611th Air Support Group Web-based Cultural Resource Database

The U.S. Air Force uses a centralized, Web-enabled database to help manage and protect important cultural resources in Alaska.

Need/Opportunity

• Manage cultural resources for remote Alaskan installations
• Combine facility engineering and management data
• Provide centralized, standardized data access to remote users
• Provide capabilities to add and update information remotely

The U.S. Air Force 611th Air Support Group (611 ASG) is responsible for operating, managing, and protecting more than 30 remote Alaskan sites. Important cultural resources at many of these sites include historic buildings. To simplify compliance with environmental laws and regulations, 611 ASG personnel and management contractors need to acquire uniform, current information about these cultural resources as well as obtain engineering data for maintenance of active facilities.

Approach

• Create web-enabled database
• Access property data
• Use web forms to modify data and upload images
• Generate summary or facility reports
• Provide varying levels of site access

The web-based Cultural Resource Database developed by EVS contains tabular and image data for buildings at all 611 ASG installations. The database links to web pages containing installation histories, photographs, historical significance, downloadable documents, construction data, and engineering maintenance schedules and equipment components. Cultural resource and engineering data can be accessed by drilling down through the datasets, searching on text strings, or by constructing queries based on data fields. Web-based forms allow data to be quickly added or updated from the field, while web reports provide convenient access to database output. Security measures allow access restriction and usage tracking.

Results

• System operational in late 1999
• Field-based data collection and entry underway
• System expansion and upgrade in planning

611 ASG's Web-based Cultural Resource Database became operational in late 1999; field data collection and entry is underway. With Headquarters' approval, one installation has customized data collection and output in a format more useful to its daily management. 611 ASG plans to expand the database to include more equipment and machinery fields and to enhance search and report capabilities. Other possible enhancements include live links to different databases, clickable facility maps and images, and expanded data types and facilities.

Benefits

• Facilitates remote management
• "One-stop shopping"
• Quick access through Web browser
• Facilitates reliable field-based data entry

The database facilitates effective cultural resource management at the Group's many installations. It provides one-stop-shopping for personnel who require access to current historical and engineering data. The easy-to-use web forms and reports offer convenient and reliable data input and output that greatly enhances the usability and effectiveness of the database. Managers are provided with the information they need to comply with Air Force regulations for cultural resource management. In addition, facility managers can access data about other environmental issues such as asbestos abatement.