APCO International and NENA are continuing to work together to develop an XML standard for incident information sharing in a Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) environment. The product of this effort will be called the Emergency Incident Data Document (EIDD).

During EIDD discussions, members of the workgroup realized that to efficiently share incident information, the receiving agency must be able to easily understand the type of incident being shared. Incident type codes are commonly used by PSAPs to describe and prioritize situations. These codes are typically created within an agency’s CAD (computer-aided dispatch) system or CPE (customer premise equipment). In many cases, however, incident codes are acronyms or alphanumeric representations that are meaningful only to the agency that uses them daily. A standardized list of incident type codes will, therefore, be necessary to facilitate effective incident exchange between disparate PSAPs or other authorized agencies (e.g., emergency operations centers, fusion centers, FEMA).

Creating a standardized incident type code list does not mean an agency must change the codes they use internally. The intent of standardization is to provide a list of incident types that each agency can then map to their internal codes. PSAP system administrators will manage this code mapping process in the background within whatever call handling or incident creation system is most appropriate for their operation. No change in the agency’s internal call handling or incident creation processes should be necessary.

When an incident is shared externally using the EIDD, the applicable code from the standardized list will be included with the originating agency’s internal code. If the agency receiving the incident is not familiar with the internal code, the standardized code will provide them with a general sense of the situation. The following is a simplified example of how the standardized incident types might be used.

PSAP A’s CAD Incident Type Code for a hit and run is “HR” (Car Accident Hit & Run). The applicable standardized code is: Vehicle Accident.

PSAP A maps the HR code to Vehicle Accident in its CAD system.

PSAP A receives a report of an HR, suspect vehicle blue truck, unknown direction of travel.

PSAP A creates an incident for dispatch and sends the incident (via EIDD format) to PSAP B.

PSAP B receives the following alert: Common Incident Type Code, Vehicle Accident. PSAP A Internal Code—HR (Car Accident Hit & Run)—suspect vehicle blue truck, unknown direction of travel.

In the example above, it’s assumed that PSAPs A and B don’t normally share incidents unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as a large-scale disaster. In this case, PSAP B may be receiving dozens of incidents from multiple agencies that are affected by the same disaster. The standard incident type code (Vehicle Accident) will provide PSAP B with a high-level perspective of the situation that it must handle. The telecommunicators can then review the other details about the hit and run and handle the incident according to their policies and procedures.

Without the standardized incident type code, telecommunicators at PSAP B would be challenged to initially manage or prioritize the dozens of incidents being “sent their way.”

It’s equally important to consider how emergency operations centers (EOCs), fusion centers and other authorized agencies would use standardized incident type codes. PSAP internal codes may be difficult for emergency managers at a regional EOC or fusion center to understand. Often, agencies such as this rely on situational awareness tools, such as mapping, to help them analyze and visualize the incidents affecting their area or region. During large-scale incidents, it would be challenging if every “headache” call or every “larceny investigation” appeared separately on an EOC’s map display. Standardized incident type codes will allow incidents to be classified more efficiently before they display on a situational awareness platform.

The APCO International Data Transfer committee has produced a draft list of common incident codes. The list is currently under initial review in several committees. It’s understood that this project will require significant analysis and input before a final product is ready for public review and comment. As feedback is received, committee members will modify the list and make changes to accommodate the requirements of response agencies, emergency managers and other key stakeholders. Lessons learned during this process and frequently asked questions will be discussed in an upcoming article.

About the Author
Kathy McMahon is technical service manager for APCO International. Contact her via e-mail at [email protected].

Originally published in APCO International’s Public Safety Communications, Vol. 77(8):25-26, August 2011.