engineering Extension Service. The EOTC's goal is to provide participants (including 

government agencies, corporate industrial teams, and jurisdictions from across the nation) the skills they 

need to respond to, manage, and recover from large-scale incidents. The EOTC provides a wide spectrum 

of possible operations, ranging from the incident command post perspective to the emergency operations 

center and multi-agency coordination viewpoint at the local, regional or state levels. The overall incident 

management structure used in the EOTC replicates the Incident Command System and follows the 

National Incident Management System (NIMS) as required in the National Response Framework (NRF). 

The 32,000-square-foot EOTC uses state-of-the-art simulation and computer-based technologies to train 

incident managers, supervisors, and jurisdiction officials in the management of a large-scale crisis using a 

unified command approach, which can be tailored to any group [TEEX 2010]. 

Incident Management Simulation Laboratory (Simlab), U.S. Fire Administration, Emmitsburg, MD: The 

laboratory is configured to afford candidates "real-world" training in a variety of emergency situations 

encompassing incidents such as dwelling fires, commercial and large structure fires, catastrophic disasters 

and major emergency events, such as hazardous materials releases and mass casualty incidents. 3D 

computer models are used to provide visual clues, which are generated through the use of commercial offthe-shelf special effects, graphics, and animation software, and controlled through a standard personal 

computer by menu driven software. The goal of the simulation training is to provide the student with a 

variety of visual and auditory cues that will enhance the decision-making process in practical situations. 

This training provides realistic experience in the application of the principles of the National Incident 

Management System (NIMS) and conversancy with the recognition primed decision-making model of 

higher order cue-based decision-making [USFA 2010c].

Integrated Modeling, Mapping, and Simulation (IMMS) program and Standard Unified Modeling and 

Mapping Integration Toolkit (SUMMIT): The IMMS program is designing and prototyping a simulation 

and collaboration environment for linking together existing and future modeling and simulation tools to 

enable analysts, emergency planners, and incident managers to more effectively, economically, and 

rapidly prepare, analyze, train, and respond to real or potential incidents. When complete, the IMMS 

program will demonstrate an integrated modeling and simulation capability that supports emergency 

managers and responders with 1) conducting “what-if” analyses and exercises to address preparedness, 

analysis, training, operations, and lessons learned, and 2) effectively, economically, and rapidly verifying 

response tactics, plans and procedures. IMMS program is developing the Standard Unified Modeling and 

Mapping Integration Toolkit (SUMMIT), a software framework for rapidly linking together these 

resources, and supporting collaboration across user communities. SUMMIT will enable discovery and 

exploitation of models, simulations, data, and archived analyses that are relevant to a specific scenario or 

event of interest and bringing together users and modeling resources from many locations while ensuring 

that access to existing data and models is controlled by the resource owners [DHS 2010d].

National Exercise Simulation Center, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): The National 

Exercise Simulation Center (NESC) is a Congressionally-mandated state-of-the-art training and exercise 

facility within FEMA Headquarters, and serves as a key element within the Federal Coordination Center 

(FCC). The FCC draws on the specialized capabilities of its FEMA elements, including the Disaster 

Operations Directorate, the National Preparedness Directorate, the Office of National Capital Region 

Coordination, and others as needed, to collaborate with and support deliberate planning, training, 

exercises and response operations coordination [FEMA 2010h]. The NESC is focused on utilizing 
16

decision support simulation to increase exercise realism and immersion in lifelike scenarios. It integrates 

Human Based Simulations (actors) and Computer Based Simulations for the purpose [Holtermann 2010]. 

Simulation Based Incident Planning and Response project: This project provides FEMA analysts, 

decision makers, policy makers as well as emergency managers, and operators an integrated modeling and 

simulation capability to effectively, economically, and rapidly verify and validate response tactics, plans 

and procedures and to conduct "what-if" type analyses prior to an incident (preparedness, analysis, 

training) and during/after an incident (operational, lessons learned) [DHS 2009b].

Security and Incident Modeling Lab (SIMLAB), U.S. Secret Service: SIMLAB uses MS&A assets and 

technologies to develop simulated training exercises for the Service's protective detail teams, tactical 

response units and counter-surveillance units. SIMLAB also employs modeling and simulation for 

planning and analysis. These projects are typically for prototyping emergency preparedness strategies, 

defensive and counter-measure analyses, vulnerability and risk assessments, resource threshold studies 

and many other contingency examinations [U.S. Army 2007]. 

Training, Exercise & Lessons Learned (TELL) project: The TELL project is developing a federated 

simulation-based training and exercise capability that uses advanced computer models and will allow 

responders at all levels to affordably train and exercise for large and complex events in a 

virtual/constructive/live environment. TELL will link multiple agencies, functions, and jurisdictions to 

improve preparedness and decision-making for emergency responders and managers. TELL incorporates 

training objectives, scenarios, and metrics defined by other programs, and the capability to capture 

lessons learned to improve future emergency response capabilities [DHS 2009b]. 

6.2. Simulations, Models and Tools

A number of incident management modeling and training tools have been developed through the efforts 

of federal agencies, universities, research organizations and commercial companies. This section lists 

existing tools that have been identified through Internet searches and site visits to known organizations 

involved in M&S of incident management systems. The tools are arranged alphabetically based on their 

developer’s acronyms, or in some cases, abbreviations assigned by the authors for purposes of the 

readability of this document.

Tool Acronym Brief Description

ACATS Advanced Conflict and Tactical Simulation (ACATS) software is for training first 

responders in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological (CBR), or nuclear 

terrorist attack in an urban scenario. ACATS provides the ability to model 

contaminant flows throughout urban environments and into buildings through their 

HVAC systems. ACATS is able to look at conceptual operations through additional 

modeling capabilities that include human injuries and fatalities, portable CBR sensors, 

building evacuation, crowd behavior, and responder tactics [LLNL 2010]. 

ADMS Advanced Disaster Management Simulator (ADMS) is available in two versions. 

ADMS-COMMAND is an on-scene incident command training simulator for first 

responders and on-scene commanders in mono and multi-agency operations, from 

basic incidents to complex disasters. It bridges the gap between tabletop exercises and 

real world experience. Common learning objectives are Command, Control, 

Coordination and Communication [ETC 2010a]. 
17

ADMS-EOC ADMS-EOC is for training strategic level incident management teams, and 

Emergency Operations Center personnel. ADMS-EOC includes additional learning 

objectives such as Planning, Mapping, Logistics and Information Management. 

ADMS-EOC can be combined with ADMS-COMMAND to train on-scene and 

strategic command at the same time [ETC 2010b]. 

ASOCC Area Security Operations Command and Control (ASOCC) is an interactive 

computer-based system designed to provide real-time situational awareness 

capabilities. It can provide graphic and imagery-based photographs and maps with 

supporting data, collaboration capabilities, a log and alert function, and a means to 

access and display updated information from web-based status board and databases. It 

was originally developed by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) for 

U.S. military use. ASSOC may provide access to data on current situation needed for 

simulation of response options [CWID 2004]. 

BioDAC Biological Weapons of Mass Destruction Decision Analysis Center has been 

developed at Sandia. It combines multiple simulations for analysis of decisions 

related to a biological agent release. The simulation includes: threat, population, 

health monitoring, environmental monitoring, and incident management roles of 

multiple involved groups. It was used to support an exercise in San Diego. Insights 

gained from the exercise and analyses have been incorporated in to the development 

of National Bio-Monitoring Architecture [Linebarger 2007].

CEMPlanner Comprehensive Emergency Management Planner (CEMPlanner) is a web-based 

planning system that creates industry compliant plans. It provides customizable 

templates that collect the information and generates emergency operation plans 

(EOP), site plans and all of their components. The software is included in this list 

since it may be possible to input the generated plans in to simulation models for 

evaluation [Previstar 2008]. 

Commander Commander is a situational awareness tool built on the Geospatial Information 

System (GIS) application developed by Intergraph known as GeoMedia. It includes 

other critical information such as vehicle tracking, plume cloud distribution, dynamic 

building and vehicle gate status. It also allows resource tracking, interfacing with the 

Warfighter Protection Lab (WPL) simulation suite, and as a front end driver for the 

Center for Domestic Preparedness Incident Command Course tool [Belk 2006].

CPS The Continual Preparedness System (CPS) is primarily a crisis information 

management software (CIMS) from Previstar, but it includes predictive modeling 

capabilities including a bio-agents model set for infectious and non-infectious 

diseases and hurricane debris model. A model builder is available for users to build 

their own models [Previstar 2008].

CrowdSim Developed at LANL, CrowdSim is an agent-based framework for simulating large 

crowd dynamics. It simulates behavior of pedestrians in a crowd. It has been used to 

model the national mall. It was originally built on Repast and includes event handler 

and visualization. It is now being enhanced using particle and cell modeling 

computational techniques [Saeger 2007].
18

DI-Guy Dismounted Infantry Guy (DI-Guy) Scenario was developed by Boston Dynamics as 

an interactive, three-dimensional simulation depicting individuals and their behaviors. 

The Warfighter Protection Lab employs DI-Guy to create scenarios and control the 

placement and behavior of characters in detailed urban environments, allowing 

emergency responders to train for situational scenarios outside of actual emergency 

events [BostonDyn 2007]. 

DrillSim The DrillSim simulator is a multi-agent crisis simulator that can play out the activities 

of the response (e.g., evacuation) during a crisis from the perspective of IT solution 

integration. The simulator can model different response activities at both the macro 

and micro level, and model the information flow between different entities. IT 

solutions, models, etc. can be plugged in at different interfaces between these 

activities to study the effectiveness of research solutions in disaster management and 

tested for utility in disaster response. DrillSim is being developed at the University of 

California at Irvine [Massaguer 2006].

EM*ES Emergency Management Exercise System (EM*ES) is a scenario-driven simulationsupported exercise environment that offers great flexibility with respect to the 

targeted training audience and types of incidents introduced in the scenario. It is 

available in both web-based and distributed application variants. It can be used 

operationally as a command and control system and blurs the line between training 

and operations. It provides a common operational picture for emergency management 

personnel thereby facilitating a higher state of situational awareness for all 

participants. It is fully compliant with the National Incident Management System 

(NIMS) [Wall 2009].

EMST Emergency Management Staff Trainer (EMST) is a multi-player simulation-based 

exercise system geared toward emergency response professionals. EMST provides 

scenarios, exercises, and other capabilities that support the structure of the National 

Incident Management System (NIMS), including both individual and team training 

for the fifteen FEMA Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). EMST is an all-hazards 

trainer, with a range of scenarios including natural disasters, terrorist attacks, 

pandemic, and civil unrest. Each EMST exercise scenario presents an unfolding 

situation through email, news videos, website articles, simulated phone calls, 

meetings, maps, images, and other injects, and requires the participant to take action 

to respond to or mitigate the situation [ECS 2010].

Ground Truth Ground Truth is designed for high-level incident commanders who need to understand 

how to best allocate their resources. The game also educates users on the dangers 

faced by on-scene emergency responders. The serious game has been developed at 

Sandia National Laboratory at Livermore with support from University of Southern 

California’s GamePipe Laboratory [Janes 2007].

Hydra Hydra is a training simulator designed to provide incident command officers and 

senior-investigating officers with training that is as close to the real thing as possible. 

The Hydra system provides students with a chance to experience the management of 

large-scale criminal investigations and major critical incident command. It includes 

support for fast-time and slow-time decision making, tactical and strategic levels of 

command, complex information and action flow, simulated resource management, 

and decision tracking and audit [Hydra 2010]. Developed in the United Kingdom, the 
19

simulation system is in use at the Los Angeles Police Department [Pittman 2010].

IC2020 Incident Command 2020 (IC2020) is being developed at Dartmouth College as a 

prototype of a next-generation incident command software architecture that combines 

situational awareness, embedded simulation, and planning functions. It is designed to 

be a realization of the NIMS incident command system and common operational 

picture, and to be a research and demonstration platform for simulation, sensor 

integration, and human factors studies. The simulation that supports IC2020 manages 

the state of simulated objects (vehicles, personnel, equipment) and generates event 

notifications [McGrath 2006].

ICATS Incident Command Analytic Training System (ICATS) is being developed at LLNL 

with ACATS at its core (see earlier entry for ACATS). ICATS is a collection of 

simulations and technologies that provides a solution for the training of our federal, 

state, and local emergency incident managers. ICATS is being used to evaluate and 

train incident command staff making critical decisions in a stressful virtualcatastrophe environment. It links them simultaneously from distributed locations and 

jurisdictions and enables them, individually and collectively, to experience the 

immediate consequences of their decisions and determine the best course of response

[LLNL 2010]. 

ICWM Incident Command Workflow Modeling has been developed at Monmouth 

University. It provides on the fly modification and validation of workflow for ICS. It 

has been designed with volunteers in mind who may need intuitive features for the 

description and modification of the workflow [Wang 2008].

Incident 

Commander 

Incident Commander is a PC-based simulation developed for the U.S. Department of 

Justice by BreakAway to train first responders, emergency personnel and multiagency personnel to plan, and prepare for emergency and crisis situations. Incident 

Commander can train up to 16 players simultaneously, with users assuming roles as 

either the commander or members of the operations team. The game simulates various 

crisis scenarios, including a natural disaster, a school hostage situation, and a 

terrorism incident in a hypothetical any town, USA setting [Breakaway 2010].

