The more information an agency has, the better prepared it is to handle any situation quickly and safely. HIRMS represents a secure, web-based software solution enabling improved decision-making through timely delivery of reliable data to the right people in real time.

The events of September 11, 2001 and catastrophic hurricanes highlighted a need for an information and resource management systems to assist agencies and governments to help prepare and respond to disasters. While different in scale than disasters experience in some other states, Montana also experiences emergencies that require incident management. For example, an extended winter storm and a flu outbreak also require information to be readily available to agencies and hospitals.

While a dearth of software choices to manage parts and pieces of information management have become available, none offered an integrated economical cirsis management solution like HIRMS.

To meet this need, HIRMS is being developed as an information and resource management system that is:

Functional - Each module in HIRMS is being developed to be utilized on a routine basis as much as possible. If the software is useful and important to the user for normal business, it should be familiar to them in a crisis.

Integrated - Each module in HIRMS is seamlessly integrated with other modules and common information available in one module is available to other modules without duplicate entry. HIRMS uses the latest XML (Extensible Markup Language) technology making integration with each module and other products easily achieved.

Economical - Unlike many other software products, HIRMS does not rely on licenses which must be renewed annually, nor must additional licenses be purchased as additional users are added to the system. Once developed, only necessary maintenance will be required.

HIRMS is:

• Web-based - easily accessible by most users with standard web browsers
• Secure - user and password functionality using security as solid as your bank's
• User Friendly - numerous pick-lists, and 'click-to-fill' enhancements
• Tailor-made - easily accommodates the needs of our users
• Affordable and easy to maintain - state owned; no licensing fees
• Compliant - uses standard, national data standards whenever possible

HIRMS is for emergency services, hospitals, other partners and the State. As a tool, it can help hospitals, public health and government not only respond to disaster, but to manage day-to-day business functions in a way that makes all crisis management easier and more efficient.