In order to respond effectively to a large-scale disaster or crisis, public sector organizations must share accurate information seamlessly and securely with all the relevant parties who have a role to play in the response. Capgemini and Gemnet, a Dutch communications services provider, worked together on a proactive initiative to develop the Information Pool, a nationwide facility for the exchange of information on disaster management and crisis control between all relevant parties.

1. in collaboration with
Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and
the Environment Leads the Way in
Crisis Response
The Information Pool from Capgemini and Gemnet
helps Dutch government agencies and the private
sector share real-time information on emergencies
The Situation to the crisis, potentially with serious
In order to respond effectively to a large-scale consequences.
disaster or crisis, public sector organizations
must share accurate information seamlessly The Solution
and securely with all the relevant parties Recognizing the pressing need for a solution
who have a role to play in the response. to these issues, Capgemini and Gemnet, a
This often includes government bodies at Dutch communications services provider,
local, regional and national levels, police, worked together on a proactive initiative to
emergency services, incident rooms, and develop the Information Pool, a nationwide
private sector organizations. facility for the exchange of information on
disaster management and crisis control
In the Netherlands, cooperation between between all relevant parties.
agencies involved in disaster response
has been improving continuously, but Compliant with Diginet and Digikoppeling
challenges in sharing information across technological standards, and
organizational boundaries remain. The making use of national reference
current crisis management and incident architectures such as NORA, the Information
room systems of the emergency services, Pool works on the following principles:
authorities and private organizations who n a common language: Ipool makes it
play a role in crisis control and disaster possible for agencies to exchange data
management are often not connected. Each using a consistent semantic and
party uses its own sources of information technical language, based
and conceptual framework, and shares only
limited data. This can give rise to differences
of interpretation, confusion and delays
which hamper the response

2. Public the way we do it
on Safety Sector Information Capgemini’s in-depth knowledge of Once an organization has joined the pool
Architecture domain crisis management proved and subscribed to the information relevant
n a single link: participating organizations invaluable, as did its close working to them, that information becomes accessible
can link their information systems relationship. The team used this in three ways: through existing applications,
to the pool to share and receive the knowledge to design and build the through the Ipool basic viewer which
required information; there is no Information Pool for the public’s safety. allows for read-only access, and through an
need for agencies to develop multiple Ipool was developed to comply with enhanced viewer which allows for read-write
interfaces to each other’s systems, Diginet and Digikoppeling, Dutch access and information sharing.
and the information is also accessible government technological standards for
directly via a web interface the interoperability between information The information currently available in the
n a messaging system: Gemnet’ messaging
s systems and networks. pool includes incident data and impact
system routes the right information assessments, weather information, aerial
to the right people according to How the Information Pool is photos, street maps and transport positions,
predefined logical rules used in the Dutch Public Sector location coordinates and risk charts. The
n a secure network: the pool provides and beyond value of the Information Pool will increase
a virtual bridge across separate When joining the system, organizations as more organizations join in future. The
applications and offers a 24/7, reliable decide which aspects of their information pool will soon include new types of content,
and secure means of sharing potentially they will publish to the pool, and what such as real-time traffic reports, licensing
sensitive information. information from other organizations they information and victim profiling, as well
wish to subscribe to in the event of a crisis. as new functionality for decision making,
The Result A subscribing party reaches an agreement response planning and announcements.
The Information Pool has been running as with a publishing party over the exchange of
a 24-hour operational facility supported information, which is itself registered in the If you would like to find out more about
by Capgemini and Gemnet since 2010. pool and determines how information will this project, please contact:
The Ministry of Infrastructure and the automatically be relayed during an incident. success.story@capgemini.com
Environment (I&M) joined the pool when
it launched, along with the Ministry of
About Capgemini
Public Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS),
the Royal Netherlands Meteorological
®
Institute (KNMI), the National Institute
for Public Health and the Environment With around 120,000 people A deeply multicultural organization,
(RIVM), the Port of Rotterdam Authority in 40 countries, Capgemini is one Capgemini has developed its own way of
of the world’s foremost providers of working, the Collaborative Business
and the Dutch Land Registry Office,
consulting, technology and outsourcing ExperienceTM, and draws on Rightshore®, its
Kadaster. By the end of 2011, ten
services. The Group reported 2011 global worldwide delivery model.
organizations will be linked via the pool, revenues of EUR 9.7 billion. Together with
and thereafter further local, regional and Learn more about us at
its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers
national bodies will continue to join. www.capgemini.com
business and technology solutions that fit
their needs and drive the results they want. Rightshore® is a trademark belonging to Capgemini
Before the Information Pool, the process
of exchanging information during a crisis
Capgemini Netherlands Approved by
often took several hours, which made it Public Sector Ruud de Krom, Crisis Coordinator for The
difficult for agencies to co-ordinate a rapid Business Information Management Ministry of Infrastructure
response. Now, information can be shared Martin van den Berg, Project Manager,
within seconds, empowering agencies to Capgemini
respond quickly and minimize damage.
In collaboration with is Melanie Schultz Van Haegen.
I&M’s policy, implementation and inspection
How Ministry of Infrastructure sections and support agencies are committed
and Environment and Capgemini to improving quality of life, access and
Worked Together The Ministry of Infrastructure and mobility in a clean, safe and sustainable
Environment (I&M) is one of eleven environment in the Netherlands. The
The Ministry of Infrastructure and the
ministries which form the national Ministry strives to create an efficient network
Environment chose Capgemini because of of roads, railways, waterways and airways,
government of the Netherlands. It was
its long-term partnership with the service formed in 2010 through the merger of effective water management to protect
provider. Capgemini helped optimize the former Ministry of Transport, Public against flooding, and improved air and
I&M’s crisis advice processes and built a Works and Water Management and Ministry water quality.
system to manage their crises efficiently. of Housing, Spatial Planning and the
More information is available at
PS_290212_IN
Environment, and the current minister
http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/
©2012 Capgemini. No part of this document may be modified, deleted or expanded by any process or means
without prior written permission from Capgemini. Rightshore® is a trademark belonging to Capgemini.