Portable computing device assisted mustering

A tool for supporting dynamic mustering in a facility having monitoring and control systems, the tool comprising:

• multiple mobile computing devices respectively comprising a display unit, a memory and a processor,
• the memory of each of the multiple mobile computing devices having executable instructions of a distributed application stored thereon, which, when executed, cause the corresponding processor to communicate with the monitoring and control systems, to conduct a registration of the corresponding user and to display on the corresponding display unit a graphical user interface (GUI) that comprises:
• a first interface element displayed in a first display portion of the GUI by which the corresponding user interacts with the first display portion of the GUI and thereby indicates his/her safety level;
• a second interface element displayed in a second display portion of the GUI by which the corresponding user interacts with the second display portion of the GUI and thereby self-identifies as a mayor;
• and
• a map displayed in a third display portion of the GUI, the map comprising first information received from the monitoring and control systems, second information relating to predefined static muster points and third information relating to dynamic muster points of users self-identifying as mayors,
• wherein the first, second and third display portions of the GUI are cross-sectionally distinct in that the cross-sectional area of each of the first, second, and third display portions of the GUI do not overlap with one another.

A method of supporting mustering in a facility, the method comprising:

• engaging communications with monitoring and control systems of the facility;
• registering users in the facility;
• and
• displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) on mobile computing devices of the users such that each displayed GUI comprises:
• a first interface element displayed in a first display portion of the GUI by which the corresponding user interacts with the first display portion of the GUI and thereby indicates his/her safety level;
• a second interface element displayed in a second displayed portion of the GUI by which the corresponding user interacts with the second display portion of the GUI and thereby self-identifies as a mayor;
• and
• a map displayed in a third display portion of the GUI, the map comprising first information received via the communications with the monitoring and control systems, second information relating to predefined static muster points and third information relating to dynamic muster points of users self-identifying as mayors,
• wherein the first, second and third display portions of the GUI are cross-sectionally distinct in that the cross-sectional area of each of the first, second, and third display portions of the GUI do not overlap with one another.