JNEM Joint Non-kinetic Effects Model (JNEM) developed at the Jet Propulsion Lab is a tool 

developed for DoD requirements to model non-kinetic effects such as the reaction of 

crowd and civilians in areas surrounding a force action. The tool models a number of 

situations such as power outages, water shortages, and sewage spill, and their impact 

on civilian mood. Civilian concerns and mood are in turn modeled based on 

perceived autonomy, safety, culture and quality of life. The tool is also applicable to 

homeland security scenarios and has been used to support Ardent Sentry – Northern 

Edge 07 exercise conducted jointly by DoD and DHS [Chamberlain 2006].

LMIS LMIS is a simulation-based exercise and training capability whose focus is on disaster 

response and recovery. LMIS is derived from DoD simulations including the Joint 

Semi Automated Forces (JSAF) code base, which is a highly scalable civilian model 

utilizing entity-level modeling with aggregate-level network data and behavior 

models; the Warfighters Simulation (WARSIM), an aggregate-level command and 

staff training simulation with in-depth logistics models and interfaces to operational 

command & control (C2) and situational awareness systems; and a variety of 
20

additional models and capabilities specific to the domain of disaster response [Beck 

2009].

LPAT Logistics Process Analysis Tool (LPAT) has been developed at ANL. The LPAT 

model helps the planners quantitatively evaluate the transportation and logistics 

aspects of their emergency plans through a “from warehouse to citizen” simulation. 

Planners are able to use LPAT’s macro-level logistics and transportation component 

independently or together with its micro-level process simulation component to test, 

analyze and understand the interactive elements of the supply chain, the impact of 

conflicting priorities, and the consequences of logistics decisions before 

implementation of the plan. By using LPAT, planners can define the range and scope 

of a logistical operation and predict the type and quantity of assets required for a 

particular response or recovery effort [ANL 2010a]. 

OREMS Oak Ridge Evacuation Modeling System (OREMS) can be used to estimate 

evacuation time and to develop evacuation plans for different events or scenarios 

(e.g., good vs. bad weather conditions, day vs. nighttime evacuations) for user-defined 

spatial boundaries. The system permits experimentation with alternate routes, 

destinations, traffic control management strategies, and evacuee response rates. For 

every scenario it is possible to identify evacuation or clearance times, traffic 

operational characteristics (e.g., average evacuation speed), bottlenecks, and other 

information necessary to develop effective evacuation plans and to conduct 

transportation infrastructure vulnerability studies [ORNL 2010a].

PLAN C Planning with Large Agent-Networks against Catastrophes (PLAN C) is an agentbased simulation tool for emergency managers, urban planners and public health 

officials to prepare and evaluate Pareto-optimal plans to respond to urban catastrophic 

situations. PLAN C uses a large-scale computational multi-agent based disaster 

simulation framework involving thousands of agents. It has been able to simulate the 

complex dynamics of emergency responses in different urban catastrophic scenarios 

(e.g., chemical agent, bomb explosion, food poisoning, small pox). It can devise plans 

that optimize multiple objective functions (e.g., number of casualties, economic 

impact, time to recovery) in terms of their Pareto frontier in a high-dimensional space; 

for this purpose, it uses an evolutionary genetic search algorithm. It is designed to be 

used and parameterized by relatively unsophisticated users. The technology can be 

transferred to any urban setting, to multiple computer platforms, and to different 

modes (offline or online) of planning [NYU 2009]. 

Play2Train Play2Train is a virtual training space in SecondLife designed to support Strategic 

National Stockpile (SNS), Simple Triage Rapid Transportation (START), Risk 

Communication and Incident Command System (ICS) training. This virtual 

environment, which currently comprises a town and two hospitals, spreads over three 

islands Asterix, Obelix and Getafix (65536 x 3 sq. meters). Play2Train provides 

opportunities for training through interactive role playing. This project implements 

one of the distance learning methodologies proposed by the Idaho Bioterrorism 

Awareness and Preparedness program (IBAPP) project [ISU 2010].

Restore Developed at ANL, Restore models complex sets of steps required to accomplish a 

goal, such as repairing a ruptured natural gas pipeline, when the time required to 

complete a step may be uncertain due to such factors as the time of day, weather, and 
21

availability of crew. Restore allows a user to estimate the time and cost (which may 

also be uncertain) needed to achieve an intermediate stage of completion, as well as 

overall completion. It can also model workarounds and a simultaneous complete 

repair to obtain a distribution for the earliest time until service (either temporary via 

the workaround or normal via complete repair, whichever comes first) can be 

restored. The tool also identifies the “most active path” through the network of tasks. 

It generates output graphs of probability distributions for overall and intermediate 

completion times [ANL 2010b]. 

VISAC Visual Interactive Site Analysis Code (VISAC), developed at ORNL, is a Java-based 

expert system that provides mission planners with a coordinated capability to predict 

and analyze the outcomes of different accidents/incidents at various nuclear and 

industrial facilities. The incidents can range from simple individual equipment 

sabotage to complex sorties that utilize a range of military weapons, simulated truck 

or car bombs, or satchel charges. The target facility is generated by either customizing 

existing 3-D CAD models for near real-time analysis or creating a new model from 

scratch. Using event/fault tree methodology, VISAC provides the probability of 

facility kill, the probability of undesirable collateral effects (chemical or radiological 

releases), and an estimate of facility down time [ORNL 2010b]. 

6.3. Relevant Standards and Guidelines

This section identifies standards and guidelines that are potentially relevant to the development of M&S 

applications for incident management systems. The standards and guidelines may include mechanisms 

and formats for the interchange of data, data storage, generation of information displays, integration of 

systems, and/or conceptualization and design of incident management M&S applications. Subsection 1 

includes the standards that are specific to incident management domain. The following subsections list 

standards that are common across the homeland security applications of M&S and focus on conceptual 

modeling, distributed simulation, geographical information system (GIS), communications, and training 

respectively.

6.3.1 Domain Specific Standards

Standard Title Overview

Advisory and Notification Markup 

Language (ANML)

Description: The Open Security Organization is developing an 

Advisory and Notification Markup Language (ANML). ANML 

is an XML-based specification for describing advisories and 

other types of notifications. ANML intends to solve the 

inconsistent use of terminology by software vendors in their 

advisories and make it easy for applications to read these 

advisories. Although ANML will have its biggest impact for 

security advisories, it can be used for any type of notification 

[OASIS 2010a].

Standard Type: Industry specification

Organization: Open Security Organization

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface
22

Caltech-USGS Broadcast of 

Earthquakes (CUBE) Message 

Format 

Description: A message format used to report earthquake 

broadcast messages from the Caltech-USGS Broadcast of 

Earthquakes (CUBE) system, a real-time notification system for 

earthquake information. A CUBE message consists of an 

identification segment, earthquake’s time, location, magnitude, 

and depth. CUBE format is a fixed-format, card-like version of 

the information in the merged catalog. It contains the same 

information provided in the XML format, except that there is no 

information on 'duplicate' event ids, which occur when networks 

other than the authoritative network submits information on the 

same event. The minimum magnitude of events included in the 

CUBE catalog varies from region to region depending upon the 

density of the reporting networks [USGS 2010].

Standard Type: CUBE 

Organization: California Institute of Technology Seismological 

Laboratory (Caltech), United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

Common Biometric Exchange 

Formats Framework (CBEFF)

Description: The Common Biometric Exchange Formats 

Framework (CBEFF) describes the data elements necessary for 

biometric data interchange among proprietary application 

programs. It describes a set of data elements necessary to 

support biometric technologies in a common way. These data 

elements can be placed in a single file used to exchange 

biometric information between different system components or 

between systems themselves. The result promotes 

interoperability of biometric-based application programs and 

systems developed by different vendors by allowing biometric 

data interchange. Specifically, ANSI International Committee 

for Information Technology Standards (INCITS) 398 supports 

multiple biometric data types (e.g., fingerprint, face, and voice 

recognition.) and/or multiple biometric data blocks of the same 

biometric type. It also defines biometric data objects for use 

within smart cards and other tokens and describes common 

fields for biometric features and the validity period [ANSI 

2010].

Standard Type: ANSI INCITS 398-2008

Organization: American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

Common Intrusion Detection 

Signatures Standard (CIDSS)

Description: The purpose of the Common Intrusion Detection 

Signatures Standard (CIDSS) is to define a common data format 

for storing signatures from different intrusion detection systems. 

CIDSS describes a common data format to represent information 

contained in signatures of intrusion detection systems, and 

explains the rationale for using this common format. The 

proposed format is a dialect of the Extensible Markup Language 

(XML) [OASIS 2010a].

Standard Type: CIDSS Version 05

Organization: CIDSS Development Group

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface
23

Critical Infrastructure Protection 

Initiative (CIPI)

Description: The Open GIS Consortium (OGC) Critical 

Infrastructure Protection Initiative (CIPI) is an OGC 

Interoperability Initiative designed to test the application of 

interoperable technology to meet Critical Infrastructure 

Detection, Prevention, Planning, Response, and Recovery 

challenges. The Critical Infrastructure Protection Initiative 

Phase 1, Requirement Set 2 (CIPI-1.2) is a pilot project that 

leverages the success of previous and ongoing OGC initiatives 

to improve interoperability across communities that need to 

collaborate to detect, prevent, plan for, respond to, and recover 

from natural and human threats to telecommunications, water 

resources, oil and gas, government, transportation, emergency 

response, electric power and health services infrastructure. A 

collaborative effort, CIPI is being conducted in coordination 

with federal, state, local government, commercial, and nongovernment sponsors. CIPI will also identify requirements for 

new specifications to advance plug and play interoperability for 

critical infrastructure protection. The work on CIPI 1.2 has 

produced Draft Interoperability Reports [OGC 2010].

Standard Type: CIPI, Phase 1.2

Organization: Open GIS Consortium (OGC)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Emergency Alert System-Common 

Alerting Protocol (EAS-CAP) 

Implementation Guide

Description: Public warnings intended for transmission over the 

Emergency Alert System (EAS) can be encoded in Common 

Alerting Protocol (CAP) messages in various ways. The EASCAP Industry Group (ECIG) Implementation Guide (Version 

1.0) has been compiled in light of the draft OASIS CAP v1.2 

specification and the Integrated Public Alert and Warning 

System (IPAWS) CAP-EAS Profile v1.0, as well as the results 

of a public comment period on the prior draft Implementation 

Guide. The guide is intended to further reduce areas of 

uncertainty in how an alert will be presented to the public via 

CAP-EAS, so that originators and distributors of alerts can 

deliver the intended message to the public, regardless of the 

vendors or platforms involved [ECIG 2010]. 

Standard Type: ECIG-IG-1.0 

Organization: EAS-CAP Industry Group (ECIG)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Emergency Management Standard Description: The Emergency Management Standard by the 

Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) is 

designed as a tool for continuous improvement as part of a 

voluntary accreditation process for local and state emergency 

management programs. EMAP makes no representation or 

guarantee as to the efficacy of any program as a result of use of 

or compliance with the standards contained herein. EMAP 

makes no guarantee or warranty as to the completeness of 

information in this document, and EMAP expressly disclaims 

liability for any personal injury or damages of any nature 
24

resulting from the publication, use of, or reliance on this 

document. Standard language has been developed through a 

series of collaborative workshops and committee and 

commission meetings [EMAP 2010].

Standard Type: EMAP Standard, September 2007

Organization: Emergency Management Accreditation Program 

(EMAP)

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

FEMA Comprehensive Preparedness 

Guide

Description: The Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA) Comprehensive Preparedness Guide provides general 

guidelines on developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs). 

It promotes a common understanding of the fundamentals of 

planning and decision making to help emergency planners 

examine a hazard and produce integrated, coordinated, and 

synchronized plans. This Guide helps emergency managers in 

State, Territorial, Local, and Tribal governments in their efforts 

to develop and maintain a viable all-hazard EOP [FEMA 

2010a].

Standard Type: CPG 101

Organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Global Justice XML Data Model 

(GJXDM)

Description: The Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM) is 

an XML standard designed specifically for criminal justice 

information exchanges, providing law enforcement, public 

safety agencies, prosecutors, public defenders, and the judicial 

branch with a tool to effectively share data and information in a 

timely manner. There are three primary parts to the GJXDM: the 

Data Dictionary (identifying content and meaning), the Data 

Model (defining structure and organization), and the Component 

Reuse Repository [OJP 2010].

Standard Type: Global JXDM Version 3.0.3

Organization: U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

Incident Command System (ICS) 

Model Procedures Guide for 

Incidents Involving Structural Fire 

Fighting, High Rise, Multi Casualty, 

Highway, & Managing Large-Scale 

Incidents Using NIMS-ICS

Description: This manual combines the information from four 

existing National Incident Management System Consortium 

(NIMSC) Model Procedures Guides, plus new information on 

managing large-scale incidents, into one comprehensive, NIMScompliant book. As with all NIMSC model procedures, this 

information was developed and approved by a broad group of 

national experts on these topics. The manual includes basic 

information on the National Incident Management System 

(NIMS) ICS and then detailed information on how to apply it to 

structure fires, high-rise fires, major EMS incidents, roadway 

incidents, and large-scale incidents of all types. This includes 

concepts such as unified command, area command, joint 

operations centers (JOC), multi-agency coordination centers 

(MACC) and much more. This is the definitive text on the 
25

application of NIMS ICS to common types of emergency 

incidents [NIMCS 2010a].

