How ORISE is Making a Difference
Asset Readiness Management System (ARMS) Tracks Emergency Response Exercises and Equipment
Developed by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Asset Readiness Management System (ARMS) is a database that merged with the NA-42 Events Tracking System to provide enhanced readiness reporting.
The system enables DOE senior leadership to determine the readiness status of all NA-42 assets at any time. ARMS enables users to track the operations of scheduled exercises; determine the whereabouts, inventory and condition of DOE’s equipment; and obtain readiness information on the agency’s personnel.
Through the ORISE-created system, users can view locations of team members, training of each team member, the status of a piece of equipment and its location, and periodic requirements for training and equipment maintenance.
ARMS calculates a readiness score for each asset by tracking the number of personnel assigned to each team, their training, their inventory of equipment and whether that equipment has been maintained. ARMS will notify a program manager via e-mail prior to any qualification lapsing.
Similarly, equipment maintainers receive e-mail notifications of upcoming maintenance due on equipment. In this way, the DOE assets maintain the highest state of readiness at all times.
ARMS can be used during an actual nuclear incident to:
- Identify personnel who are qualified and available to respond
- Identify and move necessary equipment where needed
- Quickly generate aircraft manifests or country clearances
Also included with ARMS is the critical Deployment Manager tool, which provides DOE with access to real-time status of their deployed assets.
In 2009, ARMS was expanded to a mobile platform for in-field access to vital logistics information. Currently, ARMS is accessible by emergency response personnel at 12 national laboratories and DOE headquarters.
