In 1993, the Army's Aeroflightdynamics Directorate (AFDD) and NASA Ames signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA) with Communications Research Company (CRC) which designs and integrates high-speed wireless communication and navigation systems for emergency response vehicles and 911 dispatch stations. These systems have begun to incorporate "cockpit-like" technology, such as digital voice/data, electronic moving maps, geographic information systems, and satellite-based navigation aids. Aviation and civil emergency response share common concerns for complex equipment and high-stress, high-workload tasks. This CRDA applied Ames human factors methods, empirical findings, and software tools, including MIDAS, to the emergency response field. A local municipality, the Richmond Police Department, was involved in this endeavor, providing subject matter experts to the Ames researchers, allow observation of actual police/dispatch operations, and serving as the site for field trials of candidate designs developed during this cooperative agreement.

To date, MIDAS has been used to replicate 911 dispatch console geometry and prototype a graphical dispatch decision aid under consideration by the Richmond PD. In addition, a lap-top based task analysis software was used to record over 75 hours of data on the frequency, duration, and types of 911 dispatch operator activity at the Richmond PD. This data was used by AFDD researchers to support several key design recommendations provided to CRC. Finally, CRC used this task analysis software for their independent study to assess options for consolidating the operations of several dispatch centers.

POC- Jay Shively