Often termed as the incident information system, InciWeb is an online directory that keeps track of all the different events that have happened in the recent and past history that holds significance. The official website suggests that InciWeb is an intra-agency all-risk incident information management system.
The primary intent behind the development of this platform was to create a unified online directory for the citizens of the country to have access to all the incident-related information. The website was also created to offer a standardized reporting tool for the staple Public Affairs community in the country.
If you aren’t aware of InciWeb and what it entails, we have all the information lined up in this guide.
What is InciWeb?
InciWeb, as mentioned, is an online wildfire incident information portal wherein the users get their information updated about the recent wildfires and natural fire incidents that have happened in the United States.
It is a government-run and managed portal that enables the government to keep its citizens alert about the fire risks and incidents happening around the United States and Canada.
The primary objective behind the portal is to offer holistic information about the risks and the habitation in the area. It includes larger and highly populated areas and least populated sites too, even ones with 10 people living in the area.
With the portal, communication and faster action are easier to manage through. In case of any impending fire risks happening around, the portal serves as a gateway for the citizens to inform the concerned authority and alert them about the risk so early precautions can be taken to avoid the impending doom.
Why is InciWeb a popular online portal?
Despite where you live in the United States and Canada, the risks of wildfires and the involved risks of fire incidents are quite high in and around the area. So, it isn’t surprising at all that the development of InciWeb serves as a collection of all the information and resources that the citizens need to keep a check on to protect the areas around them.
Since natural disasters are often beyond our realm of control, taking preventive and quicker measures is the only way to tackle the impending doom.
InciWeb enables people to alert the authorities in case they find something amiss with the situation. This serves as a proactive intervention so that the destruction and damage can be averted.
What are the features of the InciWeb system?
Since InciWeb is a government-run online portal, it isn’t surprising that the platform is very basic and minimally developed. There are no fancy transitions or sliders on the website.
You will only find the related and important information, contact details, and resources that you need to keep a check on as a citizen of the country.
Some of the standout features of InciWeb include:
- Google map-based updates
Since the website updates the citizens about prior and active fire incidents in the U.S and Canada, it isn’t surprising that they use Google maps and location-based navigation to alert the citizens about the on-going fire and the nearest fire destination to them. This enables the citizens to stay informed and make better decisions, especially if it involves evacuation needs.
- Minimal website layout
To ensure that the website can handle large traffic workloads, it isn’t surprising that the website features a very minimal and clean layout. This enables the users to make the most out of the situation without staying stuck on the website behind hundreds and thousands of other users.
- Detailed resources
When it comes to wildfire or any natural calamity, education is a key. Knowing what you have to do in the situation can save your life more than you understand. However, finding all of this information under one website can be a challenge. Inciweb makes it easier for the users to click on their resources tab to find access to all the necessary information that one needs to know to avert the risks of the incidents happening around.
- Government-run website
Many of the incident information websites host exaggerated and false information, some of which are often misleading in some cases. With InciWeb, the citizens can trust the available information and consistent updates because they are directly uploaded by the government and includes real-time updates to ensure that the citizens are in the loop every step of the way.
- Simplified understanding
With most government-run websites, we often run into the complexities of hard terminologies that are often difficult to understand. With InciWeb, users won’t have to worry about the same anymore, especially because they have a separate Terminology tab on the website where the unique and hard to understand words are updated with meanings so they are easier for the users to understand and decipher.
Is InciWeb accessible on Mobile?
Yes, InciWeb has a very interactive website layout, which means that you can most definitely access the website on your smartphone.
This makes the website accessible, especially during times of crisis when people won’t have access to their desktops or laptops in question. Having access to the website on the smartphone thus makes it a lot easier to keep up with the latest information and progress on the fire incidents and the other associated risks from the natural calamities.
They have an open map on the website that gives you an idea about the fire closest to you, whether it is progressing towards you and if there are any safety protocols involved. It uses the standard Google Maps navigation to make everything a lot more accessible for the people.
InciWeb is run by the United States Forest Service, which means that they are a 100% government-run online portal, so there is no space for misinformation.
Conclusion
If you were confused about InciWeb and what it entails, we hope this article gives you a comprehensive idea about the same. Having access to the website is crucial to keep yourself updated about the latest disasters and fire incidents happening around in the United States and Canada.