The Ability to Respond to Emergencies - Report Example

Fire Fighting and Emergency Response Name Date Course Introduction Background information The ability to respond to emergencies is significant in ensuring that lives can be saved and damage to properties reduced. A number of risks has been on the increase and this has necessitated the need for emergency response. During the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center, the capacity and ability to respond to emergencies was tested. It was found that emergency response was not effective (Yuan, et al, 2014). Fire is one of the emergencies that can be caused by various factors including terrorist attacks, for instance, in the case of the World Trade Center. The fire fighting process is important in saving the lives of the occupants as well as preventing damage to the building. The time taken to respond to fire emergency is important as fire develops with time. Technological systems have been put in place for the purposes of enhancing the response to fire. Various systems have been developed in order to enhance the ability and capacity to respond to fires. The use of technological systems has greatly improved on the detection of the fire. Detecting the fire early is useful in ensuring that the fire fighters can respond immediately. Selection of systems A system that utilizes various technologies to form a fire grid is commonly used in the fire fighting process. This has helped to improving the response time in case of a fire. The system has components as well as subsystems that enable the fire grid system to work effectively. The system has various technological aspects that enable the firefighters to obtain information about the fire (Batra, 2013). The system ensures that information about a fire incident reaches the firefighters immediately and hence prompting an immediate response. It is also important to note that the system utilizes the automation process to ensure communication is enhanced among the fire fighters. However, in order for the system to work effectively, firefighting equipment is also required. This has seen the fire departments investing in firefighting equipment as well as the training of the fire firefighters. Fire grid and emergency response system Characterization of system under study System objectives/purposes To provide the firefighters with information in order to facilitate quick response. To enable the occupants of the building to report a fire incident within a short period of time. To detect the extent of the fire in order to ensure that the fire fighters are well equipped to combat it. To ensure that lives are saved and extent of damage to the building reduced. Environment The system mainly utilizes the technological tools to carry out its operations. It is therefore operated in a technological environment. The interaction mainly takes place through the use of technological gadgets. The technological environment plays an important role in terms of ensuring that the operations can be carried out effectively (Batra, 2013). The technological tools provide information that is useful in terms of improving on the decision making process. The system is easy to operate and it is also effective to the users. The interaction between different subsystems plays an important role in ensuring that the objective of the system is achieved. Subsystem objective/ Purpose The subsystem is aimed at ensuring that the data is collected and received. Enhance the communication process in order to ensure that the fire is combated. Provide the firefighters with information about the nature of the fire. Enhance the data interpretation process. Elements of the sub-system and their attributes The elements of the sub-system are aimed at ensuring that the system is able to function effectively. The main elements of the system include sensors which are usually installed in the public building. The sensors are mainly for the purposes of ensuring that the conditions of the room are monitored in terms of temperature (Yuan, et al, 2014). A sudden increase in temperature could be an indication that the room is on fire. This element is however common only in public buildings or multi-storey buildings. The camera is also an important part of the sub-system and it is mainly for the purposes of taking photographs. The use of cameras ensures that the photographs of the fire can be taken at the source. In most cases, the elements of the subsystem are usually made of materials that are fire resistant. This is useful in ensuring that they continue to work for sometimes even after the fire has started. The sensors and the cameras are important in providing information to the firefighters about the stages of the fire. In buildings without the sensors and camera, a mobile app as well as emergency numbers is usually provided for communicating with the firefighters. The alarm forms an important part of the subsystem as it used for notifying the occupants of the building as well as the fire fighters about the fire incident. This element is useful as it acts as a warning to the occupants. It may also trigger some of the actions such as the automatic switching on the sprinklers. This element is useful as it usually switches on automatically upon detection of fire by the other elements. A database is where the information about the fire is stored. This includes the information from the sensors as well as the phone calls from the occupants of the building. The storage of information is useful in ensuring that the firefighters can utilize it (Batra, 2013). The emergency response team is parts of the sub-elements and it mainly involves the fire fighters as well as the medics. Most of the firefighting teas have ambulances and medical personnel who are required in providing first aid to the victims of the fire. The firefighters and medical personnel are usually stationed at the fire stations where the database can be accessed. The elements are thus useful in terms of ensuring that all the activities are carried out. Technology helps in coordinating the activities of the firefighters and enhance communication process. System relationships System: Between each of the subsystems The relationship between the subsystems ensures that the operations are carried out effectively (Jackson, 2003). Each of the subsystem has a role to play which is dependent on the other subsystem. None of the subsystems ca function independently and hence the relationship. The database is dependant of the other subsystems that provides it with information. The firefighters can only act in the presence of information. Each of the system is this related to the other. However, it is important to note that the use of technology helps in ensuring that the subsystems work in coordination with each other. In a system, the relationship between the subsystems is useful in guaranteeing its functionality. The failure of one of the subsystem leads to the failure of the entire system. The subsystems therefore require frequent monitoring in order to ensure that it is fully functional. Subsystem: Between each of its elements The relationship between the elements in the subsystem determines the operations of the system (Blanchard & Fabrycky, 1998). Each of the subsystem has its elements that are required for the purposes of performing