Earthquake Engineering Research - HKU Libraries - The University ...

186
program was introduced to business and commercial district in order to secure life safety and minimize
impacts to building properties and businesses. Residential district is excluded in this program.
1 Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) and 5 sub Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) are
assigned to major building units, and VERN system was networked for responders to establish local
communication within the HITS site (see Figure 3). CEOC is in charge of building-to-building
coordination to support activities, as well as manage common spaces. All information, including
earthquake shaking intensity and epicenter sent from JMA and on-site building floor response records,
are stored in a server at CEOC, and shared as appropriate. Authorized responders of HITS
Emergency Organization initiates response operation, update status information, and implement
response activities under HITS Emergency Response Plan. Critical decisions in regard with
operation priority, objectives, and staff allocation are discussed and determined utilizing the network.
VERN
Floor
Response
Office
Tower Y
Central
Emergency
Operation
Center
Figure 3. VERN Network Applied for HITS
CONCLUSION
VERN could show a clue to establish a uniform emergency response mechanism and organization to
minimize complexity of information, and to maximize self-sufficiency capability. This concept can
be applied to various size of disaster management community which would have existing systems to
integrate on a common platform. The key to fully utilize this system is to structure operational
response scenarios per types and requirement of community and facilities, and decision-making
support tool, as a cornerstone, is expected to help expedite efficient activities by upgrading the level of
its density and detail.