EM08-Disaster Response and Recovery Transaction Set Diagram



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The following discusses how the National ITS Architecture provides the transportation service described by this service package. Each numbered item describes the operation of that portion of the service package identified with the corresponding number on the transaction set diagram.

Note that this transaction set diagram (TSD) is only 1 of the 3 TSDs and so only a portion of the numbered items below refer to the above TSD.

EM08 transaction set diagrams: 1 2 3 Next TSD

  1. Emergency plans are coordinated between emergency management, public safety, transportation, and other allied agencies that manage or participate in disaster response. This emergency plan coordination begins prior to a disaster as region-wide and agency-specific plans are developed and coordinated. Later, when a disaster occurs, tactical plans with specific objectives and time horizons are also developed and coordinated on the same interfaces. Plan coordination is asynchronous and on-going before, during, and after a disaster as lessons-learned are incorporated into the plans.

  2. The process of detecting and verifying a disaster is covered by market package EM07: Early Warning System. For transportation, one of the first activities following a disaster is an immediate assessment of the regional transportation system, identifying damage incurred by the disaster and remaining capacity and transportation resources that are still operating and available. Each operating agency ascertains and reports the operating status of its own facilities in this step and the following step.

    A complete assessment of road network status is derived from inputs from Asset Management systems (asset damage assessment), sensors, surveillance, field equipment diagnostics, and inspections that may be compiled and shared between Maintenance and Construction and Traffic Management (road network status assessment).

  3. Each mode and jurisdiction provides an overall assessment to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), represented by the Emergency Management Subsystem. In addition to infrastructure damage, each assessment identifies alternative routes and resources and identifies and coordinates closure of high-risk facilities such as bridges, tunnels, or at-risk sections of roadway.

    • Traffic Management Subsystem (road network status assessment)

    • Transit Management Subsystem (transit system status assessment)

    • Maintenance and Construction Management Subsystem (road network status assessment)

    • Rail Operations (rail system status assessment)

  4. The Emergency Management Subsystem compiles an overall assessment of transportation system status and makes this assessment available to transportation operators in the region (transportation system status). Depending on the disaster scenario, agency-specific, regional, state, and federal EOCs may be activated. A current assessment of transportation system status is shared between these EOCs, represented by communication between the Emergency Management Subsystem and Other Emergency Management.

  5. For emergencies that involve bio-hazards or other threats to public health, public health organizations may be queried as a response is formulated. Recommended courses of action (public health response) are provided to the Emergency Management Subsystem on request (public health request).

  6. In parallel with the previous steps, a multi-agency response to the disaster is unfolding. An incident command system is established by first responders in proximity to the disaster and communications are established between the Incident Command and Public Safety Communications Centers, and other centers, providing situation awareness and coordinating needed resources (represented by the flow incident command information coordination between EM and Other Emergency Mangement). One or more emergency operations centers may be established to oversee the response to large, multi-jurisdictional disaster areas. Continual coordination and liaison is established and maintained between all of the EOCs (incident response status) involved in disaster response operations. Emergency System Operators, representing emergency personnel in each of the operation centers, may provide status updates and query the system (emergency operations inputs) and receive current situation information (emergency operations status) on an on-going basis throughout the response and recovery operation.

    Current incident response status is shared with transportation systems in the region (Traffic Management Subsystem, Transit Management Subsystem, Maintenance and Construction Management Subsystem, and Rail Operations), providing situation awareness for transportation system operators in the disaster area. This response status is updated as the response evolves and continues as the response transitions into recovery. The information provided would include EOC activation information and location and status of incident command(s) and staging area(s). Representatives from transportation agencies in the region provide staff support to the Emergency Operations Center(s) as they are activated. Coordination between Emergency Management Subsystems provides situation awareness and resource coordination among allied response agencies (incident response coordination).

