The Emergency Response Link

Citation

(1999), "The Emergency Response Link", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 8 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.1999.07308aag.003

The Emergency Response Link

The Emergency Response Link

http://www.erlink.com

Following difficulties communicating during the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake, the Office of the Manager, National Communications System (OMNCS), in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), examined ways to improve the communication process. One result was the creation of the Emergency Response Link (ERLink), designed to support the Federal Response Plan as well as state and local agencies responding to natural disasters and other domestic emergencies. ERLink is intended to be a focal point of information sharing within the emergency response community.

ERLink is a controlled access Web site from which information can be quickly retrieved and to which information can be easily added. It hosts operational information such as situation reports, which, while not classified, are often sensitive and require security precautions due to privacy issues regarding casualties, contract funding, and unsubstantiated reports requiring confirmation. To achieve a balance between sharing and securing information, ERLink uses both authentication and encryption functions, thus providing the response community with a private network within which it can conduct operations.

Agreements with FEMA and the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center (NHC) have resulted in supplemental information that has improved the quality and value of data uploaded to ERLink. The FEMA "Daily Report" is published via ERLink, and NHC information (such as weather conditions, storm intensity, and storm tracks) are now mirrored on ERLink.

The ERLink program office continues to work with the response community to improve this service and is soliciting user feedback. More information about ERLink and an account application form can be found at the demonstration ERLink Web site listed above. Additional information about the National Communications System is available at http://www.ncs.gov