Prestige: Information storage and feedback
The
Erika response operation was an eye opener in terms of the need
for providing a daily data storage capacity on the operations conducted
during the day, every day. The Cedre then suggested that the Defence
area authorities use requisite data storage facilities in their
crisis management units including indications on manpower and where
they came from, quantities and type of collected waste materials
in addition to the type of techniques and equipment used during
the operation.
There were two objectives to setting up this system
including on-line exploitation of collected data at various echelons
of the response organisation for operational requirements, defining
better strategies and supplying a user-friendly and easy-to-use
resource. Secondly, it was also a matter of using a powerful data
storage capacity, both technically and statistically in off-line
mode to be used subsequently for feed back and dispute settlement
purposes.
Organising data collection and processing
From February
onwards, in the south western defence area, (which was in charge
of co-ordination for the work done in Charente maritime, Gironde,
the Landes and the western Pyrenees) one person was in charge of
ensuring data was stored regarding worksite monitoring and data
capture over the internet.
Guides were made available for data capture into worksite data files and given to all the officials likely to be using the resource to ensure consistency of reporting. Data capture over the internet was also facilitated by QCM. To ensure correct data transmission co-ordination, utilisation in addition to publishing weekly position report maps, an engineer from Cedre was seconded on a full-time basis to the south western defence area HQ in Bordeaux.
In view of the success obtained in Bordeaux, the same resource was rolled out on 15 June to the western defence area HQ that was co-ordinating the response effort in la Manche, Ile et Vilaine,, Côtes d’Armor, Finistere, Morbihan and Vendée which was one month after oil started coming ashore in this defence area. Here again a Cedre engineer was seconded to the defence area HQ in Rennes to co-ordinate data feedback, summary, data exploitation in addition to generating graphs and maps.
With
this system, it was possible to see in real-time how the shore response
was progressing on a continual basis. Charts and maps were issued
daily, weekly, monthly and even annually to the operational team
members in addition to the authorities and could concern several
subjects and various levels of information (national, regional and
zone) and be prepared on request for longer periods of time.
Last update: April
2004