Systems, Volume 1, Issue 1 (March 2013) – 2 articles , Pages 1-26

In a situation of an unexpected catastrophe, uncertainty and demand for information are constant. In such a disaster scenario, the CRISIS system arises as a tool to contribute to previous coordination, procedure validation, exercise execution, a good and frequent communication among organizations, and weakness and threat assessment for an appropriate risk management. It offers a wide variety of tools for online communication, consultation and collaboration that, up to this day, includes cartography, tasks, resources, news, forums, instant messaging and chat. As a complement, mathematical models for training and emergency management are being researched and developed. For Argentinean society, it is a necessity to switch from the current handcrafted, bureaucratic emergency management method to a decision-making management model. Previous coordination, exercise execution, a fluid communication among institutions, and threats and weaknesses assessment are required for a proper risk management. With that goal in mind, it is important to reduce confusion, avoid the duplication of efforts to fulfill the same tasks, and have access to a complete vision of the situation, generated from the data of all the organizations taking part. The CRISIS system is a secure web application, accessible to every node in a network formed by the organizations which have complementary responsibilities during prevention and response. It offers a wide variety of tools for online communication, consultation and collaboration that, up to this day, includes cartography, tasks, media (organization and resources), news, forums, instant messaging and chat. As a complement, mathematical models for training and emergency management are being researched and developed. Currently, there are toxicological and epidemiological emergency models available. The present paper analyses, from the perspectives related to risk management for emergencies and disasters, the strengths and weaknesses of the CRISIS system to be used for prevention, response and recoveries in the case of a catastrophe. Full article

Natural and human-made systems abound around us. Our solar system, the human body, the food chain, and ecosystems are some examples of natural systems. Some human-made systems are transportation systems, weapon systems, computer systems, software systems, satellite communications systems, ships, missile defense systems, health care systems, the internet, financial systems, and regional economies. Understanding of natural systems is essential to the survival of the human species, which is intertwined with the survival of other species on earth. Having the knowledge and ability to build human-made systems is critical to the employment of systems that effectively serve the needs of their users. To gain such understanding and to acquire such knowledge and ability, it is necessary that cutting-edge research in systems science, systems engineering, and systems-related fields continue. This open access journal aims to achieve quick and global dissemination of results of such research. [...] Full article