IEEE 1512 family of standards

Survey activity identified more than one hundred needs for standards to facilitate communications among government and public service entities that respond to disasters and other emergency incidents. Message Sets for Incident Management was designated one of the seventeen most critical standards for Intelligent Transportation Systems.

Government agencies and professional societies established the IEEE Incident Management Working Group (IMWG) to develop message sets for incident management. IMWG has been tasked to develop a standard that is open, flexible, and interoperable, to enable common communications between all incident management agencies. This will be accomplished through the participation and representation of relevant associations and agencies – law enforcement, fire and rescue, medical, and hazardous materials (HAZMAT), industry, and the academic community.

The process for development and progress toward the standard IEEE1512 are outlined. Message standards including detailed definitions of terms to insure proper understanding are incorporated. Message sets are validated through table top exercises involving operational personnel. Major portions of the standard are complete and have been published. It is anticipated that this standard will greatly enhance disaster communications efficiency and effectiveness.