Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Sy~,~m for Providprlg Em~n~encv Site Ininrmation
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(0001] This is the first application filed for the present invention.
MICROF~,~E APPENDIX
[0002] Not applicable.
,D OF INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates in gen~ai to a system for providing
emergency site information. More particularly the present invention relates to
a
standalone databank, or database, accessible by emergency pen~onnel that will
provide personal and site information vital an emergency situation,
BACKGROUND OF~E MIYENTION
(0004] In an emergency situation po ice and flnafighters would greatly
benefit from prior knowledge of the site or building they are about to enter.
For
example knawing the location of utilities shut offis, the location of
hazardous,
dangerous and fatal materials with additional pertinent information about
these
items, the location of stairs and number of steps can greatly assist in
manewering through a location and diminish the risk to emergency personnel.
Further this knowledge increases the speed with which the emergency personnel
can respond. Addfionally, information pertaining to the likely occupants of
the
building, such as medical highlights or special needs, would allow them to
better
prepare for the emergency.
(0003] In the past, in order to have site information available at the scene.
volumes of docurntants abarut the site have been hauled to the scene and must
be inspected during the emergency. Also emergency contact names and
numbers, such as the comply and person responsible for the utilities and or
information on handling of other poten#ial dangerous situations, as for
example
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hazardous materials, needed to be tracked doom. This is an obvious waste of
precious moments that can be better used to save a building, a person or other
occupant. In a residential emergency the emergency response team must enter a
home without knowledge of lurking dangers such as an aggressive dog or an
oxygen tank. Due to this they must proceed slowly risking their lives and
those of
the occupants.
(0006) US Patent 5,793,882 to Piatek describes a personnel
accountability system using machine-readable data attached to the emergency
response person in the form of an ID tag. This data can include a Ilst of
skills
and health concerns which the emergency commander will use to dispatch that
individual to a specific location or task or to provide emergency care in the
event
the personnel is injured. Piatek also discusses a similar machine-readable
data
attached to a site, in a lockbox of sorts that will periodically transmit the
information or will transmit when interrogated by a receiver. The site
information may include floor plans, blueprints, photographs of interior
portions of
the site, fire inspection reports, identification of hazardous materials,
utility shut-
offs and gas lines and more. Although such a system has advantages, it may not
be an attractive or practical solution to many communities due to cost and
difficulty to implement. Further the likelihood of tampering of the lockbox
information may be high, putting the system in jeopardy. Users may be
reluctant
to provide site information in mad~ine-readable format as access would be
difficult to control.
(0007) US Patent 5,805,670 to Pons describes a private notification
system where a subscriber provides pre-selected recipients', such as family
and
friends, contact information. This information is used to contact a person who
can provide information about the person placing the 9-1-1 call. Further the
subscriber can provide emergency care information to the emergency care
information database. This database is accessed during a 9-1-1 call. A fairly
complex private notification system is describe and requires two call
processing
personnel, duplication in the equipment to serve them and wireline and or
wireless communication capabilities between them and the emergency response
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team. Unfortunately wireless communication is not always reliable in rural
areas
rendering the use of this system as equally unreliable. Also, the emergency
care
information database does not provide site informat'ron that would be
immensely
useful to the emergency response team.
(0008] The Canadian Patent Application 2,307,988 to Genee describes a
hospital implementation of a visual display of room information. This system
is
intended to track what is in a room and the condition of that item, for
example
occupied or not. In this manner staff can better plan room allocation. This
system is not for an emergency response situation such as a fire or some sort
of
criminal alten;,ation. It does not extend to a community environment and its
unique needs.
(0009] It is obvious that the above inventions do not address the need for
an emergency information system, adaptable to a community, affordable, easily
implemented and that provides pertinent site and likely occupant information.
(0010] To be completed.
SUMM_a~t~F THE~iNVE, NTION
(0011] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
reliable
emergency information system, adaptable to a community, affordable, easily
implemented and that provides pertinent site and likely occupant information.
[0012] In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a
standalone emergency information database that is easily acxessible in rural
areas where wireless communications is not always possible or reliable.
(0013] In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided
an emergency information database that is accessed and read only by
authorized emergency response personnel.
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[0014] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention there is
provide an emergency infonnalion database that resides with the emergency
response vehicle so that information may be accessed en route to the
emergency and a plan for response organized.
»RLEP DESCRIPTION O~~ D~I~NaS
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTIQN OP TjrlE P~ REFERi~,~~;~,EQ~~~,FNT
[00"!6] The system of the present invention includes a standalone
emergency information database accessible to emergency personnel only, such
as fire fighters, police and ambulance personnel. The database contains site
and
occupant information. The system is designed to be easily implemented, using
commonly available software and hardware and affordable to all who wish to
have such protection. The system may be available on a subscription basis. It
is
ideal for residences, schools and businesses or any other location an
emergency
response team may need to access.
