The Search and Rescue Mission Management System – an information

system model for Canadian Inter-governmental cooperation

Robert C. Mulholland and Mahmoud Abaza,

School of Computing and Information Systems, Athabasca University

#1 University Drive , Athabasca , AB T9S 3A3 , Canada

http://ccism.pc.athabascau.ca/html/personal/Mahmoud.htm

Abstract

The Search and Rescue Mission Management System (SMMS) is developed by the author and used by Canada’s federal Search and Rescue (SAR) forces to prosecute distress incidents. SMMS shows how incremental software development reduces projects risks and ensures that changes to the system are delivered in a timely and relevant manner. The importance of a holistic approach to system development is also examined, using the new Canadian SAR aircraft project and the Coast Guard SAR data warehouse (SISAR) as examples. The benefits that data fusion provides to overall situational awareness and hence to the decision making process are also discussed. SMMS also demonstrates a viable solution through thin-client technology to the problems of providing an integrated information system that transcends departmental boundaries, of providing access to rapidly deployed command headquarters, and of providing a lightweight, flexible solution to the issue of continuity of operations and disaster recovery.

Biographies:

Keywords: Network-enabled operations, Information systems, holistic approach, Data fusion.