different functions. However, the elements in each of the subsystem operate independently from each other. This is mainly due to their attributes as well as their functions. All the elements within the subsystem are dependent on each other. This means that the operations in each of the subsystem is governed by its nature and attributes. The attributes of the elements in the subsystem are different and hence leading to the diverse nature of the relationships. Each element in the subsystem is not directly connected to the elements in the other subsystem and hence leading to the interdependence. A system that performs a particular function may still have elements that operate independently from each other. The outcome is however the same despite of the relationship between the subsystems and elements. System Complexity The complexity of a system is dependant of the characteristics that it inhibits. The system has some of complexity due to the characteristics that it exhibits. A degree of spontaneous order is one of the characteristics of a complex system (Eisner, 2002). This is evident in the system as a spontaneous order is present due to the arrangement of the subsystems. The relationship between the subsystems is also dependant on the spontaneous order that exists. The order is also robust which enables it to function effectively. The presence of different elements in the subsystem plays an important role in ensuring that the system is robust. The presence of a feedback loop is an indication that the system is complex. The diagram indicates that the system has a feedback loop which is an indication of its complexity. The feedback in the system is useful in terms of determining the actions that needs to be undertaken. Hierarchy is an important aspect that determines the complexity of the system. The hierarchy in the organization mainly exists among the firefighters. The firefighters have different ranks with the senior most people being the Chief fire officer. The presence of such a hierarchy is thus an indication that the system is complex. The fire departments have an organizational structure which ensures that the activities and functions are well coordinated. The interactions among the members of the organization as well as the subsystems and elements are an indication of complexity. Dynamics of system The structure and behavior of a system can be understood through the study of its dynamism. This helps in determining the behavior of the system. The possible problems or challenges that may face the system can be determined through a better understanding of the dynamics. As a complex system, a casual loop diagram can be used for the purposes of determining the dynamism of the system. The presence of feedback and relationship between the subsystems is an indication that the system is quite dynamic (Flood, 1999). The levels of dependence between the systems are high which a characteristic of a dynamic system. Effects on one of the subsystems affect the entire system. The use of technology to monitor different activities within the system plays an important role in ensuring its efficiency. It has encouraged interdependency and hence playing an essential role in terms of its dynamism. Problems/Challenges Identification Problem/ challenge description The relationship between the subsystems is strong due t the interdependence. A strong coupling between the components of a complex system may result to cascading failures (Hitchins, 2004). The system is therefore likely to face cascading failures if one of its components fails to function. The failure of the database may lead to the failure of the whole system. This is because the firefighters will not be able to obtain the required information on time. It will also be difficult to obtain information about the intensity of the fires. Callers will not be able to find any response in the failure of the database. On the other hand, the failure of the sensors may impacts negatively on the ability to put out the fire on time. It may be difficult to understand the nature of the fire in a multi-storey building in the absence of a sensor. The goals and objectives of the system will not be achieved in case of the failure. This type of problem may lead to catastrophic consequences on the functioning of the system. Problem context The failure of the system may lead to total destruction of the building under fire. Loss of life may also occur as the firefighters may not be able to attend to the situation within the required time. This is problem is therefore an issue that may impact negatively on the whole system. The efficiency of the fire department will also be questioned in case of the problem. The failure of the database to provide the information may occur due to various reasons. Unauthorized access to the system or hacking may render the database ineffective (Jackson, 2000). This may directly contribute to the problem as the functionality of the system will be affected. The firefighters depend of various equipment to put out the fire. The failure of the equipment may therefore impact negatively on the whole system leading to loss of life and damage to properties. Frequent maintenance is required when dealing with the technological tools which form part of the subsystem. Any technological problem may therefore lead to the failure of the system. Stakeholder/players In the fire fighting and emergency response system, there are various stakeholders and players who are directly involved in various activities. The fire department is the main stakeholder as it controls most of the components of the system. The fire department is also directly responsible for putting out the fire. The fire department will be held responsible for the problem if it fails to respond on time. The occupants of the building are also stakeholders. The occupants will be affected directly by the fire. The problem may lead to the loss of life among the occupants. The technological company that is involved in the maintenance of the technological aspects such as the sensors and cameras will also bear responsibility if the problem is as a result of poor maintenance or technological failures. The stakeholders therefore play an important role on the operation of the system and the prevention of the problem (Nicholas, 2004). Selection of system methodology The system methodology involves the mechanism that can be used to solve the problem affecting the system. There are two main approaches that can be used for the purposes of solving the problems affecting the system which includes the hard and the soft. The hard system approach is based on the assumption that the problem associated with the system is well defined (Clayton, & Radcliffe, 1996). When using the hard system methodology, the problem must also have technical approaches which can utilize scientific mechanisms. However, when this approach is used, requires a lot of expertise as the technical as well as the scientific aspects have to be utilized. The soft system methodology involves the organizational process modeling. It can also be used for the purposes of solving general problems that are associated with the system. Various steps have to be followed when using the oft methodology to solve the problem. This approach is much simpler as compared to the hard system