Independent verification and validation of Call Centers, Emergency Management and Command Center operations:
Design video systems in support of public safety and emergency management initiatives:
Design and develop Command Centers in support of public safety and other agency mission-critical operations.
Develop, design and manage Emergency Management Operations.
Table top exercises are a critical tool in the development of responses to emergency situations. We have set up, managed and coordinated these exercises in a number of agencies to help define the issues and provide the basis for the development of an emergency response plan. Key tasks we have performed include:
Develop, design and manage 9-1-1 Police and Fire Emergency Operation Centers.
The Costas Group, Inc. has provided executive level support to health and human services agencies at the federal, state and local level. Our staff has relevant experience in this key governmental service area including program and functional areas such as:
"On September 11th people just streamed out of the office buildings into the streets, the transportation systems were down and they had no where to go." This scenario lead the City of Philadelphia to engage The Costas Group, Inc. to develop an overall homeland security plan for the city and specifically an evacuation plan for the Center City area. The plan includes a variety of components such as authorization, notification, liability, evacuation options, and continuity of government operations is being considered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a best practice.
In Philadelphia, both 9-1-1 and the City's existing call centers are intake points for a wide array of information that have implications to homeland security. The Costas Group, Inc., designed a data management process for collecting the multiple sources of data into a single data base, that can be used for effectively evaluating potential threats and incidents. When merged with City infrastructure information and 9-1-1 data, the City has the ability to analyze the level and severity of threats to the city, its citizens and its infrastructure across multiple agencies and service functions.
The Costas Group, Inc. has performed detailed security assessments, requirements analysis and design for the integration of close-circuit television systems, incident command and control centers and related communications needs. They have designed and integrated the national capital region's preeminent communications and coordination operations centers for the Metropolitan Police Department ("MPD"), and the District's Emergency Management Agency.
These projects included the design and integration of the MPD Synchronized Operations Command Complex, for the Metropolitan Police Department, in conjunction with the US Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the new District of Columbia Emergency 9-1-1 Public Safety Communications Center, the District's Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Operations Center.
The Costas Group, Inc. also supported the City of Philadelphia's Homeland Security Preparedness efforts by identifying and evaluating three facility and technology improvement options for Philadelphia's Emergency Operations Center, and video surveillance utilization and installation requirements for the EOC. The Costas Group, Inc. also performed detailed security assessment and developed a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan for the District of Columbia Water Sewer Authority.
The Firm's principals have worked in management and technology consulting with government agencies for the past fifteen years, developing a significant knowledge and client base among government agencies. They have consistently developed a reputation for quality services and products to our clients.