Standard Type: Incident Command System (ICS) Model 

Procedures Guide for Incidents Involving Structural Fire 

Fighting, High Rise, Multi Casualty, Highway, & Managing 

Large-Scale Incidents Using NIMS-ICS, Book 1 – First Edition

Organization: National Incident Management System 

Consortium (NIMSC) 

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Incident Command System (ICS) 

Model Procedures Guide for Special 

Operations - Incidents Involving 

Hazardous Materials/WMD, 

Structural Collapse, Wildland, and 

Managing Large-Scale Incidents 

Using NIMS-ICS

Description: This manual combines the information from three 

existing National Incident Management System Consortium 

(NIMSC) Model Procedures Guides, plus new information on 

managing large-scale incidents, into one comprehensive, NIMScompliant book. As with all NIMSC model procedures, this 

information was developed and approved by a broad group of 

national experts on these topics. The manual includes basic 

information on NIMS Incident Command System (ICS) and then 

detailed information on how to apply it to wildland, hazardous 

materials, urban search and rescue structural collapse, and largescale incidents of all types. This includes concepts such as 

unified command, area command, joint operations centers 

(JOC), multi-agency coordination centers (MACC), and much 

more [NIMCS 2010b].

Standard Type: Special Operations - Incidents Involving 

Hazardous Materials/WMD, Structural Collapse, Wildland, and 

Managing Large-Scale Incidents Using NIMS-ICS, Book 2 –

First Edition

Organization: National Incident Management System 

Consortium (NIMSC) 

Classification: Operational Guidelines 

Incident Object Description and 

Exchange Format (IODEF)

Description: The Incident Object Description Exchange Format 

(IODEF) is a format for representing computer security 

information commonly exchanged between Computer Security 

Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs). It provides an XML 

representation for conveying incident information across 

administrative domains between parties that have an operational 

responsibility of remediation or a watch-and-warning over a 

defined constituency. The data model encodes information 

about hosts, networks, and the services running on these 

systems; attack methodology and associated forensic evidence; 

impact of the activity; and limited approaches for documenting 

workflow [OASIS 2010a].

Standard Type: Industry specification

Organization: Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)

Extended Incident Handling (INCH) Working Group

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

Intrusion Detection Message 

Exchange Format (IDMEF)

Description: The purpose of the Intrusion Detection Message 

Exchange Format (IDMEF) is to define data formats and 
26

exchange procedures for sharing information of interest to 

intrusion detection and response systems, and to the 

management systems, which may need to interact with them. 

The IDMEF data model is an object-oriented representation of 

the alert data sent to intrusion detection managers by intrusion 

detection analyzers. The data model defines support classes that 

accommodate the differences in data sources among analyzers. 

In particular, the notions of source and target for the alert are 

represented by the combination of Node, Process, Service, and 

User classes [OASIS 2010a].

Standard Type: IDMEF

Organization: Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)

Intrusion Detection Exchange Format Working Group

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

Managing Hazardous Material 

Incidents (MHMIs)

Description: The Managing Hazardous Material Incidents

(MHMIs) series was developed to provide emergency medical 

services (EMS) personnel and hospital emergency departments 

(EDs) with the necessary guidance to plan for, and improve their 

ability to respond to, incidents that involve human exposure to 

hazardous materials. The guidelines inform emergency

personnel how to appropriately decontaminate, treat, and 

recommend follow-up care to exposed persons, as well as take 

measures to protect themselves. The MHMI series contain 3 

volumes: “Emergency medical services: A planning guide for 

the management of contaminated patients;” “Hospital 

emergency departments: A planning guide for the management 

of contaminated patients;” and “Medical management guidelines 

(MMGs) for acute chemical exposures” [ATSDR 2010].

Standard Type: ATSDR MHMIs Version 2001

Organization: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 

Registry (ATSDR)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Mass Casualty Event Preparedness 

and Response

Description: This document is an interim planning guidance for 

preparedness and response to a mass casualty event resulting 

from terrorist use of explosives. It includes a description of 

system-wide and discipline-specific challenges as well as 

recommended solutions to address these challenges. The 

proposed solutions for the discipline-specific challenges have 

been incorporated into easy to use templates that can assist 

various disciplines in managing surge needs for injuries. [CDC 

2010a].

Standard Type: Government document

Organization: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Model Procedures Guide for 

Highway Incidents

Description: Model Procedures Guide for Highway Incidents is 

a document that guides application of the Incident Management 

System (IMS) to events occurring on these high-volume 
27

roadways. The Guide addresses command structures for 

potential events ranging from parades to hazmat spills. Its idea is 

that the IMS is adaptable enough to handle incidents as small as 

a single-car breakdown and as large as a major winter storm. 

The guide discusses the factors involved in: providing 

emergency services and unblocking traffic as quickly as 

possible; protecting incident responders and those under their 

care from moving vehicles; protecting other motorists, 

passengers and cargo from incident hazards; facilitating the 

movement of emergency vehicles to and from the scene; and 

facilitating traffic flow past the incident and throughout the area 

[DOT 2010].

Standard Type: Government document

Organization: National Fire Service Incident Management 

System Consortium (NFSIMSC), U.S. Department of 

Transportation

Classification: Operational Guidelines

National Emergency 

Communications Plan

Description: The National Emergency Communications Plan 

(NECP) is a strategic plan that sets goals and identifies key 

national priorities to enhance governance, planning, technology, 

training and exercises, and disaster communications capabilities. 

The NECP provides recommendations including milestones to 

help emergency response providers and relevant government 

officials make measurable improvements in emergency 

communications over the next three years [DHS 2010b].

Standard Type: NEPC, July 2008

Organization: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

National Incident Management 

System (NIMS)

Description: The National Incident Management System 

(NIMS) provides a systematic, proactive approach to guide 

departments and agencies at all levels of government, 

nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work 

seamlessly to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, 

and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, 

location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of life and 

property and harm to the environment [FEMA 2010b]. 

Standard Type: National Incident Management System, 

December 2008

Organization: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

National Preparedness Guidelines Description: The Guidelines, including the supporting Target 

Capabilities List, supersedes the Interim National Preparedness 

Goal and defines what it means for the Nation to be prepared for 

all hazards. There are four critical elements of the Guidelines: 

National Preparedness Vision, National Planning Scenarios, 

Universal Task List (UTL), and Target Capabilities List (TCL) 

[FEMA 2010c].

Standard Type: National Preparedness Guidelines, September 
28

2007

Organization: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

National Response Framework Description: The National Response Framework presents the 

guiding principles that enable all response partners to prepare 

for and provide a unified national response to disasters and 

emergencies - from the smallest incident to the largest 

catastrophe. The Framework establishes a comprehensive, 

national, all-hazards approach to domestic incident response

[FEMA 2010d].

Standard Type: National Response Framework, January 2008

Organization: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

National Strategy for Homeland 

Security

Description: The National Strategy for Homeland Security 

guides, organizes, and unifies our Nation's homeland security 

efforts. The 2008 Strategic Plan serves to focus the 

Department’s mission and sharpen operational effectiveness, 

particularly in delivering services in support of Departmentwide initiatives and the other mission goals. It identifies the 

goals and objectives by which we continually assess our 

performance. The Department uses performance measures at all 

levels to monitor our strategic progress and program success. 

This process also keeps the Department’s priorities aligned, 

linking programs and operations to performance measures, 

mission goals, resource priorities, and strategic objectives [DHS 

2010c].

Standard Type: National Strategy for Homeland Security, 

September 16, 2008

Organization: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Classification: Operational Guidelines 

New Guide for School Preparedness 

and All Hazard Response

Description: The guide covers concepts, principles, and best 

practices for all-hazards integrated emergency management 

programs in preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response, and 

recovery for schools and school districts in preparation and 

response to a natural or man-caused incident [ASTM 2010].

Standard Type: ASTM WK8908 (Work Item)

Organization: ASTM International

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Preparing for a Terrorist Bombing: 

A Common Sense Approach

Description: This document focuses on common sense 

principles that will be useful in a bombing event [CDC 2010b].

Standard Type: Government document

Organization: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC)

Classification: Operational Guidelines
29

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) Description: Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a family of 

web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works, 

such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video, in a 

standardized format. An RSS document includes full or 

summarized text, plus metadata such as publishing dates and 

authorship. Web feeds benefit publishers by letting them 

syndicate content automatically. They benefit readers who want 

to subscribe to timely updates from favored websites or to 

aggregate feeds from many sites into one place [RSSBOARD 

2010].

Standard Type: RSS 2.0

Organization: RSS Advisory Board

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

Standard Classification for Search 

and Rescue Dog Crew/Teams 

Description: The Standard Classification for Search and Rescue 

Dog Crew/Teams covers the aid of search and rescue managers 

in ordering resources for search and rescue incidents and to aid 

dog handlers in communicating the types of tasked for which 

they and their dogs have trained. This classification is intended 

as a supplement to the resource typing specifications of the 

Incident Command System and specifically as a means of typing 

search and rescue dog resources. This classification is suitable 

for classifying dog resources for a wide variety of emergency 

management purposes including both search and rescue and law 

enforcement incidents [ASTM 2010]. 

Standard Type: ASTM F1848-98 (2005) 

Organization: ASTM International

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Standard for Installation, 

Maintenance, and Use of Emergency 

Services Communications Systems

Description: The Standard for Installation, Maintenance, and 

Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems covers 

the installation, performance, operation, and maintenance of 

public emergency services communications systems and 

facilities. It is not intended as a design specification manual or 

an instruction manual. The standard covers systems that receive 

alarms from the public, e.g., 9-1-1 services systems and 

communications centers, and retransmits those alarms to 

response agencies. It also provides requirements for dispatching 

systems and establishes a level of performance and the quality of 

installations for emergency communication systems. Elements 

of these systems may include communications centers, signal 

wiring, emergency response facilities, operations centers, 

telephones, dispatching systems, computer-aided dispatching, 

and public alerting systems. Other operations covered under this 

standard include system testing, record keeping, network 

security, and redundancy [NFPA 2010].

Standard Type: NFPA 1221-2010

Organization: The National Fire Protection Association 

(NFPA)

Classification: Operational Guidelines
30

Standard Guide for Developing a 

Hazardous Materials Training 

Curriculum for Initial Response 

Personnel

Description: This guide summarizes the typical contents of a 

course to aid emergency response team training organizations in 

selecting important subjects for inclusion in existing or new 

training programs. It covers a format for a hazardous materials 

spill initial response team training curriculum [ASTM 2010].

Standard Type: F1011 - 07

Organization: ASTM International

Classification: Operational Guideline

Standard Guide for Using the 

Incident Command System 

Framework in Managing Search and 

Rescue Operations

Description: This Standard Guide for Using the Incident 

Command System Framework in Managing Search and Rescue 

Operations covers the use of the Incident Command System 

(ICS), as developed in the National Incident Management 

System (NIMS) in 2004, as the management framework for 

search and rescue (SAR) operations. Except as otherwise 

specified herein, the methods and requirements of this standard 

also include NIMS, ICS, and National Response Framework 

(NRF) requirements, when required, for search and rescue 

personnel that deploy within the United States of America. The 

ICS may be used outside of the United States for managing SAR 

operations, users of this standard need to be aware of other 

incident management requirements, guidelines, policies, 

procedures, and protocols within the area of ICS SAR operations 

[ASTM 2010].

Standard Type: ASTM F1422 - 08

Organization: ASTM International

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Standard on Disaster/Emergency 

Management and Business 

Continuity Programs

Description: This standard establishes a common set of criteria 

for disaster/emergency management and business continuity 

programs. Specifically, this standard provides 

disaster/emergency management and business continuity 

programs the criteria to assess current programs or to develop, 

implement, and maintain aspects for prevention, mitigation, 

preparation, response, and recovery from emergencies. This 

standard applies to public, nongovernmental, and private entities 

[NFPA 2010].

Standard Type: NFPA 1600 (2007)

Organization: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Standard on Emergency Services 

Incident Management System

Description: This standard establishes the minimum 

requirements for an incident management system to be used by 

emergency services to manage all incidents/planned events. 

Requirements are established for operating systems, 

implementation, and communications. Furthermore, the standard 

provides a description of key positions and roles within the 

incident management system, including the functions of the 

Incident Commander, Command Staff, Operations, Planning, 

Logistics, and Finance/Administration. The standard also 

addresses requirements for multi-agency coordination and 
31

training and staffing for Incident Management Teams [NFPA 

2010].

Standard Type: NFPA 1561 (2008)

Organization: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Standard on Fire Department 

Occupational Safety and Health 

Program

Description: The Standard on Fire Department Occupational 

Safety and Health Program standard contains minimum 

requirements for a fire–service-related occupational safety and 

health program. The standard specifies safety requirements for 

those members involved in rescue, fire suppression, emergency 

medical services, hazardous materials operations, special 

operations, and related activities. It covers everything from 

training, vehicles, and equipment to protective clothing, 

emergency operations, and incident stress [NFPA 2010].

Standard Type: NFPA 1500 - 2007

Organization: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Classification: Operational Guidelines

Tsunami Warning Markup Language 

(TWML), Cyclone Warning Markup 

Language (CWML)

Description: The goal of the Tsunami Warning Markup 

Language (TWML) and the Cyclone Warning Markup Language 

(CWML) is to facilitate various kinds of automated processing, 

such as rapid dissemination to people in affected areas, 

aggregation of warning information, and interoperability with 

geospatial systems through the use of Geography Markup 

Language (GML) elements. The languages are also designed to 

be used in conjunction with OASIS standards such as the 

Emergency Data eXchange Language Distribution Element 

(EDXL-DE) and the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) [OASIS 

2010b]. 

