Letter sent to implementers regarding Event Terms

[<elysajones@yahoo.com>]

Friends,

 

Please find below the letter sent to the list of CAP implementers to obtain feedback on the development of an International Event Terms List.  This includes the draft list and questions raised as a result of our previous work.

Dear CAP Implementers:

It was great seeing many of you at the CAP Implementers Workshop in Rome in September as well as previous workshops.  As you may know, the OASIS Emergency Management Technical Committee (EMTC) approved a method to solicit and gather information relative to CAP implementations. The method chosen is to use the emergency-dev mailing list: an unmoderated, public mail list that provides an open forum for developers to exchange ideas and information on implementing the emergency OASIS Standards.(1)

My presentation identified some of the challenges for the CAP Subcommittee (2) when trying to complete the task of developing an international "event terms list". (3)  This has been a request from past CAP Workshops. (4)  There are three specific questions presented where we would like to have your input and feedback. (5)  Please participate in these discussions if you can.  We look forward to your input.

Warm regards,

Elysa Jones, Chair OASIS

Emergency Management Technical Committee

Emergency Interoperability Member Section

elysajones@yahoo.com

 

Jacob Westfall, Chair OASIS

CAP Subcommittee

jake@jpw.biz

 

(1) To minimize spam, you must subscribe to this list before posting--You can subscribe to this list at https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=emergency#feedback

(2) OASIS EM CAP SubCommittee https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=emergency-cap

(3) Draft Event Terms List https://www.oasis-open.org/committees/document.php?document_id=61576&wg_abbrev=emergency-cap

(4) Previous CAP Workshops http://preparecenter.org/resources/cap-workshop-2016

(5) Questions regarding the Event Terms List

1. There are widely used terms with naming conventions that conflict.  For example, Warning is used for some events and not for others in the actual term.  Or Severe Thunderstorm when the actual event is a Thunderstorm, which may or may not be severe, or Extreme Fire Danger versus just Fire Danger.  How do we reconcile this inconsistent naming?

2. There are some narrow terms that fall under several different broad terms.  For  example, Gale under Air Hazard and Gale under Marine Weather.  Or Storm Surge on its own versus also part of a Tropical Storm.  What is the feedback on either consolidating under a single broad term or allowing for the same narrow term to be repeated in multiple locations?

3. In attempting to develop the list we found there are a number of ambiguities between both the broad terms and narrow terms.  In addition there are also some ambiguities with the CAP categories.  For example, Air Quality in the Canadian list falls into 4 CAP categories.   How will the community address the problems of using a very short list of broad terms given these ambiguities?  How can the list be made most useful to achieve the goals of an event list?

 

We look forward to you joining our call today and moving this work to completion over the next several months.

 

Kind regards,

 

Elysa Jones, Chair OASIS

Emergency Management Technical Committee

Emergency Member Section Steering Committee