Welcome

Problem Statement

Smaller towns and municipalities cannot afford to build crisis action centers to handle emergencies and disasters. Larger cities that can afford such facilities often build them where a disaster happens rendering their facility useless. Finally, national and state representatives often loose valuable time when traveling to a disaster site to coordinate efforts. They are often ineffective on arrival because the resources they need remain at their respective agencies.

Description

The Killeen Texas Crisis Action Center was created in 2004 as a proof of concept in coordination with the then-Assistant City Manager. While no longer in use, it provides an example of how a town that cannot afford a physical facility can still have a crisis center. Based in virtual reality, no one from the state or national level needs to travel as they can be present instead in the virtual facility. They can remain at their offices where the information and contacts they need reside. The center is completely portable requiring only a laptop and access to the Internet. Connectivity to a virtual world can be provided by cell phone or tactical satellite link. The virtual facility has no limit on the number of users. First responders need not leave critical duties to attend crisis meetings. Finally, a virtual center is very inexpensive compared to constructing a physical facility.

Evaluator Briefing:

http://vr4yourpc.com/PPT/RDECOM_Eval.ppt

Web Page:

http://www.vr4yourpc.com/killeen.html

Project Briefing:

http://www.vr4yourpc.com/PPT/KilleenProject.ppt

Killeen Crisis Action Center Tours are by appointment - contact:
vr4yourpc@aol.com

ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS

The Killeen Texas Crisis Action Center can be accessed from the world "Harps" here are the instructrions:

• Go to http://www.activeworlds.com/
• Download and install the application
• On initial start up select "Autoconfigure"
• Sign on as a tourist
• You will arrive in AW Gate ask the Gatekeeper any questions
• Read the “How to move” web page
• Look on the left side for the Tabs
• Select the Worlds TabScroll down the list and select "Harps“Click "Teleport" on the menu bar top left
• Pull down to "make this my home"- The next time you turn AW on you will arrive in Harps

Alternate method 1:

• Once in world, Click the "Teleport" word in the menu bar then To.(top left)
• A small window opens
• Put Harps in the world field and - 0 N 0W in the coordinate field
• Click OK and you will go directly there

Alternate method 2

• Sign on to ActiveWorlds
• Copy and paste this link below into the chat field press "Enter" key
• http://objects.activeworlds.com/cgi-bin/teleport.cgi?harps_0n_0w_0.01a_360
• Click the link in the posted chat.