Standard Type: CWML Version 1.0; TWML Draft

Organization: National ICT Australia (NICTA)

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

Vehicular Emergency Data Set 

(VEDS)

Description: The Vehicular Emergency Data Set (VEDS) is an 

XML-based data standard that determines useful and critical 

elements needed to prove an efficient emergency response to 

vehicular emergency incidents. The Protocol identifies crash and 

medical data elements [OASIS 2010b]. 

Standard Type: VEDS Version 2.0

Organization: ComCARE Alliance

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface
32

6.3.2 Conceptual Modeling Standards

Standard Title Overview

Discrete Event System Specification 

(DEVS) 

Description: DEVS is a systems-theoretic approach to 

modeling. More specifically, it is state-centered formalism. A 

system consists of interconnected subsystems. A subsystem is a 

system. Leaf systems (atomic DEVSes) are state machines. 

DEVS can be viewed as a framework unifying a number of 

other formalisms in a consistent, systems theoretic, state 

centered fashion [DEVS 2011].

Standard Type: Specification

Organization: Simulation Interoperability Standards 

Organization (SISO); Society for Modeling and Computer 

Simulation International (SCS)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Systems Modeling Language 

(SysML)

Description: SysML is a general purpose modeling language for 

systems engineering applications. It is a dialect of UML, the 

industry standard for modeling software-intensive systems. It 

supports the specification, analysis, design, verification and 

validation of a broad range of systems and systems-of-systems. 

These systems may include hardware, software, information, 

processes, personnel, and facilities [OMG 2011]. 

Standard Type: SysML 1.2

Organization: Object Management Group, Inc. (OMG)

Classification: Document format

Unified Modeling Language (UML) Description: A graphical language for visualizing, specifying, 

constructing and documenting the artifacts of a softwareintensive system. The UML offers a standard way to write a 

system’s blueprints, including conceptual things such as 

business processes and system functions, as well as concrete 

things such as programming language statements, database 

schemas, and reusable software components [ANSI 2011c]. 

Standard Type: UML 2.0, UML 2.1.1; UML 2.1.2; UML 2.2; 

UML 2.3; ISO/IEC 19501:2004

Organization: ISO; ANSI; Object Management Group, Inc. 

(OMG)

Classification: Document format

6.3.3 Distributed Simulation Standards

Standard Title Overview

Distributed Interactive Simulation Description: Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) is a 

government/industry initiative to define an infrastructure for 

linking simulations of various types at multiple locations to 

create realistic, complex, virtual worlds for the simulation of 
33

highly interactive activities. A series of IEEE standards to 

support information exchange between simulation applications 

participating in the DIS environment are defined. IEEE Std 

1278.1 defines the format and semantics of data messages, also 

known as Protocol Data Units (PDUs), that are exchanged 

between simulation applications and simulation management. 

IEEE Std 1278.2 defines the communication services required to 

support the message exchange described in IEEE Std 1278.1. 

IEEE 1278-3 provides guidelines for establishing a DIS 

exercise, managing the exercise, and providing proper feedback. 

IEEE 1278-4 establishes guidelines for the verification, 

validation, and accreditation (VV&A) of Distributed Interactive 

Simulation (DIS) exercises [IHS 2011a].

Standard Type: IEEE 1278-1993, IEEE 1278.1-1995, IEEE 

1278.1A-1998, IEEE-1278.2-1995, IEEE 1278.3-1996, IEEE 

1278.4-1997

Organization: IEEE; IHS, Inc.

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Extensible Modeling and Simulation 

Framework (XMSF) 

Description: The Extensible Modeling and Simulation 

Framework (XMSF) is defined as a set of Web-based 

technologies and services, applied within an extensible 

framework, that enables a new generation of modeling & 

simulation (M&S) applications to emerge, develop and 

interoperate [DODCCRP 2004]. XMSF provides a framework 

which allows both Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD 

Modeling and Simulation (M&S) projects to take advantage of 

Web-based technologies.

Standard Type: XMSF 1.0

Organization: Naval Postgraduate School MOVES Institute; 

George Mason University NetLab; Science Applications 

International Corporation; Old Dominion University

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

High Level Architecture (HLA) Description: This standard defines the HLA, its components, 

and the rules that outline the responsibilities of HLA federates 

and federations to ensure a consistent implementation [IEEE 

2011c].

Standard Type: IEEE 1516-2000, IEEE 1516.1-2000, 1516.2-

2000, ANSI/IEEE 1516.3-2003; IEEE 1516.4-2007

Organization: IEEE/Simulation Interoperability Standards 

Organization (SISO); ANSI

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface
34

6.3.4 Selected Geographic Information System (GIS) Standards

Standard Title Overview

CityGML – Exchange and Storage of 

Virtual 3D City Models

Description: A standard for the representation, storage, and 

exchange of virtual 3D city and landscape models. CityGML is 

implemented as an application schema of the Geography 

Markup Language version 3.1.1. It is based on a rich, general 

purpose information model in additional to geometry and 

appearance information. For specific domain areas, CityGML 

also provides an extension mechanism to enrich the data with 

identifiable features under preservation of semantic

interoperability [OGC 2011a].

Standard Type: OGC 06-057r1; ISO TC211

Organization: Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

American National Standard for 

Information Technology –

Geographical Information Systems –

Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, 

Infrastructure, and Environment 

(SDSFIE)

Description: This standard provides a means to model and 

categorize real-world geographic phenomena of interest to the 

Facilities, Infrastructure, and Environment (FIE) Domain(s) into 

a set of geographic data that can be represented in a spatial 

database and presented to a user in digital form. This SDSFIE 

standard is intended to provide the enterprise spatial database 

schema to support multiple FIE applications. This National 

Standard is applicable to the federal, state, county, and city 

agencies; private companies; and any other organizations that 

perform AM & FM functions for facilities and other types of 

infrastructure (such as roads, waterways, utility systems, etc,) 

and/or perform environmental compliance, restoration, and/or 

pollution prevention activities [ANSI 2011a]. 

Standard Type: ANSI INCITS 353-2006

Organization: American National Standards Institute (ANSI); 

International Committee for Information Technology Standards 

(INCITS)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Content Standard for Digital 

Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM)

Description: The standard is often referred to as the FGDC 

Metadata Standard. The objectives of the standard are to

provide a common set of terminology and definitions for the 

documentation of digital geospatial data. The standard 

establishes the names of data elements and compound elements 

(groups of data elements) to be used for these purposes, the 

definitions of these compound elements and data elements, and 

information about the values that are to be provided for the data 

elements [FGDC 2011a].

Standard Type: FGDC-STD-001-1998; FGDC-STD-001.1-

1999; FGDC-STD-001.2-2001

Organization: Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface
35

Content Standard for Digital 

Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) –

Extensions for Remote Sensing 

Metadata

Description: The standard of Extensions for Remote Sensing 

Metadata standard provides a common terminology and set of 

definitions for documenting geospatial data obtained from 

remote sensing, within the framework of the FGDC Content 

Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) standard. 

The extensions provide a means to use standard FGDC content 

to describe geospatial data derived from remote sensing 

measurements. This standard is intended to support the 

collection and processing of geospatial metadata for data derived 

from remote sensing. It is intended to be used by all levels of 

government and the private sector [FGDC 2011b].

Standard Type: FGDC-STD-012-2002

Organization: The Federal Geographic Data Committee 

(FGDC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

GeoAPI SWG Standard Description: The GeoAPI Standard Working Group (SWG) 

aims to create the GeoAPI 3.0 Standard, which will define a set 

of Java language interfaces along with an associated test suite, to 

provide a standardized, programming language level realization 

of some core Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) 

specifications. These interfaces will facilitate the creation of 

accurate, coherent, interoperable, and verifiable implementations 

of those OGC standards [GEOAPI 2011].

Standard Type: OGC GeoAPI 3.0 SWG

Organization: OGC

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic Information – Encoding Description: The standard specifies the requirements for 

defining encoding rules to be used for interchange of geographic 

data within the ISO 19100 series of International Standards [ISO 

2011b]. 

Standard Type: ISO 19118:2005

Organization: ISO

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic information – Locationbased Services – Multimodal Routing 

and Navigation

Description: The standard specifies the data types and their 

associated operations for the implementation of multimodal 

location-based services for routing and navigation. It is designed 

to specify web services that may be made available to wireless 

devices through web-resident proxy applications, but is not 

limited to that environment [ISO 2011b].

Standard Type: ISO 19134:2007

Organization: ISO

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic Information – Locationbased Services – Tracking and 

Navigation

Description: ISO 19133:2005 describes the data types, and 

operations associated with those types, for the implementation 

of tracking and navigation services. It is designed to specify web 

services that can be made available to wireless devices through 
36

web-resident proxy applications, but is not restricted to that 

environment [ISO 2011b].

Standard Type: ISO 19133:2005 

Organization: ISO

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic Information – Portrayal Description: The standard defines a schema describing the 

portrayal of geographic information in a form understandable by 

humans. It includes the methodology for describing symbols and 

mapping of the schema to an application schema. It does not 

include standardization of cartographic symbols, and their 

geometric and functional description [ISO 2011b].

Standard Type: ISO 19117:2005 

Organization: ISO

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic Information –

Procedures for Item Registration 

Description: ISO 19135:2005 specifies procedures to be 

followed in establishing, maintaining and publishing registers of 

unique, unambiguous and permanent identifiers, and meanings 

that are assigned to items of geographic information. In order to 

accomplish this purpose, ISO 19135:2005 specifies elements of 

information that are necessary to provide identification and 

meaning to the registered items and to manage the registration of 

these items [ISO 2011b].

Standard Type: INCITS/ISO/IEC 19135-2005 

Organization: ISO; International Committee for Information 

Technology Standards (INCITS); International Electrotechnical 

Commission (IEC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic Information – Schema 

for Moving Features 

Description: The standard defines a method to describe the 

geometry of a feature that moves as a rigid body [ISO 2011b]. 

Standard Type: ISO 19141:2008 

Organization: ISO

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic Information – Services Description: ISO 19119:2005 identifies and defines the 

architecture patterns for service interfaces used for geographic 

information, defines its relationship to the Open Systems 

Environment model, presents a geographic services taxonomy 

and a list of example geographic services placed in the services 

taxonomy. It also prescribes how to create a platform-neutral 

service specification, how to derive conformant platformspecific service specifications, and provides guidelines for the 

selection and specification of geographic services from both 

platform-neutral and platform-specific perspectives [ISO 

2011b].

Standard Type: INCITS/ISO 19119-2005

Organization: ISO; International Committee for Information 

Technology Standards (INCITS)
37

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic Information – Simple 

Feature Access

Description: ISO 19125-1:2004 establishes a common 

architecture for geographic information and defines terms to use 

within the architecture. It also standardizes names and geometric 

definitions for Types for Geometry. INCITS/ISO 19125-2-2004 

specifies an Structured Query Language (SQL) schema that 

supports storage, retrieval, query and update of simple 

geospatial feature collections via the SQL Call Level Interface 

(SQL/CLI) and establishes an architecture for the 

implementation of feature tables. INCITS/ISO 19125-2-2004 

defines terms to use within the architecture of geographic 

information and defines a simple feature profile of ISO 19107. 

In addition, this part of ISO 19125:2004 describes a set of SQL 

Geometry Types together with SQL functions on those types. 

The Geometry Types and Functions described represent a profile 

of ISO 13249-3. INCITS/ISO 19125-2-2004 standardizes the 

names and geometric definitions of the SQL Types for 

Geometry and the names, signatures and geometric definitions 

of the SQL Functions for Geometry [ISO 2011b].

Standard Type: INCITS/ISO 19125-1-2004 ; INCITS/ISO 

19125-2-2004 

Organization: ISO; International Committee for Information 

Technology Standards (INCITS)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Geographic Information Framework 

Data Standard

Description: The standard establishes common data 

requirements for the exchange of National Spatial Data 

Infrastructure (NSDI) framework data [FGDC 2011c].

Standard Type: FGDC-STD-014.0-2008; FGDC-STD-014.1-

2008; FGDC-STD-014.2-2008; FGDC-STD-014.3-2008; 

FGDC-STD-014.4-2008; FGDC-STD-014.5-2008; FGDC-STD014.6-2008; FGDC-STD-014.7-2008; FGDC-STD-014.7b2008; FGDC-STD-014.7c-2008; FGDC-STD-014.7d-2008; 

FGDC-STD-014.7e-2008

Organization: Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

GeoTIFF Description: GeoTIFF is a metadata format, which provides 

geographic information to associate with the image data. 

GeoTIFF implements the geographic metadata formally, using 

compliant Tagged Image File (TIFF 6.0) tags and structures. 

"GeoTIFF" refers to TIFF files, which have geographic (or 

cartographic) data embedded as tags within the TIFF file. The 

geographic data can then be used to position the image in the 

correct location and geometry on the screen of a geographic 

information display [GEOTIFF 2011].

Standard Type: GeoTIFF/Revision 1.0

Organization: geotiff.osgeo.org

Classification: Document format
38

Governmental Unit and Other 

Geographic Area Boundaries

Description: A specification for establishing of content 

requirements for the collection and interchange of Government 

units and legal entity boundary data and for facilitating the 

maintenance and use of that information [FGDC 2010].

