Makkah Area Crisis and Disaster Management Center (MA-CDMC)

Client : Makkah Governorate
Location:  Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Following disastrous floods in the Makkah – Jeddah area in 2012, the King ordered the immediate establishment of a province-wide program to deal with Crisis and Disaster Management. Saudi Media Systems provided the conceptual design of the Center, and we were contracted for the technology systems and technical furniture with a rapid deployment schedule to complete the project in 6 months.

The MACDMC Command Room is the coordination center for events. The main command console accommodates 25 positions, each with CPU/monitor and IPTelephone. The command console faces an 8.4 x 2.1 meter videowall which displays live map graphics and video from various sources. At a lower tier level, 4 operator positions select and control content on the wall as well as acquiring other data as requested by the event commander.

The IP-telephone solution includes gateways to VHF radios of the traffic police and civil defense, enabling voice communications from the Center to field commanders and air-borne helicopters. The Center also is equipped to receive live streaming video from up to four helicopters simultaneously, in addition to fixed cameras available from the traffic police.

A matrixed video management system allows up to 144 sources to be routed throughout the Center. Each operator and commander workstation is interfaced to the matrix as a possible source, in addition to live video streams from helicopters, traffic cameras and satellite television channels.

An HD videoconference system enables face-to-face communications with remote administrative districts, field command posts and higher government offices. The audio system supports bridging between video and audio conferences in order to integrate with field commands.

Two Operations Rooms, each accommodating 10 operators, support the main Command Room. A wall of SPD Smartglass can be switched on/off, depending on security considerations when the operations rooms are dealing with secure data. The Operations Rooms are equipped with large touchscreen monitors and videoconferencing systems, and the audio systems in the operations rooms may be linked to the Main Command Room so that audio is shared throughout the Center.

The Press Briefing Room is equipped with a large screen display and distributed audio system to enable the press corps to receive and dessiminate information from the Center.