Distributed muster for ocean-going vessels

A data processing system adapted for distributed muster for ocean-going vessels, the system comprising:

• a host computing system comprising one or more computers, each comprising memory and at least one processor, and communicatively coupled over a computer communications network to a multiplicity of different mobile devices;
• a data store coupled to the host computing system, the data store storing in a database, a set of records, each of the records associating a passenger on a specific ocean-going vessel both with a corresponding one of the mobile devices, and also a particular one of a multiplicity of muster locations on the specific ocean-going vessel;
• and,
• a distributed muster module comprising computer program instructions executing in the memory of the host computing system, the computer program instructions performing:
• distributing to each of the multiplicity of different mobile devices, by way of the computer communications network, an identity of an assigned one of a multiplicity of muster locations;
• initiating a timer in the memory, the timer defining a period during which a muster drill must be completed by each passenger on the specific ocean-going vessel;
• transmitting a message to each of the mobile devices, that the muster drill has commenced in response to the timer;
• during the period defined by the timer, as each one of the mobile devices is sensed within a geographically defined area of a correspondingly assigned different one of the muster locations, recording in the memory a completion of the muster drill by the corresponding passenger of the one of the mobile devices;
• and,
• subsequent to a lapsing of the timer indicating a completion of the muster drill, displaying in a display of the computing system, a listing of any of the set of passengers not recorded in the memory as having completed the muster drill.

A computer program product for distributed muster for ocean-going vessels, the computer program product including a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a device to cause the device to perform a method including:

• distributing to each of a multiplicity of different mobile computing devices, by way of a computer communications network, an identity of an assigned one of a multiplicity of muster locations of one of a multiplicity of ocean-going vessels;
• associating in memory of a computing system, each of the different mobile computing devices both with a corresponding passenger amongst a set of passengers of the one of the multiplicity of the ocean-going vessels, and also with the assigned one of the multiplicity of the muster locations;
• initiating a timer in memory of the computing system, the timer defining a period during which a muster drill must be completed by all of the passengers in the set for the one of the multiplicity of the ocean-going vessels;
• transmitting a message, from the computing system, to each of the mobile devices, that the muster drill has commenced in response to the timer;
• during the period defined by the timer, as each one of the mobile devices is sensed within a geographically defined area of a correspondingly assigned different one of the muster locations, recording in the memory a completion of the muster drill by the corresponding passenger of the one of the mobile devices;
• and,
• subsequent to a lapsing of the timer indicating a completion of the muster drill, displaying in a display of the computing system, a listing of any of the set of passengers not recorded in the memory as having completed the muster drill.