Standard Type: FGDC-STD-014.5-2008 

Organization: Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interfaces

GRIdded Binary (GRIB) Description: Format specifications for representing 

meteorological, gridded-point data [WMO 2010a].

Standard Type: FM 92-IX Ext. GRIB; FM 92-VIII EXT. GRIB

Organization: World Meteorological Organization (WMO) 

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interfaces

Homeland Security Mapping 

Standard – Point Symbology for 

Emergency Management

Description: The primary purpose of this standard is to 

establish a common set of symbols for use by mapmakers in 

support of emergency managers and first responders. It will 

allow users to rapidly interpret map data and to be able to 

disseminate consistent, usable information. This American 

National Standard is applicable to all organizations that create 

maps or otherwise display features for the Emergency 

Management or First Responder communities. It is limited at 

this time to support portrayal of point features that relate to the 

emergency management and hazard mapping disciplines [ANSI 

2011b].

Standard Type: ANSI INCITS 415-2006 

Organization: American National Standards Institute (ANSI); 

International Committee for Information Technology Standards 

(INCITS)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

OpenGIS Implementation 

Specification for Geographic 

Information – Simple Feature Access

Description: The OpenGIS Simple Features Interface Standard 

(SFS) provides a well-defined and common way for applications 

to store and access feature data in relational or object-relational 

databases, so that the data can be used to support other 

applications through a common feature model, data store, and 

information access interface. OpenGIS Simple Features are 

geospatial features described using vector data elements such as 

points, lines, and polygons [OGC 2011c].

Standard Type: OGC 06-103r4 Version 1.2.1, OGC 05-126 

Organization: Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc (OGC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Spatial Data Transfer Standard 

(SDTS) 

Description: The Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) base 

specification (Parts 1, 2 and 3) describes the underlying 

conceptual model and the detailed specifications for the content, 

structure, and format for exchange of spatial data. Additional 

parts (4, 5, 6 and potentially others) are added as profiles, each 

of which defines specific rules and formats for applying SDTS 

for the exchange of particular types of data [FGDC 2011d] 
39

Standard Type: FGDC-STD-002.1; FGDC-STD-002.5; FGDCSTD-002.6; FGDC-STD-002.7-2000

Organization: Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Standard for a U.S. National Grid 

(USNG)

Description: A standard is used to define the U.S. National Grid 

and supports Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) 

coordinates, Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) grids, and 

the specific grid presentation requirements. It is used for 

acquisition/production of printed map and acquisition of 

location service appliances with printed map products [FGDC 

2011e]

Standard Type: FGDC-STD-011-2001

Organization: Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

6.3.5 Selected Communication Standards

Standard Title Overview

Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Description: The Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) is a simple, 

flexible data interchange format for collecting and distributing 

“all-hazard” safety notifications and emergency warnings over 

information networks and public alerting systems. In Webservices applications, CAP provides a lightweight standard for 

exchanging urgent notifications. CAP can also be used in databroadcast applications and over legacy data networks. CAP is 

fully compatible with the existing national broadcast Emergency 

Alert System (EAS) [OASIS 2011a]. It is an XML-related data 

interchange standard for alerting and event notification 

applications. The standard supports two functions: a standalone 

protocol and a payload for Emergency Data Exchange Language 

(EDXL) messages.

Standard Type: CAP-V1.1

Organization: Organization for the Advancement of Structured 

Information Standards (OASIS)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

Common Incident Management 

Message Sets for Use by Emergency 

Management Centers 

Description: This standard is the Base Standard for a family of 

related standards that address the intercommunication needs of 

emergency management centers and other types of centers 

engaged in transportation incident management [IEEE 2010].

Standard Type: IEEE 1512-2000, IEEE 1512.1, IEEE 1512.2, 

IEEE 1512.3

Organization: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 

(IEEE)

Classification: Document Format
40

Emergency Data Exchange 

Language (EDXL)

Description: Several organizations are collaborating on the 

design and development of a suite of specifications under the 

name “Emergency Data Exchange Language (EDXL)” [OASIS 

2011b]. EDXL is an integrated framework for a wide range of 

emergency data exchange standards to support operations, 

logistics, planning, and finance.

Standard Type: EXDL Distribution Element, V. 1.0 (EDXLDE-V1.0); EDXL Resource Message Specification 1.0 Working 

Draft Version 26 (EDXL-RM 1.0 v0026); EDXL Hospital 

Availability Exchange v1.0 Public Review Draft 02 (EDXLHAVE-1.0-spec-pr02)

Organization: Organization for the Advancement of Structured 

Information Standards (OASIS); Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS); Emergency Interoperability Consortium (EIC)

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

National Information Exchange 

Model (NIEM)

Description: NIEM is designed to develop, disseminate and 

support enterprise-wide information exchange standards and 

processes that can enable jurisdictions to effectively share 

critical information in emergency situations, as well as support 

the day-to-day operations of agencies throughout the nation 

[NIEM 2011].

Organization: A partnership of the U.S. Department of Justice, 

the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services.

Classification: Domain-specific integration interface

6.3.6 Training System Standards

Standard Title Overview

Sharable Content Object Reference 

Model (SCORM) 

Description: SCORM is an XML-based framework used to 

define and access information about learning objects so they can 

be easily shared among different learning management systems 

(LMSs). SCORM was developed in response to a United States 

Department of Defense (DoD) initiative to promote 

standardization in e-learning [ASTD 2011]. SCORM integrates 

a set of related technical standards, specifications, and 

guidelines designed to meet SCORM’s high-level 

requirements—accessible, interoperable, durable, and reusable 

content and systems. SCORM content can be delivered to your 

learners via any SCORM-compliant LSM using the same 

version of SCORM [ADL 2011].

Standard Type: SCORM 1.1, SCORM 1.2, SCORM 1.3

Organization: U. S. Department of Defense (DoD)

Classification: Document format
41

6.4. Data Sources 

This section identifies databases and other sources of data that may be used to develop or run incident 

management models, simulations, and training applications. The name of data source, a brief description 

of its contents, its access location, responsible organization, data formats used, as well a classification of 

the type of data is given below.

Data Source Title Overview

Active Fire Mapping Program Description: The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging 

Spectroradiometer) Active Fire Mapping Program provides a near 

real-time geospatial overview of the current wildland fire 

situation at regional and national scales. Locations of current fires 

and the extent of previous fire activity are ascertained using 

satellite imagery acquired by the MODIS sensor. These fire data 

are integrated with various sources of contextual spatial data and 

information in a suite of geospatial data and mapping products. 

This information is utilized by fire managers to assess the current 

fire situation and serves as a decision support tool in strategic 

decisions regarding fire suppression resource allocation. The data 

and products provided by the program are also valuable for 

numerous other fire-related applications. MODIS fire detection 

data and products are continuously updated and published year 

round to provide temporal and spatial coverage for the variable 

fire conditions that occur year round on the North American 

continent. The MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program provides 

active fire detection and monitoring for the continental United 

States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada [USDA 2010].

Data Source: NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Data 

Gateway (EDG)

Organization: USDA Forest Service (USFS) Remote Sensing 

Applications Center, NASA, the University of Maryland, the 

National Interagency Fire Center

Format: KML/KMZ

Classification: Incidents, Environment

California Integrated Seismic 

Network (CISN) Display

Description: The California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN) 

is a partnership among federal, state, and university agencies 

involved in California earthquake monitoring. CISN Display is 

part of a Web-enabled earthquake notification system alerting 

users in near real-time of seismicity, and also valuable 

geophysical information following a large earthquake. CISN 

Display is a software package that rapidly receives earthquake 

information via the Internet distributed by seismic networks 

operating in the United States. It is a means of delivering 

graphical earthquake information to users at emergency 

operations centers, and other organizations. The CISN Display is 

the front-end of a client/server architecture known as the 

QuakeWatch system. It is comprised of the CISN Display (and 

other potential clients), message queues, server, server "feeder" 

modules, and messaging middleware, schema, and generators. 
42

Central to the CISN Display's role as a gateway to other 

earthquake products is its comprehensive XML-schema. 

Earthquake products deliverable to the CISN Display are 

ShakeMap, Ground Displacement, Focal Mechanisms, Rapid 

Notifications, OES Reports, and Earthquake Commentaries 

[CISN 2010].

Data Source: CISN Display Version 1.31

Organization: California Integrated Seismic Network 

Format: ShakeMap, CISN Display map

Classification: Domain-specific Integration Interface

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) Widgets

Description: CDC.gov provides content in several useful ways, 

via CDC e-mail updates, podcasts and RSS feeds. CDC widgets 

are online CDC.gov applications, built by one Web site that can 

be displayed onto another Web site. Available widgets include 

Adult BMI Calculator, H1N1 (Swine Flu), Fraudulent H1N1 

Products, H1N1 School Guidance, Pet Health and Safety, Public 

Health Image Library Image of the Day, Five Minutes or Less for 

Health, Smoking and Tobacco Use, Flu IQ, Seasonal Flu 

Updates, National Environmental Public Health Tracking 

Program, and CDC Text Messages. [CDC 2010c].

Data Source: CDC.gov

Organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Format: html, RSS

Classification: Incidents, Demographic and Behavior, 

Environment, Controlling Document

Data Sets Available in the 

DataFerrett System

Description: DataFerrett is a unique data analysis and extraction 

tool—with recoding capabilities—to customize federal, state, and 

local data to suit the user’s requirements. TheDataWeb is the 

infrastructure for intelligent browsing and accessing data across 

the Internet. TheDataWeb provides access across the Internet 

using the DataFerrett interface to use demographic, economic, 

environmental, health, and other databases housed in different 

systems in different agencies and organizations (Ferrett stands for 

Federated Electronic Research, Review, Extraction, and 

Tabulation Tool.) Some of the searchable data sets topics in the 

DataFerrett application are American Community Survey (ACS), 

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), National 

Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), and Census 2000 

[CENSUS 2010].

Data Source: DataFerrett system

Organization: U.S. Census Bureau

Format: XML/CAP 1.1, ATOM, RSS

Classification: Controlling Documents, Demographic and 

Behavior, Resources

Disaster Management – Open 

Platform for Emergency Networks 

(DM-OPEN)

Description: Disaster Management – Open Platform for 

Emergency Networks (DM-OPEN) was created to establish 

information exchange and collaboration between existing 
43

emergency preparedness information systems. DM-OPEN is a 

non-proprietary operational interoperability backbone that 

provides a set of non-proprietary "level playing field" web 

services designed to enable disparate third-party applications, 

systems, networks and devices to share information using open 

interoperability standards. As a Federal infrastructure, DMOPEN is designed to support the delivery of real-time data and 

situational awareness to public emergency responders in the field, 

at operation centers and across all levels of response 

management.The DM-OPEN mission is to enable a national 

network of systems that facilitates data sharing between software 

products serving the responder community. DM-OPEN also 

serves as a test bed to facilitate the development of open, nonproprietary consensus standards that support interoperable 

information sharing for the emergency responder community 

[FEMA 2010e].

Data Source: DM-OPEN 2.0

Organization: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Format: WSDL, Map, CAP, EDXL-DE, HTTPS Servlet, SOAP

Classification: Incidents, Simulation Support, Controlling 

Documents, Resources, Demographic and Behavioral

FedStats Description: FedStats provides access to the full range of official 

statistical information produced by the Federal Government 

without having to know in advance which Federal agency 

produces which particular statistic. With convenient searching 

and linking capabilities to more than 100 agencies that provide 

data and trend information on such topics as economic and 

population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, 

energy use, and farm production [FEDSTATS 2010]. 

Data Source: www.fedstats.gov

Organization: The Federal Interagency Council on Statistical 

Policy

Format: HTML, spreadsheets

Classification: Resources, Demographic and Behavioral, 

Environment, Controlling Documents

Geospatial Multi-Agency 

Coordination Group (GeoMAC)

Description: The Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination Group 

(GeoMAC) is an internet-based mapping application originally 

designed for fire managers to access online maps of current fire 

locations and perimeters in the conterminous 48 States and 

Alaska. Using a standard web browser, fire personnel can view 

this information to pinpoint the affected areas. With the growing 

concern of western wildland fires in the summer of 2000, this 

application has also become available to the public. In order to 

give fire managers near real-time information, fire perimeter data 

is updated daily based upon input from incident intelligence 

sources, GPS data, infrared (IR) imagery from fixed wing and 

satellite platforms. The GeoMAC web site allows users in remote 
44

locations to manipulate map information displays, zoom in and 

out to display fire information at various scales and detail, and 

print hard copy maps for use in fire information and media 

briefings, dispatch offices and coordination centers. The fire 

maps also have relational databases in which the user can display 

information on individual fires such as name of the fire, current 

acreage and other fire status information [GEOMAC 2010]. 

Data Source: The GeoMAC web site

Organization: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, National Interagency Fire Center, U.S. Geological 

Survey

Format: Map, Data

Classification: Incident, Spatial, Environment

GIS Data Depot Description: The GeoCommunity GISDataDepot is an online 

resource for GIS and Deospatial data. It provides GIS data from 

multiple sources. Data provided by the GISDataDepot include 

standard U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) digital raster graphic 

(DRG) data, USGS Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data, USGA 

orthoimagery data, and FEMA Flood Data. A DRG is a scanned 

image of a USGS standard series topographic map, including all 

map collar information. The USGS DEM data files are digital 

representations of cartographic information in a raster form. 

