CBRN Planning and Response: Collecting, Analyzing, and Using Actionable Knowledge

摘要

To save lives in a mass casualty event, decision makers need access to a wide range of information and analyses and they need direction on when and how to use that information. We have developed an integrated approach to support decision-making efforts within overwhelming CBRN events. The end product is called the Actionable Knowledge Report (AKR). This tool provides fused knowledge and analysis summaries focused on needs of specified end-users in a near-real time, web-based, multi-level secure, common operating picture environment. The AKR provides to decision makers a tool to meet their overall goal of preserving and saving lives by breaking down their efforts into two broad areas: minimizing casualties, and managing the unavoidable casualties. To do this effectively, a number of capabilities in each of these areas must be considered. To arrive at a solution, capabilities need to be connected into strategies to form a reasonable course of action (COA). To be successful, situational awareness must be maintained, and risks of implementation and sustainability of the execution must be taken into account. In addition, a CBRN situation can overwhelm the existing infrastructure and capabilities. This will place a large burden on the individuals, forcing them to explore alternative and non-conventional strategies. The AKR provides an interactive medium to develop and implement the best COA. Both the AKR and the underlying analytical process (including the incorporation "of CBRN casualty and resource estimation tools) are described in this paper.