NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new, community resiliency software has garnered national attention as a breakthrough in relaying information after an unexpected event. With more than 20 years’ experience in emergency preparedness, August Walter understands the importance of ‘getting back to business’ after a crisis. Walter is CEO of TCAAS, an emergency preparedness and response company. TCAAS specializes in community resilience, which focuses on restoring normalcy after unexpected events. Working with both the public and private sectors, TCAAS identifies crises to evaluate and respond to a wide spectrum of emergency conditions. “While it is essential to identify and establish resources in organizing emergency preparedness plans, being prepared for a crisis is only half the matter,” Walter reports. After an unexpected event, communities depend on reestablishment to return to normalcy. Restoring Critical Infrastructure Key Resources (CIKR) is essential in reestablishment. CIKRs include vital assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual. “The failure or destruction of CIKRs can have a debilitating impact on security, continuity of government, continuity of operations, public health and safety, public confidence, or any combination of these effects,” Walter reports.
In an effort to make crisis recovery more safe and efficient, Walter has created an interactive CIKR situational display. Essentially, the map overlay provides a blueprint for CIKRs in operation after an emergency. Walter’s software has accrued interest from businesses in Houston, New Orleans, Miami, and New York. “These cities have historically and recently experienced events, which tested the community's resolve, and the response to the software has been paramount. There is a great need for a tool like this to unite communities with information,” Walter articulates.
Post crisis, one of the largest feats to overcome is relaying real-time information to consumers who are unaware if businesses have reopened. It is also essential to apprise government and incident response officials of additional resources available to them, as the availability of additional resources reduces “downtime.”
In developing the software, Walter collaborated with expert contributor Connie Aritua, a commercial facilities continuity expert. Her contributions, as a consultant, come from her multiple areas, including practical application and experience during hurricanes such as Katrina. Aritua interposed product recommendations from the viewpoint of Senior Management of a National Retail Chain Store in addition to the viewpoint of consumers.
Aritua’s insight shed light upon the responsibility that businesses have in motivating the community to bounce back to normalcy in a timely manner. “When one business opens after an unexpected event, it becomes contagious, as other businesses open their doors as well,” Aritua articulates. As a continuity expert, Aritua knows that communities rely on their businesses’ services, so fundamentally, the success of an entire community can center on “getting back to business.” In supporting this assertion, Walter adds, “Businesses also provide resource support among local jurisdictions and regional response partners.”
After an unexpected event, recovery depends on a symbiotic relationship between businesses and its consumers. While citizens need businesses to recover quickly, businesses also depend on customers to reopen successfully. For this reason, the advantages of this service are paramount to businesses, citizens, and entire communities.
Part of Walter’s job is identifying complications in community resiliency and eliminating those issues. “I created this information to reduce the void in information shared after unexpected events,” Walter reports. “It’s important that everyone has access to information to eliminate frustration. This information can be as simple as knowing if the grocery store is open or if your kid’s daycare is closed.”
Walter hopes that this software will help bridge the gap in communication and information availability after an unexpected event. “Community resiliency will be seamless when everyone can make the best decisions possible because they have the most current and accurate information.” The CIKR situational display software will ensure that all possible resources are identified and displayed in one location.