[0017] The emergency information database includes an area overview with
map or street outline, a basic floor plan of the site or dwelling, location
and other
necessary information regarding heating and electrical panels, hydrants, exits
and entrances, toxic waste, and potential dangers such as oxygen tanks and an
aggressive dog. It also inGudes instructions such as location with rreference
to
landmarks such as stairs and number of stairs, which way doors open and water
shut-off instructions. The floor plan also includes the likely location of all
potential occupants.
[0018] The database further includes pertinent information on every
ocdrpant of the dwelling as well as pets, if any. The personal information
portion
of the database comprises tag items such as name, age, date of birth,
nicknames, next of kin, medical highlights, special needs, height, weight and
may
include an image or picture of the individual. The pet information captured by
the database has the tag items of name, gender, type, age temperament,
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handling instructions, and possible hiding locations as welt as veterinarian
information and people to call to care for the animal in the event the owner
is not
able to. Again an image or picture of the pet is optional, Of course, other
information may be provided for both individuals, pets and the site itself.
[0019) A computer system includes or stores the database in its memory,
either on the hard drive or any other storage medium such as a digital video
disk
(DVD), compact disk (CD) or magnetic medium. The database may be
implemented in any format such as an Exceh~'~ spread sheet or any other
program with search and hyperlink capabilities, although any database format
is
acceptable.
[0020] For ease of maintenance, the database is accessible via the World
Wide Web or Internet to any subscriber. The subscriber is responsible for
entering and updating all information in hismer file. Where a subscriber does
not
have access to the Internet or is not familiar with Internet access, the data
may
be entered by department staff or volunteers. In this instance the
responsibility
rests with the subscriber to provide any change of information for updating
the
database. A reminder may be sent to ail subscribers on a regular basis, such
as
yearly, requesting that the database be updated
[0021] In nrral areas cellwlar, radio and even satellite communication is not
reliable. While traveling through an area, communication may be degraded and
even suspended as a vehicle passes behind a mountain ar descends into a
valley. Further, it is time consuming for an emergency respond team to utilize
wireline communications upon arrival at an emergency site. Preferably, each
emergency vehicle has assigned to it a computer system including the
emergency information database. Ait~matively, one or more computer systems,
including the emergency information database, is available to emergency
response personnel and is taken along during an emergency response. In this
manner the emergency response personnel may access the information in
preparation for arrival to the site. Alternatively the database may be
accessed
via a database administrator and the information relayed to the emergency
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response team via radio, telephone, hand held data communication device or
remote fax where cornrnunication is reliable.
[0022] When accessed, the emergency information database will query for
a key descriptor such as a 9-1-1 address, street address, owner or occupant or
any other key descriptor that will link to the correct file. Once the file is
accessed
the emergency information database firstly displays a summary of the site,
occupants and neighbouring dwellings. Using software hyperlink commands, this
summary page provides links to more specit7c information.
[0023] For example the 9-1-1 address or street address, using hyperlinks,
links to and displays an area overview and street outline providing clear and
concise din3ctions for the emergency response team to easily locate the site
or
dwelling. Preferably the street outline provides the neighbours' names and
contact information in the event communication with them is important.
[0024] The residential, business, or school, emergency information data is
displayed next and includes a basic floor plan of the site or building,
location and
other necessary information regarding heating and electrical panels, hydrants,
exits and entrances, toxic waste, potential dangers (such as oxygen tanks and
aggressive dog). The floor plan includes likely location of all potential
occupants,
such as the location of their bedrooms or, in the event of a business, their
offices.
[0025) Links to the personal information is possible from the floor plan, or
alternatively from the summary peg~. Personal information is provided for each
occupant of the dwelling as well as pets, it any. The personal information
portion
of the database comprises name, age, date of birth, nicknames, next of kin,
medical highlights, special needs, height, weight and may include an image or
picture of the individual. The pet information captured by the database is
name,
gender, type, age, temperament, handling instructions, and possible hiding
locations as well as handling instructions, veterinarian information and
people to
call to care for the animal in the event the owner is not able to. Again an
image
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or picture of the pet is optional. Of course other personal or pet information
may
be provided.
[0026j Using software hyperiink commands, this portion of the database
may link to further information such as more detail pertaining to medical or
special needs. A medical highlight may indude an allergy while the more
detailed infom~ation may provide alternative ways to treat an allergic
reaction
that, in the past, has worked best far this individual.
[0027j Armed with this information, emergency r~sponse learns may
respond to an emergency with more confidence and more quickly attend to the
necessary tasks, such as turning off electrical power. Further, they can enter
a
dwelling prepared to deal with an aggressive dog, or oxygen tanks. In this
manner injury to the emergency response personnel is minimized and response
time may be reduced so that the number of lives saved may be increased. This
system allows emergency personnel to know in advance the lay out of the
emergency site therefore significantly diminishing the retrieval lime of
persons
and pets.
[0028) To achieve the faster response time the site information must be
kept up to date and accurate. It is the responsibility of the subscriber to
update
the database when changes occur. A reminder may be sent to the subscriber on
a regular basis, such as yearly, requesting that the database be updated and
verified for accuracy.
