Atlas OPS – Event Management and Command & Control for the 21st Century

Atlas OPS is a totally integrated software suite developed to meet the operational requirements of any organisation needing to plan, control or manage large numbers of resources or major events.

Combining its state of the art graphical user interface with an extremely user friendly method of operation, Atlas OPS provides a truly unique software system developed to meet the requirements of:-

• Emergency Services
• Government
• Event Organisers
• Security Services
• First Responders
• Emergency Managers

The software has been used to control and coordinate many of the largest events and security operations that have taken place in the UK these include:

• Full control & planning of the opening of the Millennium Dome and celebrations 2000
• The worlds largest military airshow at RAF Fairford
• Many major pop concerts and events including Live 8
• Royal wedding April 2005
• Liberation 60 celebrations – Channel Islands

 
Atlas OPS located in a temporary forward control post

Functional overview:

Atlas OPS is used to provide sophisticated integrated command and control, and resource management functions during major events, incidents and regular day to day operations.

One of the key benefits of the system is the full audit/event log that is automatically maintained; recording all resource movements, change of status, policy and command decisions.

Atlas OPS can operate in both stand alone mode, from a laptop or local computer workstation, or alternatively as part of a much larger networked system with multiple operators linked from various sites and locations.

Resources are moved and controlled by dedicated system operators, who have full ability to update the current status and location of any resource under their control. Atlas OPS also provides facilities for an operator to ‘hand over’ control of resources to any other specified Atlas OPS user or place them in a ‘pooled’ area for any other authorised user to take – all actions are again added to the event log.

The use of networked viewing terminals will provide other locations such as briefing rooms or other command centres with an instant overview of exactly what is happening during any incident. They will see the current locations of resources, be able to view and search on the event log, obtain situation reports, add their own comments and decisions into the log, and even send messages to other Atlas OPS terminals or users.

Resource screen on the left: log and status board on the right

Atlas OPS also provides a dynamic 'Status Board' displaying an accurate overview of all currently deployed resources, their locations and their current operational status.

The event log is automatically updated with the date and time of entry during any operation.  This log may then be filtered to display movements of selected resources or specific types of log comment e.g. threats or deadlines.

Resource creation and management

• Creation of an asset database of all resources ready and available for deployment; the system administrators have full control over the visual style and design of their resources. Each resource is then identified by its unique name or ‘call sign’.
• Ability to generate additional assets on an ad-hoc basis: This allows Atlas OPS to add in any unexpected resources during an event without having to come off line. Any new resources created in this way will automatically be visible to all other system users.
• Associate additional attributes with assets which can be updated and monitored during an incident such as current resource status, time on duty, refreshment breaks, equipment carried skills etc.
• Create unlimited number of assets, and types of asset: Atlas OPS does not limit the number of different types of asset, or how many assets can be created on the system and deployed at any one time.
• Move assets: Assets can be moved by a simple drag and drop method from the map screen, or alternatively sent to a specific ‘intelligent location’ using the status board. Locations can be created by the system prior to an event or added during the event. Locations can be any geographical size from individual rooms in a building to roads, zones or much larger sectors.
• Provide an overview of current state of assets: The Atlas OPS Status board will show a full and current update on the status of all assets/resources currently deployed.
• Show asset locations on maps or plans: At any time a resources geographic location can be displayed on the map display screen. The map can be moved in any direction, with full control over the zoom level.

Create customised user defined resources

Audit log

• Record all asset movements: Each time a resource is moved by an Atlas OPS user, the log adds a date time stamp and records where the resource was moved to – either a grid reference or an known ‘intelligent location’, and which operator moved the resource.  It is also possible to put a brief comment to say why the resource was moved – vital if this information is to be used in a de-brief or enquiry post event.
• Record all changes to asset status: Any change made to the resource is recorded, this may be a change of meal break time, operational status, crew or individuals who make up the ‘call sign’ (if a call sign is used to display a group of people)
• Add user definable comments into audit log: Any number of different ‘comment types’ can be created such as ‘policy decisions’, incident log’ etc. 
• Provides a flexible search facility of the audit log during operation: The log can be filtered to show only selected types of comment, or selected resources, this can also be printed.
• Ability to save logs for post incident analysis: The full event log may be archived post event to provide a full record of all actions, decisions and incidents. The log is stored in an encrypted format to prevent editing or changing.
• Replay log tool for visual post incident analysis: A valuable tool post event – The log can be visually replayed to see dynamic movement of resources, when information was added to the log or changes were made to the status of resources. All movements are also viewed in the map display window allowing individual resources to be ‘tracked’ or geographical locations to be monitored. This presents a very powerful de-brief tool to commanders and senior members of staff.

Event log – showing date and time stamps

Multi-user operation

One of the key features of Atlas OPS is its ability to operate in a networked environment, joining multiple operators to provide a fully coordinated response.

This may be via local or wide area networks, and even including mobile operators. The system will support several levels of operator, some may have control of certain resources – others may be able to only view resources and access the event log.

 
Multi-user Emergency Control as used at RIAT 05

All operators will automatically be updated with any asset movement or changes in resource status from all other connected operators.

Control of assets can be exchanged from one user to another by either a request or handing over resources. All actions are recorded in the event log. Connected users have access to the audit log for viewing and entry of additional comments / actions.

Users also have the facility to send messages to each other via the LAN. All messages are also recorded in the log.

 
Typical Emergency Control Room

Mapping

The system allows the integration of map data from numerous map data providers.  This may be geographic data such as digital maps or aerial imagery, or high quality CAD (Computer Aided Design) data from engineers, architects or building contractors.

All map data will operate completely seamlessly allowing the user access to any combination of available maps.

Vector formats

Digital data is available for import into the integrated emergency management system in the various formats including:

• Ordnance survey master map data – usually delivered in GZ format (gun zip) the Atlas OPS translator automatically unzips this data to GML and translates the maps into Atlas OPS.
• Ordnance survey landline and master map – this is usually delivered in an NTF format, and translated by Atlas OPS using the built in translator.
•  ITN (Integrated Transport Network) new data set providing information on road network, signage, weight restrictions etc.
• DWG – AutoCAD native format
• DXF – Data exchange format
• ESRI shape files

Raster formats

Most digital raster map data can be imported and used by Atlas OPS.  The system will support raster data in the following formats.

• TIFF
• GIF
• BMP
• JPEG
• ECW – compressed aerial & satellite imagery

All popular formats of data supplied from the UK Ordnance survey including

• Street view
• 10,000
• 1:25,000
• 1:50,000
• 1:250,000
• Mini scale
• Master map imagery layer

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Dale Atkins,
Director