US Government Agency Mobilizes Disaster Relief Operations
US Government Agency Mobilizes Disaster Relief Operations US Government relief agency deploys Actsoft Comet Tracker GPS enabled mobile asset tracking solution using Nextel iDEN phones and the ScannerPal Flic Laser Bar Code Scanner system.
Business Situation
The magnitude of mobilizing assets during disaster relief efforts is a monumental task involving many public and private sector organizations that must efficiently marshal resources, personnel, and technology to deliver critical supplies across a widespread area. In order to manage these efforts, the US Government mobilizes independent private sector contractors to haul high-value assets, including generators, mobile homes, medical equipment, construction supplies, and food from numerous locations throughout the United States. Material is moved to hard-hit disaster areas via traditional transportation methods, including truck, train and aircraft. Due to the nature of disaster relief efforts, mobility is critical in efficiently tracking assets. Traditional technologies, such as laptop computers fall short of relief workers’ needs who must know where desperately needed resources are located at any given time.
Solution
The US Government relief agency selected Nextel iDEN phones with Actsoft’s Comet Tracker Mobile Asset Management software to manage assets being deployed to disaster areas. This solution, in combination with the fully integrated ScannerPal Flic Laser Bar Code Scanner system, enables government relief organizations to employ standard bar code technology to track assets in real-time. Nextel iDEN mobile devices use Global Positioning System (GPS) chipsets so that the location of a relief worker and assigned assets can be tracked to within a few meters. Relief drivers use Comet Tracker and the Flic Laser Bar Code Scanner to scan assets at the point of pickup, and again at various points along the delivery route. When material reaches the final point of delivery, assets are scanned one additional time to indicate proof of delivery. This provides an audit trail that includes information on the bar coded asset, its GPS coordinates, time and date stamps, and other critical data. This newly available information helps relief organizations determine how to deploy assets most efficiently to address the critical needs of disaster victims.
“The combination of the Flic Scanner with the ScannerPal iDEN connectivity solution and Actsoft’s Comet Tracker software provides organizations with a best in class solution to track the location of both personnel and assets.” —Dave Anderson, founder of ScoutPal
“Microvision and ScannerPal provided the support necessary to deliver a complete and timely solution to our demanding and price sensitive customer.” —Tom Mitchell, CEO of Actsoft
Benefits
- Increased Public Safety – U.S. Government relief agencies and private contractors now have the ability to track real time location of assets and personnel critical to disaster relief.
- Productivity – US government relief agency has improved critical asset delivery and allocation based on the knowledge of location and nature of assets in route to disaster areas.
- Simplicity and low cost – this solution acts as an affordable location based mobile data collection terminal that is up to 75% less costly than competing solutions.
- Improved decision making – the time necessary to aggregate location and asset information allows decision makers to allocate resources and personnel with greater efficiency, accuracy and responsiveness.