Improving emergency management by formal dynamic process-modelling

In the past years, as natural disasters are increasing all over the world efforts in disaster prevention measures and disaster and emergency management systems (DEMS) are expanded in research and practice. In Germany especially the emergency management in case of flood or high water situations plays an important role because of serious flood incidents in 1997 and 2002. Advanced emergency management systems provide a bundled, structured information access for emergency management actors using databases, GIS and internet technology. Nevertheless, the activities, tasks and also decision processes which occur in the emergency management situation are mainly neglected or less supported by these emergency management systems. In this paper, a process-oriented approach to emergency management using ICT is presented. A meta model for the process modelling of emergency management activities is presented and an existing formal process model which allows dynamic changes of pre-modelled processes is explained. A simplified scenario in the context of operational flood management finally points out the applicability of this approach