DEMs consist of a sampled array of elevations for a number of 

ground positions at regularly spaced intervals. The 

GeoCommunity has one of the largest online collections of 

orthoimagery available in the world [GEOCOMM 2010].

Data Source: GIS Data Depot

Organization: MindSites Group, Niceville, FL

Format: DEM, NWI, DLG, LU/LC, TIGER, E00, MIF

Classification: Environment

Global Terrorism Database (GTD) Description: The Global Terrorism Database (GTD) is an opensource database including information on terrorist events around 

the world from 1970 through 2008 (with additional annual 

updates planned for the future). Unlike many other event 

databases, the GTD includes systematic data on domestic as well 

as transnational and international terrorist incidents that have 

occurred during this time period and now includes more than 

87,000 cases. For each GTD incident, information is available on 

the date and location of the incident, the weapons used and nature 

of the target, the number of casualties, and--when identifiable--

the group or individual responsible. The National Consortium for 

the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) 

makes the GTD available via this online interface in an effort to 

increase understanding of terrorist violence so that it can be more 

readily studied and defeated [START 2010]. 

Data Source: GTD

Organization: U.S. Department of Homeland Security/National 
45

Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to 

Terrorism (START)

Format: Chart, Table, CSV

Classification: Incidents, Controlling Documents

Incident Information System Description: The Incident Information System, InciWeb, is an 

interagency all-risk incident information management system. 

The system was developed with two primary missions: provide 

the public a single source of incident related information, and 

provide a standardized reporting tool for the Public Affairs 

community. A number of supporting systems automate the 

delivery of incident information to remote sources. This ensures 

that the information regarding active incidents is consistent, and 

the delivery is timely. Information posted on the website is for 

information purposes only [INCIWEB 2010]. 

Data Source: InciWeb

Organization: Inciweb.org

Format: Table, JPG

Classification: Incidents

National Fire Department Census 

Database

Description: The National Fire Department Census Database 

provides an online address listing of U.S. fire departments 

registered with U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) as well as some 

basic information about each fire department. The purpose of the 

census, which is ongoing, is to create a national database for use 

by USFA to conduct special studies that will guide program 

decision-making and to improve direct communication with 

individual fire departments [USFA 2010a]. 

Data Source: USFA’s National Fire Department Census 

Database

Organization: U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)

Format: Report/Online Table

Classification: Resources

National Fire Incident Reporting 

System (NFIRS)

Description: The National Fire Incident Reporting System 

(NFIRS) has two objectives: to help State and local governments 

develop fire reporting and analysis capability for their own use, 

and to obtain data that can be used to more accurately assess and 

subsequently combat the fire problem at a national level. To meet 

these objectives, the USFA has developed a standard NFIRS 

package that includes incident and casualty forms, a coding 

structure for data processing purposes, manuals, computer 

software and procedures, documentation and a National Fire 

Academy training course for utilizing the system [USFA 2010b].

Data Source: USFA NFIRS 5.0 Client Software Version 5.7.0

Organization: U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)

Format: NFPA 901

Classification: Incidents, Controlling Documents
46

National Incident Management 

System - Incident Resource 

Inventory System (NIMS-IRIS)

Description: National Incident Management System - Incident 

Resource Inventory System (NIMS-IRIS) is a database 

management tool that allows emergency responders to enter

typed resources and select specific resources for mutual aid 

purposes based upon mission requirements, capability of 

resources, and response time. NIMS-IRIS tracks equipment, 

communications, contracts, facilities, responders, services, 

supplies, and teams [FEMA 2010f]. 

Data Source: NIMS-IRIS Version 2.2

Organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA)

Format: EDXL

Classification: Resources

National Response Center (NRC) 

Data Query Page

Description: The National Response Center (NRC), the federal 

government's national communications center, is staffed 24 hours 

a day by U.S. Coast Guard officers and marine science 

technicians and serves as the sole federal point of contact for 

reporting all hazardous substances and oil spills. The NRC 

maintains reports of all releases and spills in a national database. 

The NRC has made available yearly data files for download and 

offline management. Each file represents a particular calendar 

year and contains data related to incidents, which occurred during 

that year. NRC report categories include aircraft report, 

continuous release report, fixed report, mobile report, pipeline 

report, platform report, railroad report, sheen report, storage tank 

report, and vessel report [NRC 2010]. 

Data Source: NRC DOWNLOAD DATA

Organization: National Response Center

Format: XLS, HTML

Classification: Incidents, Environment, Controlling Documents

National Situation Updates Description: National Situation Updates are compiled for use in 

emergency management planning and operational activities. 

Updates include information and graphics gathered from a variety 

of sources including other federal agencies and departments, state 

and local government, and the news media. Updates are 

published daily, Monday through Friday, by the Information 

Coordination Unit, Response and Recovery Directorate at FEMA 

Headquarters [FEMA 2010g].

Data Source: FEMA Emergency Managers

Organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA)

Format: Report

Classification: Incidents, Controlling Documents

RAND Database of Worldwide 

Terrorism Incidents (RDWTI)

Description: The RAND Corporation has developed and 

maintained a database of terrorism incidents stretching back to 

1972, which contains comprehensive information on international 

and domestic terrorism. Over the years, many public and private 

sponsors have contributed to the maintenance of the RAND 
47

Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents (RDWTI). The new 

subscription-based RDWTI, launched in January 2009, is a fully 

searchable and interactive database [RAND 2010a]. 

Data Source: RDWTI

Organization: RAND Corporation, Department of Health and 

Human Services (HHS)

Format: txt, pie charts, and chronological graphs

Classification: Incidents

Rand Public Health Preparedness 

Exercise Database

Description: The Rand Corporation RAND assessed existing 

public health preparedness exercises and developed a database of 

those exercises that met the quality criteria for use by state and 

local public health departments. It is primarily intended for state 

and local public health officials. The database provides a list of 

possible exercises performed along with criteria rating the 

success of each exercise. There are fourteen design criteria used 

to rate each exercise. These criteria are: 1) clearly stated goals; 

2) clearly stated objectives; 3) the objectives are appropriate 

given the goals; 4) each objective is addressed during the 

exercise; 5) objectives are measurable; 6) the scenario is 

appropriate given the goals and objectives; 7) the scenario is 

internally consistent; 8) scenario is “a realistic depiction of the 

capabilities and resources likely to be available to a participating 

health jurisdiction;” 9) clear guidance about participants; 10) all 

participants are engaged; 11) exercise can be replicated; 12) 

results in action items; 13) feedback is solicited from participants; 

14) can be completed within the given timeframe. The goal of 

this database is “to identify the best exercises to help local and 

state public health departments prepare for public health 

emergencies” [RAND 2010b].

Data Source: Rand Public Health Preparedness Exercise 

Database

Organization: RAND Corporation, Department of Health and 

Human Services (HHS)

Format: XLS, Pie charts, Chronological graphs

Classification: Training, Resources

Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) Description: The Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) is a 

decision support infrastructure for the responder community that 

provides information on commercial equipment and technology 

to the state, local, and tribal homeland security community to 

assist them with their purchasing and operational equipment 

decisions. RKB provides emergency responders, purchasers, and 

planners with a trusted, integrated, online source of information 

on products, standards, certifications, grants, and other 

equipment-related information. The RKB hosts the online 

interactive version of the FEMA Authorized Equipment List 

(AEL), which is provided in an interactive format and linked to 

relevant information such as applicable standards. The RKB also 

provides the official online version of the InterAgency Board’s 

Standardized Equipment List (SEL). The RKB is the only site in
48

existence that provides an integrated display of the AEL and 

SEL. The AEL is the generic list of equipment items allowable 

under several Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant 

programs, including the Homeland Security Grant Program. This 

choice displays only the official AEL items. The SEL includes 

recommended features and operating considerations. This choice 

displays only the SEL. The RKB site has added special features 

such as Mission Critical Hints, the ability to display side by side 

comparisons of products, and an Ask an Expert feature [RKB 

2010].

Data Source: RKB Version 3.9

Organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency

Format: Report/Online table

Classification: Incidents, Resources, Controlling Documents, 

Investigative Intelligence, Demographic and Behavioral, 

Environment, Training

Storm Prediction Center (SPC) 

Forecast Products

Description: The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) of the National 

Weather Service (NWS) is providing tornado/severe 

thunderstorm watches, mesoscale discussions, convective day 1-3 

outlooks, fire weather outlooks, and watch, warning and advisory 

display through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) [NOAA 2010]. 

Data Source: SPC Products RSS Feeds

Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA)

Format: RSS, XML

Classification: Incidents, Demographic and Behavior, 

Environment

Texas Natural Resources 

Information System (TNRIS) Description: TNRIS was established by the Legislature in 1968 

as the Texas Water-Oriented Data Bank. In 1972, after four years 

of growth and diversification, it was renamed the Texas Natural 

Resources Information System. The mission of TNRIS is to 

provide a "centralized information system incorporating all Texas 

natural resource data, socioeconomic data related to natural 

resources, and indexes related to that data that are collected by 

state agencies or other entities." TNRIS’s data storehouse 

comprises the most comprehensive set of geographic data for the 

State of Texas. It contains over 1,000,000 frames of Aerial 

Photography and over 50 unique datasets that add up to over 500 

gigabytes of data. Access digital datasets directly through the 

online Data Search & Download, or go to Ordering Services to 

work with TNRIS staff on a custom order [TNRIS 2010].

Data Source: TNRIS Data Catalog

Organization: Texas Water Development Board

Format: USGS DEM, Mr SID

Classification: Resources

Unified Incident Command and 

Decision Support (UICDS)

Description: UICDS is the "middleware foundation" that enables 

information sharing and decision support among commercial, 
49

government, and academic incident management technologies 

used to support the National Response Framework (NRF) and the 

National Incident Management System (NIMS), including the 

Incident Command System (ICS), in order to prevent, protect, 

respond, and recover from natural, technological, and terrorist 

events. UICDS links homeland security and emergency 

management organizations, from incident command at the scene 

of an emergency to local and state operations centers to federal 

departments and agencies, from intelligence fusion centers to 

transportation management centers to health service 

organizations, and many other groups [UICDS 2010]. 

Data Source: UICDS Technology Provider

Organization: Science Applications International Corporation 

(SAIC)

Format: NIEM-based data exchange, Multiple data 

communication standards

Classification: Incidents

Wireless Information System for 

Emergency Responders (WISER) Description: WISER is a system designed to assist first 

responders in hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a 

wide range of information on hazardous substances, including 

substance identification support, physical characteristics, human 

health information, and containment and suppression advice. 

WISER is available for download as a standalone application on 

Windows Mobile devices, Palm OS PDAs, Apple iPhone and 

iPod Touch, BlackBerry devices, Microsoft Windows PCs, and 

via WebWISER [WISER 2010]. 

Data Source: WISER Version 4.3, WebWISER, WISER for 

BlackBerry Version 1.0, WISER for iPhone/iPOD Touch Version 

1.0

Organization: The National Library of Medicine (NLM)

Format: Report

Classification: Incidents, Controlling Documents, Demographic 

and Behavior, Environment

7. Discussions and Recommendations

This section is intended to capture practices and issues relevant to program sponsors, project managers, 

researchers, developers, and implementers of M&S of incident management for homeland security 

applications. The resources presented in section 6 and research, development and implementation 

experiences are used to identify the best practices to be followed for future efforts and to provide 

uncertainties, cautions and warnings for use of such applications. Further, the resources in section 6 are 

compared with the information in sections 4 and 5 to identify the unmet needs and requirements. These 

unmet needs and requirements are used to identify and prioritize the research, development, standards, 

and implementation issues that should be addressed going forward. This section hence provides a 

summary of discussion topics and recommendations that are divided into three major areas: 

• Identification of best practices (Section 7.1)
50

• Uncertainties, cautions and warnings regarding expectations of these models and simulations (Section 

7.2)

• Research, development, standards and implementation issues that may need to be addressed by the 

research community, program sponsors, and stakeholders to improve the quality and utility of 

incident management models and simulations (Section 7.3)

7.1. Best Practices

Best practices are really only effective if a methodology is well defined for a given problem solving 

approach. For example, the LUMAS model shows how learning influences a documented methodology, 

and the link between L and M in the LUMAS model is where best practice is encountered by the user of a 

methodology. Computer models and simulations are tools in a variety of problem solving methodologies 

such as operations research, systems engineering, and management science, where methodology is 

defined as a collection of related processes, methods, and tools. Methodologies evolve as they are used 

by practitioners to address new problems and as new technologies and tools are developed to support 

them. Methodological advances are encouraged by documenting existing methods, processes and tools 

and by updating these periodically based on lessons learned and best practice from practical experience. 

This section will identify recommended approaches and best practices for solving different types of 

incident management modeling problems.

A variety of M&S approaches, methodologies, and tools are currently available. Some are more suitable 

to solving certain classes of problems than others. This section will identify recommended approaches 

and best practices for solving different types of incident management modeling problems.

• Provide tools that can be used at the local level for incident management or training purposes

• Use various test and validation methods

• Provide tools that do not require sophisticated and expensive system support

• Provide distributed web-based tools that allow local governments to develop and run custom 

exercises.

7.2. Uncertainties, Cautions and Warnings

This sub-section is intended to highlight and document the limitations associated with M&S applications 

to minimize improper use and highlight potential areas for further development. Models provide results 

with varying levels of error and uncertainty. M&S application requires significant effort and hence they 

should be utilized only when appropriate, i.e., they should be considered for complex problems that 

cannot be addressed using other analytical options. The level of detail and specificity achieved by using 

the most sophisticated models and simulations may not be practical or necessary for all assets, systems, or 

networks. In these circumstances, a simplified dependency and interdependency analysis based on expert 

judgment may provide sufficient insight to make informed risk management decisions in a timely manner 

[DHS 2009a].

