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SCRA's Alastar Software Development Solution

Gold Stevie Award Winner 2012, Click to Enter The 2014 American Business Awards

Company: SCRA, Charleston, SC
Company Description: SCRA is a global leader in applied research and commercialization services with its headquarters in South Carolina. SCRA collaborates to advance technology, providing knowledge-based solutions with assured outcomes to industry and government, with the help of research universities in SC, the US and around the world.
Nomination Category: Products & Product Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: New Product or Service of the Year - Software - Software Development Solution

Nomination Title: SCRA's Alastar Software Development Solution

1. Tell the story about this nominated product or service (up to 525 words). Describe its function, features, benefits, and performance to date:

Since 2012 the Charleston County Consolidated 9-1-1 Dispatch Center in South Carolina has partnered with the federal government to become the region’s information sharing hub and provide shared situational awareness across Consolidated Dispatch’s federal, state & local partners.

In partnership with Consolidated Dispatch, SCRA developed and implemented the Alastar platform to integrate the Dispatch’s real-time computer aided dispatch information with numerous layers of geospatial information collected and managed by interagency partners. By integrating real-time inputs such as 9-1-1 calls for service and first responder vehicle locations, with social media feeds, weather data, infrastructure status and public/private camera feeds, Consolidated Dispatch creates an enhanced public safety common operating picture and shares this information with the fire, law enforcement, EMS and emergency management agencies in five cities across Charleston County, as well as with the Department of Homeland Security Interagency Operations Center, the Joint Base Charleston Security Forces and the state’s fusion center. This capability puts the 9-1-1 Center at the heart of informing public safety personnel across the region and is crucial to coordinating an effective response in an emergency situation.

The platform was fully implemented in June of 2013 and assimilates large geospatial data sets into easily-understandable views, providing the end-user with clarity in complex situations and enhances incident response.

Alastar bridges numerous layers of information together and shares this information across a diverse set of stakeholders with different views of the data. By fusing federal, state and local data with public safety's real-time computer-aided dispatch information as well as custom layers of geospatial information collected and managed by interagency partners, stakeholders are provided with a holistic view of the activities occurring in and around their region.

Features that have enhanced Charleston County’s Operations include:
Event Management: Being able to monitor large events such as runs, parades and social gatherings is becoming a heavy focus for public safety. Each year Charleston hosts a large “Bridge Run” event where more than 35,000 people gather for a 5K run and surrounding activities. Charleston County, City of Charleston, Town of Mt. Pleasant,US Coast Guard and volunteers are tasked with managing the event. Alastar has been selected as the tool to assist in managing the event. This includes providing the common operating picture application, mobile command center,device locators and additional sensors.

Role-Based Access Controls: Role-based controls provide specific views and data delivery dependent on a person’s role in the response organization. This ensures that all levels of the response organization have access to the right data when and where they need it to respond efficiently. Geofilters: Data is parsed and displayed based on the geographical region selected. This feature not only helps an officer patrol his beat more effectively, but also enhances incident response during large events. Social Media

Monitoring and Alerts: The Social Media Widget is used as both a proactive and analytical tool.During day-to-day operations the county monitors a “watch list” of words streaming through social media channels, for example bomb, suicide or shooting. Once a word is found it will trigger an alert for the team to investigate. During investigations photos can be pulled based on the location of the social media steams to help investigators identify relevant information.

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2. Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that developed this nominated product or service:

Alastar, an SCRA Technology, is led by Mark Aukamp as the General Manager. Prior to his role as General Manager, Mark was the Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis at SCRA where he was responsible for developing the Annual Operating Plan, including annual rate development and submission to the federal government, and monitoring compliance with Cost Accounting Standards.

The Alastar team is a successful collaboration of diverse backgrounds ranging from the United States Coast Guard, US Navy to senior management from a fortune 500 corporation. The team has been able to build upon this diverse skillset and expand the market focus.