Executive White Paper

Cisco Open Platform for Safety and Security: Understand the Citizen-Authority Interaction Architecture Building Block

What You Will Learn

The Cisco Open Platform for Safety and Security is an architecture framework for building solutions to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from incidents. The framework comprises six building blocks: Command and Control, Mission-Critical Network, Incident Collaboration, Sensing and Actuation, Mobile Force, and Citizen-Authority Interaction.

This white paper, intended for organizations planning investments in safety and security technologies and for solutions providers, focuses on the Citizen-Authority Interaction architecture building block. This building block provides the following capabilities:

Enabling citizens to report information to authorities using phones, videophones, Short Message Service (SMS) messages, and ••Multimedia Message Service (MMS)

Enabling authorities to alert and instruct targeted groups of citizens using automated phone calls, broadcasts to all mobile ••phones in a geographic area, digital signage, and other methods

The Role of Citizen-Authority Interaction in Safety and Security

Citizen-Authority Interaction has two main roles during emergency response. One is accepting emergency notification from citizens, which can accelerate awareness and response. The other is alerting citizens about an emergency event and instructing them what to do. Figure 1 shows the role of the Citizen-Authority Interaction architecture building block in the Cisco Open Platform for Safety and Security.

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Figure 1 The Citizen-Authority Interaction Architecture Building Block

Examples of the Citizen-Authority Interaction include:

Amber alert system in the United States:•• Amber alerts are intended to help law enforcement officers search for missing children. Authorities inform the public using a variety of channels, including digital signage on highways. The objective is to increase the number of people looking for the missing child or a possible suspect.

Alerting citizens to potential public safety threats: •• Methods include air raid alarms, Japan’s tsunami alarm systems, and Internet portals.

Displaying evacuation routes:•• Safety organizations can use digital signs on highways or in sports stadiums, for example.

911 and 112 emergency contact centers: •• Most countries provide a single emergency number that citizens can dial to report safety and security events. The agent dispatches the appropriate service, such as police, fire, or emergency medical services.

Figure 2 shows the functional elements used in Citizen-Authority Interaction, and Table 1 shows the enabling solutions from Cisco and its partners.

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Figure 2 Citizen-Authority Interaction Functional Elements

Table 1 Solutions Support Communications from Citizens to Authorities and from Authorities to Citizens

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Cisco Digital Signage

AtHoc

Frequentis

Positron

SingleWire(previously known as Berbee)

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Citizen-to-Authority Interaction

By making it easy for citizens to report incidents using any available communications device, public safety organizations can become aware of incidents more quickly. The main platform for citizen-to-authority interaction is the public safety answering point (PSAP), a contact center that receives emergency communications from citizens and dispatches the appropriate emergency service. A single-number PSAP is easier for citizens to use. Many countries have established emergency number services, such as 9-1-1 in the United States and 1-1-2 in the European Union.

PSAP Technologies

Until recently, most PSAPs could only accept voice calls. New PSAP technology also allows citizens to report emergencies using SMS messaging, MMS (such as images or video captured with mobile phones), email, and more.

Technology Highlight: FrequentisThe Integrated Communication Control System (ICCS) from Cisco and Frequentis enables PSAPs to capture information from callers using a variety of devices and media types and forward it to responders on their way to the scene. London’s Metropolitan Police Service is using ICCS to enable 23 boroughs to communicate using the national Airwave digital radio system. Boroughs are able to share CCTV images, as well, increasing situational awareness for officers.

For more information, visit: www.frequentis.com/Internet/PublicSafety/PublicSafety/

PSAPs use the following technologies to collect information needed for an effective response:

Mobile phone location:•• Callers using mobile phones sometimes cannot provide their exact location. Therefore, mobile service providers need to be able to determine the approximate location of the device within a few seconds. They can accomplish this using triangulation techniques. Foreign language support: •• If a caller does not speak the local language, the PSAP dispatcher should be able to quickly identify an available dispatcher in another PSAP who speaks the caller’s language and transfer the call. This requires presence information and a connection between contact centers.Support for deaf citizens: •• The PSAP needs a way to receive information from deaf or mute citizens. Popular options include videophones and SMS messaging. Slovenia, for example, offers videotelephony and wireless application protocol (WAP) text services in its PSAPs. Fusion Center technology: •• Fusion Centers merge data from multiple sources, providing an effective and efficient way to exchange information and intelligence, optimize resources, streamline operations, and improve event response. This technology is described in the Cisco executive white paper on the Command and Control Architecture Building Block.Dialing number detection:•• PSAP dispatchers can see the dialing number, enabling them to call back if required.

Technology Highlight: Cisco Emergency Responder

In organizations with IP phones, users can freely move phones, potentially preventing the PSAP dispatcher from knowing a caller’s precise location in the building. This can delay response if the caller is in a campus with multiple floors and buildings. Cisco Emergency Responder automatically tracks all phone moves and changes so that the PSAP operator can view the precise phone location. When a caller dials 911 or another emergency number, Cisco Emergency Responder also alerts onsite personnel through email, pager, telephone call, and web page notifications.