For applications that are identified as suitable for M&S applications, it should be recognized that models 

provide results with varying levels of error and uncertainty. Analysts should ensure that decision-makers 

understand the uncertainties in M&S results and other limitations such as the ones listed below.

• Training exercises may not create the stress conditions and state of mind in the response personnel 

that would occur during a real incident such as a massive failure or attack.

• Incident command models are particularly susceptible to variations in predicted results due to 

difficulties in precisely modeling human behaviors and random occurrences in real incidents.
51

• Incident management systems in various agencies and local governments often define similar 

organizations, operations, and responsibilities differently

• Incident data may be required in different formats for different agencies and local governments 

complicating the implementation of simulation-based exercises

• Data inconsistencies between simulated exercises and real incidents may affect the results and 

perceptions.

• Communication difficulties and incompatibilities between systems may not be accurately reflected in 

training exercises.

7.3. Research, Development, Standards, and Implementation Issues

A number of research, development, standards, and implementation issues remain to be addressed. An 

initial straw man list follows:

• Identification of appropriate models, simulations, tools, and databases to address incident 

management analysis needs

• Identification of common models, simulations, tools, and databases that can be shared by incident 

management organizations

• Development of systems dynamics models to identify critical issues and interactions for different 

incident management systems

• Identification of technical gaps and needs for models, simulations, tools, and databases

• Increasing reality in incident management M&S training exercises and devices

• Access to and usage of incident management M&S applications by system personnel

• Use of a system-of-systems engineering approach to the development of applications

• Development of system requirements specifications for incident management models, simulations, 

tools, and databases 

• Use of UML/SysML in specification of incident management systems and M&S applications

• Development of simulation application architectures to enable module integration and standard data 

interfaces to import data from external databases

• Use of object-oriented models in incident management M&S

• Development of M&S applications as open systems

• Integration of incident management models and simulations

• Establishment of security and protection mechanisms for sensitive data

• Return on investment to stakeholders and sponsors for research projects

• Ownership and usage of publicly vs. privately developed models, simulations, tools, and databases

8. Conclusion

This initial version of the document is the starting point of an effort to capture the current knowledge 

relevant to M&S of incident management for homeland security applications. It identifies the needs, 

translates them into requirements and provides summary information on resources available to meet the 

needs and requirements. The information on needs, requirements, and resources is used together with 

research, development, and implementation experiences to distill practices and issues for future efforts.

This version will be used to facilitate input from domain experts in a workshop setting. It is hoped that 

the next version updated with such input will provide value as a reference for program managers, project 

managers, researchers, developers, and implementers of M&S of incident management for homeland 

security applications. Use of the updated document as a common reference may help increase the 
52

awareness across the associated communities and help enhance collaborative efforts for homeland 

security applications of M&S for incident management.

9. References

[ADL 2011] Advanced Distributed Learning Sharable Content Object Reference Model 

(SCORM). Available via: 

http://www.adlnet.gov/Technologies/scorm/default.aspx [accessed Jan. 10, 

2011].

[ANL 2010a] LPAT: Logistics and Process Analysis Tool. Decision and Information Sciences 

Division. Argonne National Laboratory. Available via: 

http://www.dis.anl.gov/projects/lpat.html [accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[ANL 2010b] RESTORE. Technology Development and Commercialization. Argonne 

National Laboratory. Available via: 

http://www.anl.gov/techtransfer/Software_Shop/RESTORE/RESTORE.html 

[accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[ANSI 2010] ANSI INCITS 398-2008: Information Technology – Common Biometric 

Exchange Formats Framework (CBEFF). American National Standards Institute 

(ANSI). Available via: 

http://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=ANSI+INCITS+398-2008 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[ANSI 2011a] ANSI Standards Store – Spatial Data Standard for Facilities, Infrastructure, and 

Environment (SDSFIE). American National Standards Institute (ANSI). 

Available via: 

http://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=ANSI+INCITS+353-2006 

[accessed Jan. 15, 2011].

[ANSI 2011b] ANSI Standards Store – Homeland Security Mapping Standard: Point 

Symbology for Emergency Management. American National Standards Institute 

(ANSI). Available via: 

http://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=ANSI+INCITS+415-2006 

[accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[ANSI 2011c] ANSI Standards Store – Unified Modeling Language (UML). American National 

Standards Institute (ANSI). Available via: 

http://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=ISO%2fIEC+19501%3a2005&s

ource=google&adgroup=iso9&keyword=iso%2Fiec%2019501 [accessed Jan. 

28, 2011].

[ASTM 2010] ASTM Standards. ASTM International. Available via: http://www.astm.org/ 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[ATSDR 2010] Toxic Substances Portal. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

(ATSDR). Available via: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/index.asp# / 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[Balci 1998] Verification, Validation, and Testing. In Handbook of Simulation: Principles, 

Methodology, Advances, Applications, and Practice. Edited by J. Banks. WileyInterscience.

[Beck 2009] Beck, T., J. Bergenthal, D. Macannuco, 2009. Federation of authoritative disaster 

models with incident management constructive simulation. In Proceedings of the 

IEEE Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security, 2009 (HST '09). May 

11-12, Boston, MA. Pages 401-408.

[Belk 2006] Belk, D., M. Burger, J. Moran, M. Newbauer, and J. Roth, 2006. WPL: 

Simulation Technology to Support Homeland Defense. In Proceedings of the
53

2006 Spring Simulation Interoperability Workshop, Paper No. 06S-SIW-081. 

Available on-line via Digital Library of the Simulation Interoperability 

Standards Organization: http://www.sisostds.org/DigitalLibrary.aspx [accessed 

May 2, 2011]

[BostonDyn 2007] DI-Guy: Human Simulation Software. Boston Dynamics. Available via: 

http://www.diguy.com/diguy/ [accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[Breakaway 2010] Incident CommanderTM NIMS-compliant training tool for Homeland Security. 

Breakaway Ltd. Available via: http://www.breakawaygames.com/seriousgames/solutions/homeland/ [accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[CDC 2010a] Interim Planning Guidance for Preparedness and Response to a Mass Casualty 

Event Resulting from Terrorist Use of Explosives. Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention (CDC). Available via: 

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/pdf/CDC_Guidance-508.pdf [accessed 

Nov. 17, 2010]

[CDC 2010b] Emergency Preparedness and Response. Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC). Available via: 

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/preparingterroristbombing.asp [accessed 

Nov. 17, 2010]

[CDC 2010c] CDC.gov Widgets and Gadgets. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC). Available via: http://www.cdc.gov/widgets/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[CENSUS 2010] TheDataWeb. U.S. Census Bureau. Available via: 

http://dataferrett.census.gov/datasets.html [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[Chamberlain 2006] Chamberlain, R., and T. Metivier, 2006. Joint Non-kinetic Effects Model 

(JNEM) - A Six Month Success Story. In Proceedings of the 2006

Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation & Education Conference (I/ITSEC). 

Available via: http://ntsa.metapress.com/link.asp?id=elk893hvkevccjnn; 

Presentation slides available via: http://trsnew.jpl.nasa.gov/dspace/bitstream/2014/41283/1/06-3712.pdf [accessed July 21, 

2010]

[Checkland 2000] Checkland, Peter. SSM: A Thirty-Year Retrospective. Systems Research and 

Behavioral Science, November 2000.

[CISN 2010] The California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN). Advanced National Seismic 

System (ANSS). Available via: http://www.cisn.org/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[CWID 2004] Area Security Operations Command and Control ASSOC. Joint Warrior 

Interoperability Demonstration 2004 Final Report. Coalition Warrior 

Interoperability Demonstration (CWID). Available via: 

http://www.cwid.js.mil/public/cwid05fr/htmlfiles/u209war.html [accessed Nov. 

21, 2010]

[DEVS 2011] Discrete-Event Modeling and Simulation (DEVS) Standardization Group. 

Available via: http://cell-devs.sce.carleton.ca/devsgroup/ [accessed Jan. 25, 

2011].

[DHS 2003] HSPD-5 Homeland Security Presidential Directive #5. Available via: 

http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0105.shtm [accessed 

November 15, 2010]

[DHS 2008a] National Incident Management System. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Available via: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/NIMS_core.pdf

[accessed April 3, 2011]

[DHS 2008b] National Response Framework. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Available via: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-core.pdf [accessed 

April 3, 2011]
54

[DHS 2009a] National Infrastructure Protection Plan. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Available via: http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/NIPP_Plan.pdf [accessed Feb. 

27, 2011]

[DHS 2009b] Infrastructure and Geophysical Projects. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Available via: 

http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1218480826191.shtm#content [accessed 

November 15, 2010]

[DHS 2010a] DHS Lexicon: Terms and Definitions. Office of the Secretary, Executive 

Secretariat, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. January 2010 edition (with 

9/14/2010 update).

[DHS 2010b] National Emergency Communications Plan. U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security. Available via: 

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/national_emergency_communications_plan.p

df [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[DHS 2010c] National Strategy for Homeland Security. U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security. Available via: 

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/nat_strat_homelandsecurity_2007.pdf 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[DHS 2010d] The Integrated Modeling, mapping, and Simulation (IMMS) Program. U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security. Available via: Integrated Modeling, 

Mapping, and Simulation. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Available 

via: https://dhs-summit.us/files/201002_IMMS_program_overview.pdf 

[accessed Nov. 22, 2010]

[DoD 2006] VV&A Recommended Practices Guide (RPG). U.S. Department of Defense 

Modeling and Simulation Coordination Office. RPG Build 3.0. September 2006. 

Available on-line via: http://vva.msco.mil/ [last accessed Oct. 1, 2010].

[DoD 2009] DoD Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Verification, Validation, and 

Accreditation (VV&A). Department of Defense Instruction Number 5000.61. 

December 9, 2009. Available on-line via: 

http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/500061p.pdf [last accessed 

October 4, 2010]

[DoD 2010] DoD Modeling and Simulation Glossary. U.S. Department of Defense. March 

2010. Available via: 

http://www.msco.mil/files/Draft_MS_Glossary_March_B_version.pdf [accessed 

April 20, 2011]

[DODCCRP 2004] Morse, K. 2004. Web Enabling HLA Compliant Simulations to Support

Network Centric Applications. 2004 Command and Control Research and 

Technology Symposium. Available via: 

http://www.dodccrp.org/events/2004_CCRTS/CD/presentations/172.pdf 

[accessed Mar. 25, 2011]

[DOT 2010] Incident Command System. U.S. Department of Transportation. Available via: 

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/eto_tim_pse/about/ics.htm [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[ECIG 2010] EAS-CAP Industry Group Working Group Documents. EAS-CAP Industry 

Group. Available via: http://www.eas-cap.org/documents.htm [accessed Nov. 

17, 2010]

[ECS 2010] Emergency Management Staff Trainer (EMST). Engineering & Computer 

Simulations , Inc. Available via: http://www.ecsorl.com/solutions/products/webbased-simulations/emergency-management-staff-trainer-emst/ [accessed Nov. 

21, 2010]

[EMAP 2010] The Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP). Available via: 

http://www.emaponline.org/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]
55

[ETC 2010a] Incident Command (ADMS-COMMAND). Environmental Tectonics 

Corporation. Available via: 

http://www.admstraining.com/products_incident.php [accessed Nov. 21, 2010].

[ETC 2010b] Emergency Operations Center (ADMS-EOC). Environmental Tectonics 

Corporation. Available via: http://www.admstraining.com/products_eoc.php 

[accessed Nov. 21, 2010].

[FEDSTATS 2010] FedStats. FedStates.gov. Available via: http://www.fedstats.gov/ [accessed 

Nov. 17, 2010]

[FEMA 2004] NIMS and the Incident Command System. Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA). Available via: 

http://www.fema.gov/txt/nims/nims_ics_position_paper.txt [accessed November 

15, 2010]

[FEMA 2009] National Planning Scenarios. Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA). Available via: 

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/media/factsheets/2009/npd_natl_plan_scenario.pdf 

[accessed November 15, 2010]

[FEMA 2010] Incident Command System (ICS). Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA). Available via: 

http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/IncidentCommandSystem.shtm [accessed 

November 15, 2010]

[FEMA 2010a] Developing and maintaining Emergency Operations Plans. Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA). Available via: 

http://www.fema.gov/about/divisions/cpg.shtm [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[FEMA 2010b] National Incident Management System. 2008. Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA). Available via: 

http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/NIMS_core.pdf [accessed Nov. 17, 

2010]

[FEMA 2010c] National Preparedness Guidelines. 2007. Federal Emergency Management 

Agency (FEMA). Available via: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/government/npg.pdf 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[FEMA 2010d] National Response Framework. 2008. Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA). Available via: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-core.pdf 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[FEMA 2010e] Open Web Services. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 

Available via: 

http://www.fema.gov/about/programs/disastermanagement/open/index.shtm 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[FEMA 2010f] Resource Management. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 

Available via: http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/ResourceMngmnt.shtm

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[FEMA 2010g] Emergency Managers - National Situation Updates. Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA). Available via: 

http://www.fema.gov/emergency/reports/index.shtm [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[FEMA 2010h] Exercise. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Available via: 

http://www.fema.gov/prepared/exercise.shtm [accessed Nov. 22, 2010]

[FGDC 2010] Geographic Information Framework Data Standard. Federal Geographic Data 

Committee (FGDC). Available via: 

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/frameworkdatastandard/GI_FrameworkDataStandard_Part5_GovernmentalUnitBoundaries.pdf 

[accessed January 31, 2011].
56

[FGDC 2011a] Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata. Federal Geographic Data 

Committee (FGDC). Available via: 

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standardsprojects/metadata/base-metadata/?searchterm=FGDC-STD-001 [accessed Mar. 