methodology. Application of system methodology Brief description of the system methodology The best approach that can be used for the purposes of solving the problem involves the soft system methodology. This approach has the ability of solving the cascading problem that is likely to affects the system due to the high levels of dependency among the components. This method of solving the problem is also likely to promote behavior change within the organization. The response to the emergencies may be changed as a result of using this method to solve the problem. Examination of each stage Stage 1: Identification of the situation considered problematic The levels of dependence among the subsystems are high. This gives rise to a cascading problem which may lead to negative effects o the entire system. A failure in one of the subsystem will have negative effects on the functionality of the whole system. This may lead to massive destruction of property and loss of life. Stage 2: Expression of the problem situation A cascading problem occurs when the failure of one of the systems leads to the failure of the entire system. This means that it will not be possible to put out the fire or respond to the emergency. This situation may have negative impacts on all the stakeholders involved. Stage 3: Root definitions The problem originates from the relationship between the subsystems in the system. A change of relationship between the subsystems may impact positively on the ability to solve the problem. The problem however requires the analysis of each of the subsystem in order to determine the most appropriate solution. Stage 4: Conceptual model The relationship between the systems is an important aspect that has to be modified. Each of the subsystem may have a backup in case of any failure. This is as opposed to the direct relationship and dependence among the subsystems. The levels of dependency also need to be reduced and each of the subsystem allowed operating independently. Stage 5: Comparisons with the real life situations In an information technology system, a backup mechanism is usually in place. This ensures that the data can be recovered in case of any interference with the main database. This type of system therefore reduces the interdependences in the subsystems. The model is therefore focused on providing an alternative incase of failure. Stage 6: Possible changes The database will have to undergo some changes and a backup system put in place. The backup system will be responsible for providing information in case the main database fails. Other mechanisms of providing information apart from the cameras and sensors will also have to be put in place. The fire department can utilize drones to collect information about the fires. This will ensure that the failure of the sensors and the cameras will not stop the department from obtaining the information. The changes will therefore ensure that all the subsystems are able to operate with a backup. Stage 7: Action The action that will be taken mainly involves an improvement of the architecture so as to accommodate the new changes. The design will be carried out immediately in order to improve on the functionality of the system. However, this will require a lot of expertise. The fire department will have to work closely with the other stakeholders including the information technology company. Implementation issues Implementing changes to a system is a difficult process as some of the existing subsystems have to be redesigned (Kasser, 1995). The implementation may be faced with various challenges including the financial aspects. The purchase of some of the equipment may be too costly for the department. The department will also be required to spend more on maintenance of the new systems. This may be a challenge that may affect the rate of implementation. Extra human resources may also be required in order to monitor the new system. Experienced personnel will be required to monitor the drones in order to ensure proper functionality. Information technology experts will be required to deal with the aspects of information technology. Training of the personnel will be required in order to enable them operate the new systems. All the processes require a lot of resources which may not be at the disposal of the department. The changes may therefore be implemented on a step by step basis. The successful implementation of the changes will however be beneficial to the stakeholders. A lot of consultations are also required in order to ensure that the process is successful. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that the firefighting and emergency response system has various subsystems. The relationship between the elements and the subsystems is that they are interdependent. The levels of interdependence are high and the failure of one subsystem or element may lead to the functionality failure. Cascading problem may result from high levels of dependency. It is evident that technological aspects are utilized in the system in order to ensure efficiency. Modern technological aspects such as the use of sensors and camera ensure that the system is able to function effectively. It is evident that the failure of the system may lead to loss of life as well as extensive damages to the building. The operation of the system involves a high number of stakeholders. The main stakeholder in the operations of the system is the fire department. The problems affecting the system can be solves through the use of hard and soft methodologies. It is evident that the soft methodology is the most appropriate and it will involve various steps. Challenges are evident in the implementation of the system. The main challenge involves the financial and human resource aspects. A lot of consultations among the stakeholders will be required in order for the changes to be implemented successfully. The problems associated with the system can be solved through remodeling and provision of alternatives. Bibliography Jackson, M. C., 2003. Systems Thinking: Creative Holism for Managers, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, West Sussex. Blanchard, B. S. & Fabrycky, Wolter J., 1998. Systems Engineering and Analysis 3rd Ed., Prentice hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Eisner, H., 2002. Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management 2nd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York. Flood, R. L.,1999. Rethinking The Fifth Discipline, Routledge, London. Hitchins, D., 2004. Advanced Systems: Thinking, Engineering and Management, ArtTech House. Jackson, M. C., 2000. Systems Approaches to Management, Kluwer Academic, NY. Nicholas, J. M., 2004. Project Management for Business & Engineering: Principles & Practice 2nd Ed., Elsevier ButterworthHeinemann, Burlington, MA. Clayton, A. M. H. & Radcliffe, N. J., 1996. Sustainability: A Systems Approach, Earthscan Publications, London. Kasser, J., 1995. Applying Total Quality Management to Systems Engineering, Artech House, Boston. Batra, S.P., 2013. Modern fire safety engineering trends. Fire Engineer, 38(2), pp.11-14. Yuan, X. Y. et al. 2014. Experimental study on influence of stack effect on fire in the compartment adjacent to stairwell of high rise building. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 20(1), 121-131. Read More