  7. Maintenance and Construction Center Personnel manage the Maintenance and Construction Management Subsystem’s disaster response. They review the collected road network status information, incident reports, and resource requests received during the response (maint and constr operations information presentation) and mobilize resources for clean-up, repair, and recovery operations (maint and constr center personnel inputs). Maintenance and construction resources are requested to remove debris, perform repairs, and other response and recovery activities. These requests may be for pre-staging, staging, or immediate dispatch of resources, depending on the scenario. Depending on DOT organization, these resource requests may be made to a traffic operations center (resource request) represented by the Traffic Management Subsystem, which then makes a request to the appropriate Maintenance and Construction Management Subsystem (MCMS) (maint and constr resource request). The MCMS either services the request locally, or may in turn relay the request to other districts/jurisdictions (maint and constr resource coordination going to Other Maintenance and Construction Management) if the request for resources cannot be met locally. The Other Maintenance and Construction Management system would respond back to the requesting system with maint and constr resource coordination. A response to the resource request is provided from the MCMS to the TMS that indicates the status of resources that will be deployed (maint and constr resource response). When the Traffic Management Subsystem has made the request on behalf of another system (e.g., an EOC), the resource deployment status is provided back to the EM’s resource management/tracking system that made the request (resource deployment status).

  8. Alternatively, the Emergency Management Subsystem can request resources directly from the Maintenance and Construction Management Subsystem (maint and constr resource request/ maint and constr resource response). As in the previous step, this request is serviced under control of the Maint and Constr Center Personnel and may be locally serviced or it may be coordinated between maintenance districts/jurisdictions.

  9. As part of the disaster response, transit resources may be used to move responders to/from the disaster area. Transit services may also be adjusted to meet transit needs created by the impact of the disaster on the transportation system and travel patterns. Service changes and transit resources are requested by EM (emergency transit service request), the ability of the transit system to service the request is determined by the Transit Operations Personnel (transit operations status/transit operations personnel inputs), and a response is provided indicating the availability of the requested service or resources (emergency transit service response). As with other requests, the service requests may be for pre-staging, staging, or immediate dispatch of the transit resources.

  10. Updated transit service information for the disaster area is made available to other transportation agencies and emergency response agencies (emergency transit schedule information). Updated service schedules are coordinated across jurisdictions (transit service coordination) and may reflect additional transit services that temporarily replace transport capacity lost to disaster damage.

  11. By definition, a disaster response exceeds the capabilities of the local responding agencies and may require resources from other regions, states, and the federal government. Comprehensive resource management principals are followed and a common resource tracking system coordinates resource requests and current resource status among all responding agencies (resource coordination). Resources include, but are not limited to, transportation equipment (e.g., maintenance and construction equipment, transit vehicles, passenger and utility vans, portable signs, trucks and/or trailers, aircraft and associated ground and operations personnel), transportation facilities (e.g., vehicle repair facilities, fleet parking and storage areas, motor pool and vehicle service facilities, operational centers, surveillance equipment), and transportation personnel (personnel resources including special certifications/skills as applicable).

  12. Current road network conditions for the area surrounding the disaster, including detours and closures, are provided by the Traffic Management Subsystem. In circumstances where the installed monitoring infrastructure has been impacted by the disaster, or does not meet the special monitoring needs in the disaster, portable equipment may be installed to supplement existing surveillance capabilities. The Traffic Management Subsystem response is under continuous and asynchronous monitoring and control of Traffic Operations Personnel (traffic operator inputs/traffic operator data).

    Emergency access to the disaster area is established and coordinated between the Traffic Management and Emergency Management Subsystems. Specific traffic management actions are identified to maintain a smooth flow for transport of emergency resources, including traffic control points, barricade plans, and potential one-way/reverse lane operations. The Emergency Management Subsystem, representing an EOC, may make direct traffic control requests to the Traffic Management Subsystem to establish and maintain access (emergency traffic control request). These requests may preempt the current traffic control strategy in effect at one or more signalized intersections or highway segments, activate traffic control and closure systems such as gates and barriers, activate safeguard systems, or use driver information systems such as DMS or HAR. The Traffic Management Subsystem returns information indicating the Traffic Management Subsystem’s status in implementing the traffic control request (emergency traffic control information). The same architecture flow carries information indicating the status of requested emergency access routes.

  13. Traffic information and control are coordinated across traffic management jurisdictions (traffic control coordination, traffic information coordination). In addition to normal coordination to facilitate traffic control at jurisdictional boundaries, this coordination allows one center to take over for another center in scenarios where local center operations are impacted by the disaster.