Emergency management systems: a systems approach

In this paper we present an approach to the development of a theoretical framework for modelling analysis, and design of emergency planning and response systems. Our particular bias is that emergency management systems (EMS) can be viewed from the perspective of system science, as a discrete-event dynamical system (DEDS), such as those systems encountered in the military command, control, and communication environment (C3). As such, it is possible to draw from the existing knowledge in these fields to develop useful ways to model, analyze, and design an EMS. We first describe EMS systems and their importance. We then describe generic C3 systems and how such systems can be modelled as discrete-event dynamical systems. Next we present a systems perspective on EMS and interpret EMS as a C3 system. Finally, we give an example of a specific EMS associated with a Department of Energy (DOE) national lab and present a Petri net model of some aspects of the EMS