For more information, visit: www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/voicesw/ps842/

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PSAP Communication Channels

The Citizen-Authority Interaction architecture building block supports the following communications channels in the PSAP:

Voice:•• Callers can use a traditional phone, IP phone, or mobile phone. Videotelephony: •• Citizens who have videophones or webcams can use these to communicate with a PSAP dispatcher who has video capability. Being able to see the caller’s facial expression can help the dispatcher ascertain the severity of an incident and can also facilitate communications with people who are deaf. Data: •• Newer PSAPs can receive information submitted by SMS, MMS, instant messaging, and web forms. Citizens who witness events can capture video with their mobile phones and transmit it to the PSAP, providing more complete and accurate situational awareness than if they tried to describe the event with words only. The dispatcher can transmit MMS to first responder vehicles on the way to an incident, increasing situational awareness. SMS is useful in noisy emergency environments when a caller cannot be heard.

Technology Highlight: Positron Positron’s Emergency Communication and Collaboration Platform integrates with Cisco Unified Communications Manager to enable PSAPs to accept citizen communications by VoIP, video, email or SMS messaging. It integrates easily with existing equipment and can scale as communications volume increases.

For more information, visit: www.positron911.com

Alarming Points

Placed in strategic locations in public or private spaces, alarming points allow citizens to directly access an operational room in the event of an emergency. When activated, the alarm point can either call a predefined number and transmit a prerecorded voice message, or establish a two-way communication between the citizen and the PSAP operator, acting like an intercom. One example of alarming points are the emergency buttons, sometimes called panic buttons, in metro stations, along the highway, and in elevators.

Alarming points can also be installed in vehicles to send an alert in the event of an impact. The European Commission and the industry have agreed to equip all new vehicles with eCall alarm systems beginning in 2010. When an accident occurs, the module automatically calls a 112 PSAP and transmits details about the accident and the vehicle’s location, using a built-in geographic positioning system (GPS) and an integrated subscriber identity module (SIM) card or a connected cell phone. The PSAP then forwards the location information to an emergency vehicle by satellite. The U.S. has a similar service called OnStar.

Authority-to-Citizen Interaction

During emergencies, authorities must be able to quickly reach all citizens affected by a safety or security event and to provide instructions intended to protect lives and property. The Authority-to-Citizen Interaction function provides multiple broadcast technologies to accomplish this goal.

Alert Notification and Information Systems

Public safety organizations typically use multiple alert notification and information systems (Figure 3). The goal is to quickly disseminate warning messages to specific individuals, communities, or organizations in response to an imminent or oncoming emergency or hazard event. The message describes the event and the affected areas, and provides instructions. For instance, if toxic fumes are emanating from a chemical factory, the agency might need to inform neighboring citizens to seal their windows and doors and wait for further instructions. When confirmation of receipt of the message is required, the system can keep trying until receiving acknowledgement, or else repeat the message at regular intervals for the duration of the incident.

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Figure 3 Early Warning Systems Must Provide Multiple Channels to Reach Citizens

Public safety organizations can use different notification methods based on the location and demographics of affected citizens:

Emergency Telephone Alert System (ETAS): •• These systems subdivide outbound calls by geographic area or other demographic characteristics. The advantage of this method is that most citizens have landline phones, which can be used to warn the citizens about a sudden emergency and advise them to turn on the radio or TV or take specific precautions. The system can also provide an interactive menu for call recipients to provide information. For example, the system can ask anyone who has seen a missing child to press a button to leave a message or connect to a live agent.Cell Broadcast (CB):•• CB sends text messages to all mobile phones currently connected in a particular geographic area, without the need to know the subscribers’ phone numbers. More than half of the world population has access to mobile phones, making this an effective channel for emergency alerts. Figure 4 highlights the advantages of disseminating warnings using rich-multimedia messages, such as MMS or Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS).

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Figure 4 Multimedia Warning Messages Provide Richer Information than Text-Only Messages

Voice Alert, also known as Public Address (PA): •• Many retail stores and office buildings have PA systems used to play music. When PA systems are connected to the IP network, the command and control center can also use them to broadcast information during emergencies. If a fire is detected in a subway station, for example, the PA could play a prerecorded message to warn passengers of the danger and provide instructions.

Technology Highlight: Singlewire Software Singlewire InformaCast enables organizations simultaneously send an audio stream and text message to multiple IP phones, IP speakers, desktop notification systems, and overhead paging systems. With the push of a single button on an IP phone or a single click from a PC, public safety organizations can send a live, recorded, or scheduled broadcast to one or more paging groups.

For more information, visit: www.singlewire.com

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Visual Alert - Digital Media System (DMS): •• Retailers use digital signage to advertise products and events. When digital signs are connected to the IP network, they can also be used to display emergency information, such as the route to the nearest exit. IP-based sensors can trigger the DMS to display different prerecorded content, based on the nature of the incident. Digital signage is an effective form of communicating with citizens in busy areas such as retail malls, public transit stations, sports arenas, and so on.

