PowerPoint Presentation

The National Information Sharing ConsortiumChanging the Culture of Situational Awareness and Interoperability

September 20, 20121

Why Were Here

Chris McIntosh, NISC DirectorStatewide Interoperable Communications CoordinatorCommonwealth of Virginia

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Describe the purpose of the NISC: its mission, goals, and membership benefitsIllustrate the communitys management structure and plans for sustainabilityAnswer your questionsRecruit new members to ensure the NISCs successWhy Were Here3

It Started with Sharing:How the NISC Came About

Sean McSpaden, NISC DirectorDeputy State Chief Information OfficerState of Oregon

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OUR CHALLENGEDiverse technologies deployedNo common roadmapLimited ability to shareCritical dataVarious formatsHoused/controlled by various ownersGoverned by various methods/approaches for ensuring information is trustworthy and timelyIncreasingly difficult to locate/access

How the NISC Came About

Sporadic, informal information sharing

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How the NISC Came About (cont.)LAUNCHED: JUNE 2012Emergency Management, IT, GIS CommunitiesFederal, Regional, Tribal, State, and Local GovernmentVoluntary Information SharingGovernance docs, information sharing plans, SOPs, software code/documentationFounding Members (June 2012)OR; VA; CA; Charlottesville, VA; Charlotte, NCNew Members (since August 2012)ARC; New York, NY; KY Emergency Management, WA Military Department, OR Emergency Management, NH National Guard66

OUTCOMESEnhanced situational awareness Savings of time and money (resources currently in short supply on both state and local levels)Underutilized data already paid for was put to use How the NISC Came About (cont.)NISC

and other jurisdictions7

Theres No Stopping Us Now:The NISC Builds Momentum

Charles Werner, NISC DirectorChief, Charlottesville Fire DepartmentCity of Charlottesville, Virginia

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MISSIONThe NISC brings together data owners, custodians, and users involved in the fields of emergency preparedness, management, and response to drive an ongoing dialogue on how to best leverage efforts related to the development, sharing, and governance of technology, data, and best practices.

The NISC Builds Momentum9Now that the decision was made to formalize the NISCwe have developed a focused mission and goals 9

GOALSBy bringing together practitioners on local, state, and federal levels, the NISC strives toInfluence national policy around public safety and emergency managementStandardize information sharing efforts on a global scaleImprove community resilience

The NISC Builds Momentum (cont.)10Emphasize that the NISC is practitioner informed, driven, and sustained10

MEMBERSFirst respondersDevelopers of geospatial and other situational awareness technologies State/local government emergency management information and communications officersMission-critical partners, e.g., utilities, railroads, etc.The NISC Builds Momentum (cont.)11

MEMBERS (cont.)State and local government Information Technology and GIS leaders/practitionersNGOs active in emergency preparedness and responseCivic leadersFederal agenciesPrivate industryThe NISC Builds Momentum (cont.)12

We Mean Business!

Chris McIntosh, NISC DirectorStatewide Interoperable Communications CoordinatorCommonwealth of Virginia

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The NISC is a non-profit organization.Sustainability of the NISC rests on fundraising efforts including voluntary member donations and formalized private industry sponsorships. Funds are used to support a number of practitioner-informed activitiesWe Mean Business! (cont.)14

We Mean Business!Resource DisseminationPractitioner-developed ResourcesSample MOAs/templatesTrainingsPolicy/guidance documentsLessons learnedNISC Curated ResourcesBest practices analyses, fact sheets, tip sheetsCase studiesAggregated informationTechnology Store and Data PipelineApplication codeData setsDownloadable applications

(limited or unlimited sharing; unlimited publish or limited publish)Training/NetworkingShow & Tell Webinars

Educational Seminars

NISC Annual Summit

Policy/DevelopmentInitiative-focused Working Groups

Brokerage of Subject Matter Expertise Resource developmentPolicy development

NISC BOARD and ADMINISTRATIONNISC MEMBERSHIP15

FUNDS SUPPORTAdministrative costsExpenses related to membership events and resource developmentFees connected to the upkeep of infrastructure and operational mechanismsWe Mean Business! (cont.)16

What the NISC Brings to You

Sean McSpaden, NISC DirectorDeputy State Chief Information OfficerState of Oregon

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Access to a repository of resourcesSample governance documentsStandard operating procedures and trainingsContractual templatesOther educational materials related to situational awareness, information sharing, and communications interoperability

What the NISC Brings to You18Note that not only are the majority of resources practitioner developed, but the role of the NISC also involves curating effective material and synthesizing information into user-friendly formats such as topical best practice tip sheets, analytical comparisons of available technologies, and case studies18

Access to data sets and application code that can inform and/or be adapted to suit the situational awareness needs of state and local jurisdictions Guidance and technical assistance on identifying available technology, usability considerations, and data standards What the NISC Brings to You (cont.)19Emphasize that the NISC not only plans to foster the sharing of data sets and code, but also intends to build MOA templates for such sharing in a variety of scenarios. Inform the group that all resources, data, etc. will be available via a private NISC web site that is still in development (or not, depending on where we are at that point).19

Knowledge exchange and networking opportunities through Show and Tell webinars, topic-based seminars, strategic initiative working groups, and other events and activitiesWhat the NISC Brings to You (cont.)20Highlight the upcoming NISC Summit as an example of an event and the Virtual USA Workgroup as an example of an initiative-based activity, and other opportunities that are in play by the time this event occurs.Emphasize that members play a critical role in identifying topic areas for seminars, working groups, and other activitiesas members come on board, they are asked for input via the Member Profile and Questionnaire, and input is encouraged on an ongoing basis20

What You Bring to the NISC

NISC Directors

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PERSPECTIVEas a practitioner, no one is better positioned to convey the needs, experiences, and priorities of our sector

You are the voice of the NISC.

What You Bring to the NISC22

KNOWLEDGEas a practitioner, no one is better positioned to provide lessons learned, case studies, and best practices to other stakeholders

You are the subject matter experts.

What You Bring to the NISC (cont.)23

SENSE OF COMMUNITYas a practitioner, no one is better positioned to support other stakeholders who are vested in a universal, shared interest

You comprise the culture.

What You Bring to the NISC (cont.)24

Join Us!

Sean McSpaden, NISC DirectorDeputy State Chief Information OfficerState of Oregon

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Members join on behalf of their organizationMembers are required to sign a Memorandum of Agreement that underscores the agencys commitment to fostering a culture of information sharing and interoperabilitySharing of any resource, data set, or technology code is voluntaryJoin Us!26

Join Us! (cont.)THINGS TO COMENational Information Sharing Summit Date TBDIn partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security First Responders Group (FRG)Virtual Educational Seminars Formation of Initiative-based Working Groups

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Join Us! (cont.)TO JOINRequest a copy of the MOASubmit your request during this meetingSend an e-mail request to info@nisconsortium.org, orSubmit a request through our web site: www.nisconsortium.orgSign and submit your MOASubmit to sean.mcspaden@nisconsortium.org and info@nisconsortium.org

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Questions?

Group Discussion

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Thank you!

For more information about joiningvisit www.nisconsortium.org

30The instructions for becoming a member depends on where we are with the web site, e-mail address, etc. Will plug this in later.30