Mobilize During Disaster Faster with Edge Computing
Lead with Speed: Advancing Crisis Response with Tactical Edge Mobility
When disaster strikes, the most precious resource is time–time to assemble, act, and efficiently mobilize.
Edge Computing can save lives during a disaster by allowing critical data processing to happen locally, even if infrastructure and Wi-Fi connectivity is disrupted. Edge enables faster response times, real-time monitoring, and immediate decision-making, which are crucial during emergencies, like natural disasters. Edge Computing also means having servers close to response teams or other end users that enable rapid communication, which is critical following a crisis given confusion and anxiety run high.
Edge is synonymous with speed. And speed is imperative to improve everything from field reporting and data collection to damage assessments.
It’s also important to lean on Edge as we encounter stronger environmental events due to global warming. According to recent EPA data, “average temperatures have risen across the contiguous 48 states since 1901, with an increased rate of warming over the past 30 years. Nine of the top 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 1998. Average global temperatures also show a similar trend, and all the top 10 warmest years on record worldwide have occurred since 2005.” Increasing temperatures pose challenges to overall safety by intensifying extreme weather events and altering precipitation patterns, leading to more frequent and severe weather-related hazards.
So, where does Edge come in? With weather and climate changes in constant fluctuation, organizations must be prepared to handle a myriad of potential disasters—from hurricanes to wildfires and everything in between. Fire drills are introduced in elementary school, but what about instructions for explosions, chemical spills, floods, and other extreme weather; what’s the plan for these?
It’s generous to assume that employers are even partially equipped to handle catastrophic events like earthquakes, tornadoes, and even snow or ice storms. (What’s more, many don’t even have contingency plans in place to handle payment and benefits for impacted employees.) When disaster strikes, who is going to remember to open the locked drawer or filing cabinets stuffed with outdated, paper-based manuals?
Prepare for Disaster with Secure Mobility
As a result of paper-based inefficiencies, there’s often a lack of resources and preparedness to understand, much less handle, a crisis. Beyond empowering employees with basic knowledge of what to do, it’s imperative that organizations like The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and The Red Cross are equipped with the resources and technology to respond with agile authority.
When it comes time to document disaster sites, mobility provides countless end-to-end solutions, like cameras with GPS technology that allow responders to take photos and video with precise damage locations. Mobile Edge technology also allows the automation of manual damage assessment forms, immediate response initiation communication, and consistent and detailed data while reducing duplication– all in a wireless, deployable, and trackable format. For emergency and disaster management, mobile solutions can mean the difference between life and death.
In 2018, the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) tracked U.S. weather and climate events that had significant societal and economic impacts. According to Climate.gov, 2018 was an exceptionally active year with the fourth highest total climate-related events in recorded history. 2018 saw 14 individual billion-dollar events: two tropical cyclones, eight severe storms, two winter storms, drought, and wildfires. Unfortunately, 2016, 2017 and 2018 have all been historic in the sheer number of billion-dollar disasters impacting the U.S.—45 events in total.
Be prepared for any situation, natural disaster or national emergency.
Monkton Anchorage is a patented Zero Trust technology providing immutable proof of a device's identity at the hardware level.
Monkton EdgeMX streamlines the entire maintenance processes on iPads and iPhones. This powerful duo works in connected or disconnected environments empowering everyone with secure communication and guaranteed trusted data to make informed decisions to maintain seamless operations.
Disaster Recovery at the Tactical Edge
In times of crises, the Tactical Edge could be in a town of thousands or a remote fishing village. Either way, it’s safe to assume electricity and power sources will be limited. As such, mobile solutions are necessary to collect and document data with swift precision.
Putting tablets or other secured mobile devices in the hands of responders at the onset of a disaster provides safety in less obvious ways, including:
Ease of use: User friendly, intuitive technology is paramount. When time is of the essence, technology must be simple, streamlined, and easy to use. Scenarios like running out of paper, losing a pen, or capturing the wrong data won’t exist with pre-programmed functions designed specifically for disaster management.
Ability to scale: When a tornado touches down, it will likely cause sustained damage for miles due to changing weather conditions. Having the ability to rapidly deploy devices enables responders with the tools necessary to better serve affected communities.
Speed of recovery: How quickly data is captured at the Edge is a key metric for future preparedness. Mobility is leaps and bounds more efficient than paper and offers real-time collection with cloud-based security protection.
Connectivity (or often lack thereof): When Wi-Fi and power are unavailable, mobility can provide direction on where to seek shelter, where resources are accessible, the location of displaced family and friends, and offer real-time updates on road accessibility and topography.
Integration with IoT devices: Edge Computing can integrate with various IoT devices, such as drones, sensors, etc., used in disaster management for monitoring, assessing damage, and rescue operations. This integration can facilitate the collection of more detailed and accurate data.
Data analytics and AI integration: The integration of AI and analytics with Edge Computing can enable real-time analysis of collected data, generating actionable insights that can help in quick decision-making during disaster situations.
Real-Time Informed Decisions with Edge: U.S. Northern Command
Responding to ever-changing COVID-19 circumstances and demands in 2020, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) leveraged Edge-based data solutions as a mission-critical tool. To provide rapid support and make informed decisions on defense efforts, USNORTHCOM embraced Edge-based mobility, rapidly delivered through Monkton’s MATTER IDIQ.
Monkton delivered USNORTHCOM, a life-saving system that collected and analyzed data that ultimately helped General O’Shaughnessy determine where to deploy personnel across the country.
Dynamic questionnaires securely collected information from users in the field—including those deployed on a ship, underwater in a submarine, or in a military hospital. This information enabled proactive support capabilities exactly where they were needed.
As a mission-critical tool, Edge-based data collection for USNORTHCOM was essential, and provided General O’Shaughnessy immediate communication with forward deployers to monitor their status. Real-time end user reporting—or forward deployer reporting—also enabled predictive data on future hot spots both on land and sea. Synergistic data captures a complete logistical picture for mission success.
The Monkton Advantage: Mobility for Crisis Response
Mobility as a solution offers a cooperative platform for crisis response so all responders have more time to be resilient and strategic. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for natural disasters, but there are specific needs responders must address to make their recovery efforts the most effective and mitigate future risk.
At Monkton, we specialize in providing secure and compliant cloud and mobile solutions to help organizations deliver mission capabilities quickly, effectively, and most importantly, to the Edge when necessary.
Our solutions are rooted in world-class security standards, like NIST, NIAP, FedRAMP, HIPAA, and DoD SRG to ensure security from day one. Our approach to security and compliance, along with our Cloud Native development capabilities, allow us to rapidly deliver solutions and advisory services to ensure success. By combining Functions as a Service (“FaaS”) and Platforms as a Service (“PaaS”), organizations can solve business problems quickly and ensure they’re Edge-ready.
Monkton delivers mission capabilities that can efficiently run anywhere—even in disconnected missions following disaster scenarios.