25, 2011].

[FGDC 2011b] Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata: Extensions for Remote 

Sensing Metadata. Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). Available via: 

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standardsprojects/csdgm_rs_ex/MetadataRemoteSensingExtens.pdf/view?searchterm=FG

DC-STD-012 [accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[FGDC 2011c] Geographic Information Framework data Standard. Federal Geographic Data 

Committee (FGDC). Available via: 

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/frameworkdata-standard/framework-data-standard [accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[FGDC 2011d] Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS). Federal Geographic Data Committee 

(FGDC). Available via: 

http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standardsprojects/SDTS/?searchterm=sdts [accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[FGDC 2011e] United States National Grid. Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). 

Available via: http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standardsprojects/usng/fgdc_std_011_2001_usng.pdf [accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[GEOAPI 2011] GeoAPI 3.0 Standard. GeoAPI Standard Working Group. Available via: 

http://www.geoapi.org/charter.html [accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[GEOCOMM 2010] GIS Data Depot. GeoCommunity. Available via: http://data.geocomm.com/ 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[GEOMAC 2010] The Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination Group or GeoMAC. U.S.

Geological Survey. Available via: http://www.geomac.gov/index.html [accessed 

Nov. 17, 2010]

[GEOTIFF 2011] GeoTIFF FAQ. Available via: http://www.remotesensing.org/geotiff/faq.html 

[accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[Holtermann 2010] Holtermann, K., 2010. Exercise Modeling & Simulation Briefing. March 4. 

Available via: http://info.publicintelligence.net/FEMAexercisesimulation.pdf 

[accessed Nov. 22, 2010]

[Hydra 2010] History of Hydra/Minerva. Hydra/Minerva User Group. Available via: 

http://www.hydra-minerva.com/history/history.htm [accessed Nov. 21, 2010].

[IEEE 2010] IEEE 1512 Standards. IEEE. Available via: 

http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc32/imwg/index.html [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[IEEE 2011c] IEEE Standard for Modeling and Simulation (M&S) High Level Architecture 

(HLA). IEEEXplore. Available via: 

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=803526 [accessed Mar. 

28, 2011].

[IHS2011a] IEEE 1278.2 Standard for Distributed Interactive Simulation – Communication 

Services and Profiles. IHS. Available via: 

http://electronics.ihs.com/document/abstract/ZEVZCBAAAAAAAAAA 

[accessed Jan. 28, 2011].

[INCIWEB 2010] InciWeb – Incident Information System. Inciweb.org. Available via: 

http://www.inciweb.org/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[INCOSE 2008] International Council on Systems Engineering. INCOSE-TD-2007-003-01: 

Survey of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Methodologies. Seattle, 

WA 98133. 10 June 2008.
57

[ISO 2011b] ISO Standards. ISO. Available via: http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue.htm 

[accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[ISU 2010] Play2Train where people learn to play. Institute of Rural Health, Idaho State 

University. Available via: http://play2train.org [accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[Jain 2011] Jain, S., and C.R. McLean. 2011. Best Practices for Modeling, Simulation and 

Analysis (MS&A) for Homeland Security Applications. National Institute of 

Standards and Technology. NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) 7655.

[Janes 2007] Janes, M. 2007. Ground Truth real-time-strategy game is serious business for 

Sandia software engineer. Sandia Lab News, August 17, 2007. Available via: 

http://www.sandia.gov/LabNews/070817.html [accessed Nov. 22, 2010]

[Linebarger 2007] Linebarger, J.M., M.E. Goldsby, D. Fellig, M.F. Hawley, P.C. Moore, and T.J. 

Sa, 2007. Smallpox Over San Diego: Joint Real-Time Federations of Distributed 

Simulations and Simulation Users under a Common Scenario. 21st International 

Workshop on Principles of Advanced and Distributed Simulation (PADS'07). 

IEEE Computer Society. Available via: 

http://www.sandia.gov/nisac/docs/Smallpox%20over%20San%20Diego.pdf 

[accessed July 19, 2010]

[LLNL 2010] Incident Command Analytic Training System (ICATS): A Simulation Approach 

to Training Incident Managers. Systems and Decision Sciences Technology. 

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Available via:

https://www-eng.llnl.gov/sys_dec/sys_dec_training.html [accessed July 19, 

2010].

[Martin 1996] Martin, James N., Systems Engineering Guidebook: A Process for Developing 

Systems and Products, CRC Press, Inc.: Boca Raton, FL, 1996.

[Massaguer 2006] Massaguer, D., V. Balasubramanian, S. Mehrotra, and N. Venkatasubramanian, 

2006. Synthetic Humans in Emergency Response Drills. In Proceedings of Fifth 

International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems 

(AAMAS’06), May 8–12, 2006, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. Pages 1469–1470. 

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), New York, NY.

[McGrath 2006] McGrath, D., D. Hill, and A. Hunt, "IC2020: Embedded Simulation for Next 

Generation Incident Command Software", Proceedings of the 2006 Huntsville 

Simulation Conference, Huntsville, AL, 18-19 October 2006. Available on-line 

via: http://www.ists.dartmouth.edu/library/211.pdf [accessed July 19, 2010].

[NFPA 2010] Codes and Standards. National Fire Protection Association. Available via: 

http://www.nfpa.org/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[NIEM 2011] National Information Exchange Model (NIEM). NIEM.gov. Available via: 

http://www.niem.gov/ [accessed Jan. 24, 2011].

[NIJ 2002] Crisis Information Management Software (CIMS) Feature Comparison Report. 

National Institute of Justice. Available on-line via: 

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/197065.pdf. [accessed July 21, 2010]

[NIMCS 2010a] Incident Command System Model Procedures Guide for Incidents Involving 

Structural Fire Fighting, High Rise, Multi Casualty, Highway, and Managing 

Large-Scale Incidents Using NIMS-ICS: Book 1. National Incident Management 

System Consortium (NIMCS). Available via: http://www.imsconsortium.org/NIMSBook1.htm [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[NIMCS 2010b] Special Operations – Incidents Involving Hazardous Materials/WMD, Structural 

Collapse, Wildland, and Managing Large-Scale Incidents Using NIMS-ICS: 

Book 2. National Incident Management System Consortium (NIMCS). 

Available via: http://www.ims-consortium.org/NIMSBook2.htm [accessed Nov. 

17, 2010]
58

[NISAC 2010] National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center. Sandia National 

Laboratories. Available via: 

http://www.sandia.gov/mission/homeland/programs/critical/nisac.html [accessed 

November 15, 2010]

[NOAA 2010] Storm Prediction Center. National Weather Service (NWS), National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Available via: 

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[NRC 2010] NRC Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Data. National Response Center 

(NRC). Available via: http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/foia.html [accessed Nov. 17, 

2010]

[NYU 2009] Planning with Large Agent-Networks against Catastrophes (PLAN C). Center 

for Catastrophe Preparedness & Response, New York University. Available via:

http://www.nyu.edu/ccpr/laser/plancinfo.html [accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[OASIS 2010a] Application Security Standards. Organization for the Advancement of Structured 

Information Standards (OASIS). Available via:

http://xml.coverpages.org/appSecurity.html [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[OASIS 2010b] XML and Emergency Management. Organization for the Advancement of 

Structured Information Standards (OASIS). Available via: 

http://xml.coverpages.org/emergencyManagement.html [accessed Nov. 17, 

2010]

[OASIS 2011a] Common Alert Protocol (CAP). Organization for the Advancement of 

Structured Information Standards (OASIS). Available via: http://www.oasisemergency.org/cap [accessed Jan. 15, 2011].

[OASIS 2011b] Emergency Data Exchange Language (EDXL). Organization for the 

Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). Available via: 

http://xml.coverpages.org/edxl.html [accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[OGC 2010] Critical Infrastructure Protection Initiative. Open Geospatial Consortium 

(OGC). Available via: http://www.opengeospatial.org/projects/initiatives/cipi1.2 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[OGC 2011a] CityGML: OpenGIS City Geography Markup Language Encoding Standard. 

Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC). Available via: 

http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/citygml [accessed Jan. 15, 2011].

[OGC 2011c] Simple Feature Access. Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC). Available via: 

http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/sfa [accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[OJP 2010] The Global Justice XML Data Model (Global JXDM). U.S. Department of 

Justice. Available via: http://it.ojp.gov/jxdm/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[OMG 2011] OMG Systems Modeling Language (SysML). Object Management Group, Inc. 

(OMG). Available via: http://omgsysml.org/ [accessed Mar. 25, 2011].

[ORNL 2010a] Oak Ridge Evacuation Modeling System. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

Available via: http://emc.ornl.gov/CSEPPweb/CSEPPOREMS.html [accessed 

Nov. 22, 2010]

[ORNL 2010b] VISAC Visual Interactive Site Analysis Code. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

Available via: http://visac.ornl.gov/ [accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[Pittman 2010] Pittman, E. 2010. L.A. Police Department's Hydra System Promotes Training for 

Command-Level Officers. Emergency Management. September 14, 2010. 

Available via: http://www.emergencymgmt.com/training/LA-PoliceDepartment-Training-Hydra.html [accessed November 21, 2010]

[Previstar 2008] Previstar Continual Preparedness System. Previstar, Inc. Available via: 

http://www.previstar.com/Solutions/solutions_em.asp [accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[RAND 2010a] Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents. RAND Corporation. Available 

via: http://www.rand.org/nsrd/projects/terrorism-incidents/about/scope.html 
59

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[RAND 2010b] Public Health Systems and Preparedness. RAND Corporation. Available via: 

http://www.rand.org/health/centers/preparedness.html [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[RKB 2010] Responder Knowledge Base (RKB). The Federal Emergency management 

Agency (FEMA). Available via: https://www.rkb.us/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[RSSBOARD 2010] RSS Specification, Tutorials, Discussion. Really Simple Syndication (RSS) 

Advisory Board. Available via: http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[Saeger 2007] Saeger, K., J. Ambrosiano, R.M. Roberts, and T. Cleland, 2007. CrowdSim: An 

Agent-based Framework for Simulating Large-crowd Dynamics. 2007 Risk 

Symposium, March 26-28 2007, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

[START 2010] Global Terrorism Database (GTD). National Consortium for the Study of 

Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). Available via: 

http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[TEEX 2010] Emergency Operations Training Center. Texas Engineering Extension Service. 

Available via: 

http://www.teex.com/teex.cfm?pageid=NERRTCprog&area=NERRTC&templat

eid=1800 [accessed Nov. 21, 2010]

[TNRIS 2010] Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS). Texas Water 

Development Board. Available via: 

http://www.tnris.state.tx.us/DataCatalog/Index.aspx [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[U.S. Army 2007] Secret Service Training Environments. America’s Army Information Site. U.S. 

Army. Available via: http://info.americasarmy.com/projects.php?id=5 [accessed 

Nov. 22, 2010]

[UICDS 2010] Unified Incident Command and Decision Support (UICDS) . Department of 

Homeland Security. Available via: 

http://www.uicds.us/files/UICDS%20in%20Brief%20Gov.pdf [accessed Nov. 

17, 2010]

[USDA 2010] USDA Forest Service Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

(MODIS) Active Fire Mapping Program. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Available via: ttp://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/faq.php [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[USFA 2010a] National Fire Department Census Database. U.S. Fire Administration, Federal 

Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Available via: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/census/ [accessed Nov. 17, 

2010]

[USFA 2010b] National Fire Incident Reporting System. U.S. Fire Administration, Federal 

Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Available via: http://nfirs.fema.gov/?eventsDate=2009-09 [accessed Nov. 22, 

2010]

[USFA 2010c] Simulation Laboratory. U.S. Fire Administration, Federal Emergency 

Management Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Available via: 

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/incident/simlab.shtm [accessed 

Nov. 22, 2010]

[USGS 2010] Earthquake Hazards Program. U.S. Geological Survey. Available via: 

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/catalogs/ [accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[Wall 2009] Wall, J. 2009. Panel: Regional Initiatives in Modeling & Simulation: Southwest 

& Midwest. 2009 Modeling & Simulation Leadership Summit. National 

Defense Industrial Association. Available via: 

http://proceedings.ndia.org/91C0/Panel3/4_Wall.ppt [accessed Nov. 21, 2010] 

[Wang 2008] Wang, J., D. Rosca, W. Tepfenhart, A. Milewski, and M. Stoute, 2008. 

Dynamic Workflow Modeling and Analysis in Incident Command Systems. 
60

IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, Part A: Systems and 

Humans. Vol. 38 Issue 5, pages 1041 - 1055.

[WISER 2010] Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER). U.S. 

National Library of Medicine (NLM). Available via: http://wiser.nlm.nih.gov/ 

[accessed Nov. 17, 2010]

[WMO 2010a] A Guide to the Code Form FM 92-IX Ext. GRIB. World Health Organization. 

Available via: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/WDM/Guides/Guidebinary-2.html [accessed Nov. 3, 2010].