EDIS/Northridge Database Description

The Northridge database is stored in a single table, with fields corresponding to many different message characteristics. The database structure is available here. Searches of the database are performed by specifying specific field values and submitting the query to the database. Records which match the stated criteria are returned for review.

This data is contained in the EDIS wrapper. It is extracted and stored in the database as delivered. Message text is not stored in the database, but rather as an external text file that can be retrieved using a message text file identifier as described below. Message text can, however be searched using a facility available on the project web pages.

Date:

Dates are stored in the database in the format dd-Mon-yyyy. Some examples are 17-Jan-1994 and 03-Dec-1997. The "month" field must be capitalized.

Date entries in the search form must be entered in this format. Validation of dates entered is performed automatically, but this process is not foolproof. If you have problems with error messages being generated when you submit your queries, an incorrect date format is one place to look.

Time:

Message times must be entered in 24 hour format. Valid times range from 0000 (midnight) to 1200 (noon) to 2359 (11:59 PM). Seconds are optional.

Message Number:

The message number is an integer (that is, a whole number such as 23 or 159 rather than a fractional number such as 2.5 or 154.23) in the range of 1 through 9999.

This number represents a sequence number that the EDIS system assigns to each message that passes through the network.

Source Network:

The source network is a coded value that indicates the agency that created each message. A drop down box on the project page presents a list of possible source networks. Choose one, or to change your mind and leave the field blank, choose the empty entry at the top of the list.

Handling Level:

The handling level indicates the relative priority of each message. A drop down box stores valid choice. If you activate the list and then decide not to choose a value, there's an "empty" entry at the top of the list.

Target Region:

EDIS messages can be directed to specific areas of the state of California. This drop down box contains a list of valid regions within the EDIS database. To limit your search to a particular area, make a selection from the choices provided.

GENERATED DATA:

This data is calculated from each message and will be stored as computed in the database.

Message Text ID (pointer to file containing full message text):

This field is a file name. It's value is the name of the text file that contains the original source of the EDIS message. All of the text of the message is included. The flags associated with this message were set based upon a reading of the message content.

When reviewing the results of a query, this field is used to make the full message text available to the user. The user can search the text using their browser's "find" facility.

If the user wants to search all EDIS messages for a particular text string, this is also possible. See the "Advanced Query" section of the home page for details on how to do this!

Line Count:

This field is an integer that represents the number of lines of text in the EDIS message.

Word Count:

This field is an integer value that represents the number of words contained in the corresponding EDIS message.

Message Flags:

There are thirty-seven "flags" associated with each EDIS message. Each flag corresponds to a particular category, and is set to either 'Y' or 'N' (for "yes" or "no") to indicate whether the message contains text about the flag's subject.

The next section describes the EDIS flags in much more detail!

FLAGS:

These flags will codify message content, and will be set or reset based upon message text. Flags in each category are not mutually exclusive, e.g. if a message contains both advisory and organizational text, then both flags can be set.

The following list gives flag categories, sub-category, and flag name. Use these flag names to interpret your results or to build your own custom SQL queries.

Message Category:

• Informational:
  • FCINFO
• Advisory:
  • FCADV
• Warning:
  • FCWARN
• Media Release:
  • FCMEDIA
• Organizational:
  • FCORG
• Instructional:
  • FCINST

• Satellite:
  • FTSAT
• Seismic:
  • FTSEIS
• Telecommunications:
  • FTTEL
• Other Technology:
  • FTOTHER

• Federal Government:
  • FSFED
• State Government:
  • FSSTATE
• Municipal Government:
  • FSMUNI
• Other Government:
  • FSOTHER
• Citizen Report:
  • FSCIVIL
• Military:
  • FSMIL
• Police:
  • FSPOL
• Fire:
  • FSFIR
• Ambulance:
  • FSEMS
• Media:
  • FSMEDIA
• Educational Institution:
  • FSEDU

• Collapse:
  • FHCOL
• Fire:
  • FHFIRE
• Utility:
  • FHUTIL
• Food/Water:
  • FHFOOD
• Disease:
  • FHDIS
• Rescue:
  • FHRESCU
• Routing:
  • FHROUT
• AfterShock:
  • FHAFTER
• Chemical Spill/Hazard:
  • FHCHEM

• Inbound Information:
  • FMINB
• Outbound Information:
  • FMOUTB
• Urban Search and Rescue:
  • FMUSAR
• Medical Aid Agency or Team:
  • FMMEDI

• Airports/Airways:
  • FRAIR
• Roadways:
  • FRROAD
• Waterways:
  • FRWATER

Here's the Northridge database structure. Field descriptions are given above.

#
# Table structure for table 'Northridge'
#
CREATE TABLE Northridge (
  MessageDate DATE NOT NULL,
  MessageTime TIME NOT NULL,
  Header CHAR(10) NOT NULL,
  ServiceLevelCode CHAR(1) NOT NULL,
  MessageNumber INT NOT NULL,
  CodedHandlingLevel CHAR(1) NOT NULL,
  CodedTargetRegion CHAR(2) NOT NULL,
  CodedSourceNetwork CHAR(1) NOT NULL,
  HandlingLevel CHAR(10) NOT NULL,
  TargetRegion CHAR(20) NOT NULL,
  SourceNetwork CHAR(10) NOT NULL,
  FCINFO CHAR(1),
  FCADV CHAR(1),
  FCWARN CHAR(1),
  FCMEDIA CHAR(1),
  FCORG CHAR(1),
  FCINST CHAR(1),
  FTSAT CHAR(1),
  FTSEIS CHAR(1),
  FTTEL CHAR(1),
  FTOTHER CHAR(1),
  FSFED CHAR(1),
  FSSTATE CHAR(1),
  FSMUNI CHAR(1),
  FSOTHER CHAR(1),
  FSCIVIL CHAR(1),
  FSMIL CHAR(1),
  FSPOL CHAR(1),
  FSFIR CHAR(1),
  FSEMS CHAR(1),
  FSMEDIA CHAR(1),
  FSEDU CHAR(1),
  FHCOL CHAR(1),
  FHFIRE CHAR(1),
  FHUTIL CHAR(1),
  FHFOOD CHAR(1),
  FHDIS CHAR(1),
  FHRESCU CHAR(1),
  FHROUT CHAR(1),
  FHAFTER CHAR(1),
  FHCHEM CHAR(1),
  FMINB CHAR(1),
  FMOUTB CHAR(1),
  FMUSAR CHAR(1),
  FMMEDI CHAR(1),
  FRAIR CHAR(1),
  FRROAD CHAR(1),
  FRWATER CHAR(1),
  MessageText CHAR(20),
  LineCount INT,
  WordCount INT
)