Technology Highlight: Cisco Digital Media System Cisco Digital Media System (DMS) is a comprehensive solution to create, manage, and publish digital media on network-connected digital signs. The Cisco DMS can display emergency notifications on the full screen of digital signs in designated zones, or scroll less urgent alerts across the bottom of the screen while previously scheduled content continues to play.

For more information, visit: www.cisco.com/go/dms

Mass media: •• During regional and national emergencies such as natural disasters, public safety agencies can provide updates to citizens using mass media such as television, radio, community and government web portals, and other Web 2.0 technologies. The Los Angeles Fire Department sends information about incidents to citizens who opt in through email, RSS, and Twitter. (http://lafd.org/alert). Note that mass media is only effective if people are aware of the emergency so that they turn on their TV or radio or visit the web. Therefore, mass media should be supplemented with CB or ETAS.

Technology Highlight: AtHoc AtHoc IWSAlerts transforms the IP network and connected devices into a unified emergency notification system. Public safety organizations can use it to provide detailed instructions to affected citizens and receive feedback to help ensure a safe response. When it receives emergency notification from a human operator or security sensor, AtHoc IWSAlerts manages the mass notification process from alert activation to recipient tracking and reporting. It delivers personalized alerts to personnel on PCs, mobile devices, telephones, PA systems, or any IP-enabled device. It can deliver alerts to thousands of personnel across all communication channels within minutes.

For more information, visit: www.athoc.com

Communications Scope

Informing the public in an inappropriate way can cause panic and might worsen the situation. The Authority-to-Citizen Interaction function provides technologies to communicate with the right group of people, in the right format, and at the right time. Table 2 shows the authority-to-citizen interaction methods best suited to the scope of the emergency: local, regional, or national.

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Table 2 Choose a Communications Channel Based on Incident Scope

Incident Scope Example Communications Methods

Local Toxic gas cloud from chemical plant drifts toward a residential neighborhood

Mass media such as television, radio, or community web portals

Digital signage in areas such as shopping malls, air-ports, amusement parks, or mass transit stations

Regional Weather-related disaster, such as floods, hurricane, and so on.

Large-scale power outage

ETAS

CB

National Terrorist incident

Pandemic

Mass media

CB, with information specific to the region

As an example of the value of CB during regional emergencies, in the summer of 2006, the Chinese government engaged the country’s three largest mobile operators to send SMS messaging to millions of citizens warning them about Typhoon Kaemi. Text messaging was a good choice because about one-third of China’s population owns a mobile phone, network quality is excellent, and the network covers coastal waters, reaching fisherman.

The Netherlands has announced its intention to introduce CB as part of the national early warning system in 2010. The country will use CB to supplement other warning systems, such as sirens and special emergency broadcasts on radio and television.

Conclusion

Public safety and security is a complex and rapidly evolving discipline, and a single vendor cannot provide all pieces of an architecture. Therefore, it is vital for the industry to develop and adopt open interfaces that enable best-of-breed solutions to work together. The Cisco Open Platform for Safety and Security provides a framework for solution providers to jointly create and implement solutions. The Citizen-Authority Interaction architecture building block provides:

Support for new forms of citizen-to-authority communications, including SMS and MMS messaging, video, and email.••

A variety of authority-to-citizen communications, including telephone alerts, cell phone broadcasts, visual alerts, voice alerts, and ••mass media.

For More Information

To read more about the Cisco Open Platform for Safety and Security, including partner profiles, visit:

www.cisco.com/go/copss

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All other trademarks mentioned in this document or Website are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (0711R)

Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www.cisco.com/go/offices.

CCVP, the Cisco logo, and Welcome to the Human Network are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc.; Changing the Way We Work, Live, Play, and Learn is a service mark of Cisco Systems, Inc.; and Access Registrar, Aironet, Catalyst, CCDA, CCDP, CCIE, CCIP, CCNA, CCNP, CCSP, Cisco, the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert logo, Cisco IOS, Cisco Press, Cisco Systems, Cisco Systems Capital, the Cisco Systems logo, Cisco Unity, Enterprise/Solver, EtherChannel, EtherFast, EtherSwitch, Fast Step, Follow Me Browsing, FormShare, GigaDrive, HomeLink, Internet Quotient, IOS, iPhone, IP/TV, iQ Expertise, the iQ logo, iQ Net Readiness Scorecard, iQuick Study, LightStream, Linksys, MeetingPlace, MGX, Networkers, Networking Academy, Network Registrar, PIX, ProConnect, ScriptShare, SMARTnet, StackWise, The Fastest Way to Increase Your Internet Quotient, and TransPath are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries.

All other trademarks mentioned in this document or Website are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (0711R)

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Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems, Inc.170 West Tasman DriveSan Jose, CA 95134-1706USAwww.cisco.comTel: 408 526-4000800 553-NETS (6387)Fax: 408 527-0883

Asia Pacific HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd.168 Robinson Road#28-01 Capital TowerSingapore 068912www.cisco.comTel: +65 6317 7777Fax: +65 6317 7799

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BVHaarlerbergparkHaarlerbergweg 13-191101 CH AmsterdamThe Netherlandswww-europe.cisco.comTel: +31 0 800 020 0791Fax: +31 0 20 357 1100