Fire grid and emergency response system Characterization of system under study System objectives/purposes To provide the firefighters with information in order to facilitate quick response. To enable the occupants of the building to report a fire incident within a short period of time. To detect the extent of the fire in order to ensure that the fire fighters are well equipped to combat it. To ensure that lives are saved and extent of damage to the building reduced. Environment The system mainly utilizes the technological tools to carry out its operations.

It is therefore operated in a technological environment. The interaction mainly takes place through the use of technological gadgets. The technological environment plays an important role in terms of ensuring that the operations can be carried out effectively (Batra, 2013). The technological tools provide information that is useful in terms of improving on the decision making process. The system is easy to operate and it is also effective to the users. The interaction between different subsystems plays an important role in ensuring that the objective of the system is achieved.

Subsystem objective/ Purpose The subsystem is aimed at ensuring that the data is collected and received. Enhance the communication process in order to ensure that the fire is combated. Provide the firefighters with information about the nature of the fire. Enhance the data interpretation process. Elements of the sub-system and their attributes The elements of the sub-system are aimed at ensuring that the system is able to function effectively. The main elements of the system include sensors which are usually installed in the public building.

The sensors are mainly for the purposes of ensuring that the conditions of the room are monitored in terms of temperature (Yuan, et al, 2014). A sudden increase in temperature could be an indication that the room is on fire. This element is however common only in public buildings or multi-storey buildings. The camera is also an important part of the sub-system and it is mainly for the purposes of taking photographs. The use of cameras ensures that the photographs of the fire can be taken at the source.

In most cases, the elements of the subsystem are usually made of materials that are fire resistant. This is useful in ensuring that they continue to work for sometimes even after the fire has started. The sensors and the cameras are important in providing information to the firefighters about the stages of the fire. In buildings without the sensors and camera, a mobile app as well as emergency numbers is usually provided for communicating with the firefighters. The alarm forms an important part of the subsystem as it used for notifying the occupants of the building as well as the fire fighters about the fire incident.

This element is useful as it acts as a warning to the occupants. It may also trigger some of the actions such as the automatic switching on the sprinklers. This element is useful as it usually switches on automatically upon detection of fire by the other elements. A database is where the information about the fire is stored. This includes the information from the sensors as well as the phone calls from the occupants of the building. The storage of information is useful in ensuring that the firefighters can utilize it (Batra, 2013).

The emergency response team is parts of the sub-elements and it mainly involves the fire fighters as well as the medics. Most of the firefighting teas have ambulances and medical personnel who are required in providing first aid to the victims of the fire. The firefighters and medical personnel are usually stationed at the fire stations where the database can be accessed. The elements are thus useful in terms of ensuring that all the activities are carried out. Technology helps in coordinating the activities of the firefighters and enhance communication process.

System relationships System: Between each of the subsystems The relationship between the subsystems ensures that the operations are carried out effectively (Jackson, 2003).

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