First
responders and HAZMAT units, in particular, must make many
decisions quickly in handling hazardous-materials incidents.
They need accurate information about the hazardous
substances, the emergency resources available, and the
surrounding environmental conditions to save lives and
minimize the impact on the environment and physical
property.
The WISER
(Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) app
helps them do just that.
WISER
extracts content from TOXNET's Hazardous Substances Data
Bank (HSDB), an authoritative, peer-reviewed information
resource maintained by the National Library of Medicine, and
places that information into the hands of those who need it
most. Other features of WISER include: rapid access to the
most important information about a hazardous substance by an
intelligent synopsis engine and display called Key Info;
intuitive, simple, logical user interface developed by
working with experienced first responders; and comprehensive
decision support, including guidance on immediate actions
necessary to save lives and protect the environment.
The app also has user profiles which enable users to specify
the role they are currently playing at the scene of an
incident such as first responder, HAZMAT specialist or EMS
specialist. The key information presented to the user about
a substance varies depending on this role, so that the
information most relevant to the respective job can be
quickly accessed.
