The EDXL Common Terms initiative brings together key emergency response organizations to review the data sets and dictionaries of other emergency professions. The goal is to determine which terms are important and should be harmonized among the various emergency response groups. The project focuses on the content useful for the specific messages being created in the Emergency Data Exchange Language (EDXL) process, and supports the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM). 

THE NEED

Common terminology is essential in any emergency management system, especially when diverse emergency response agencies are involved in the response effort. When agencies have slightly different meanings for terms, confusion and inefficiency can result.

Many emergency professions recognized the need for data communications long before other groups even considered the idea. As a result, there are now many data dictionaries housing terms that have meaning only to the profession using them. As more and more incidents require information exchange across professions and jurisdictions, common terminology spanning across these professions is needed. This project begins the harmonization process.

COMCARE’S APPROACH

Through the support of the Department of Homeland Security Diasaster Management E-gov initiative, COMCARE has targeted seven emergency response groups to begin the common terms process.  These target groups include: 

• EMS:  National Association of State EMS Directors
• 9-1-1: National Emergency Number Association
• Fire Services and general emergency dispatch: APCO, International Association of Fire Chiefs and/or National Fire Protection Association
• Law enforcement
• Hospitals and public health: Health Care Information Management and Systems Society
• Transportation
• Emergency Management: National Emergency Management Association and International Emergency Management Association

Representatives from these groups review the work that has already been done in the XML emergency data standards field and find common terms that can be used in sharing data among professions and within their own domain standards work. This effort contributes to the development of specific emergency message standards through participation in the EDXL Standards Working Group and supports the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM), through review of the proposed “universal core” terms that has been compiled from the Global Justice XML Data Dictionary (GJXDD).  In addition, the groups are reviewing the XML standards work of hospitals and public health (HL7, DEEDS, PHIN), EMS (NEMSIS), transportation (IEEE 1512 and ITS), public safety (NFPA, ATIS, NENA, APCO and ESIF), and the commercial world (OASIS and others). 

FROM VISION TO REALITY

COMCARE is currently recruiting groups and their respective representatives to participate in this effort. Once the recruitment process is complete, each group will complete the following tasks:

Task 1: Review proposed NIEM universal core data elements and other standards sources to develop the group’s proposal for common terms.

Task 2: Build consensus with other emergency professions in discussing these proposals.

Task 3: Participate in the current Disaster Management EDXL Standards Working Group. 

Task 4: Communicate with the organizations'(and, where appropriate, professions') leadership and committees about Tasks 1-3. 

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