IBM, through its alliance with The Weather Company and its B2B division WSI, announced a new emergency management solution that features analytics and the use of real-time weather data to help communities plan for natural disasters.
Natural catastrophes in 2014 are estimated to have cost $110 billion and claimed 7,700 lives.
IBM said its Intelligent Operations Center (IOC) for Emergency Management collects historical and sensor data from a variety of sources, and applies analytics, data visualization and real-time collaboration to help agencies coordinate and manage response efforts during natural disasters, common emergencies and incidents.
The integration of WSI’s 15-day probabilistic tropical forecast, which delivers 1 ½ days additional lead time over publicly available hurricane forecast information, into the IBM IOC for Emergency Management solution will help government officials around the world to make far better planning, positioning and logistical decisions.
With WSI algorithms that track storms around the clock integrated into the IBM IOC for Emergency Management solution, emergency response teams will be able to avoid the guesswork and activate rapid response to the worst hit areas first.
With access to WSI’s proprietary ensemble forecast system, government agencies can create multiple, realistic scenarios for how a particular weather event, like a major snowstorm, could unfold (i.e. who gets hit the hardest, where the rain/snow line will be, etc.).
“Our goal is to provide precise and resolute weather information to help communities using IBM’s IOC for Emergency Management to anticipate, plan for and take action in the face of significant weather events, keeping their constituents and assets safe from harm,” said Mark Gildersleeve, president, WSI, the global B2B division of The Weather Company.
