Abstract: The massive crowdsourced data generated on social networking platforms (e.g. Twitter and Flickr) provide free, real-time data for damage assessment (DA) even during catastrophes. Recent studies leveraging crowdsourced data for DA mainly focused on analyzing textual formats. Crowdsourced images can provide rich and objective information about damage conditions, however, are rarely researched for DA purposes. The highly-varied content and loosely-defined damage forms make it difficult to process and analyze the crowdsourced images. To address this problem, we propose a data-driven DA method based on multi-, crowd-sourced images, which includes five machine learning classifiers organized in a hierarchical structure. The method is validated with a case study investigating the damage condition of the City of Miami caused by Hurricane Irma. The outcome is then compared with a metric derived from NFIP insurance claims data. The proposed method offers a resource for rapid DA that supplements conventional DA methods.

Abstract: In this paper, we explore the process of co-creation of knowledge between modelers and ethnographers through a project focusing on the role played by CIGS (Citizen initiatives for global solidarity) in the refugee crisis in the island of Lesvos, Greece. We describe the process of collaboration and discuss what this type of interdisciplinary collaboration may bring to the development of a research topic when the initial skepticism and questions of epistemological differences have been overcome. Moreover, we address some of the challenges embedded in this type of research collaboration, particularly the skepticism present within the social sciences.

Abstract: After a large incident on a telecommunications network, the operator typically executes an incident analysis to
prevent future incidents. Research suggests that these analyses are done ad hoc, without a structured approach. In
this paper, we conduct an investigation of a large incident according to the AcciMap method. We find that this
method can be applied to telecommunications networks with a few small changes; we find that such a structured
approach yields many more actionable recommendations than a more focused approach and we find that both the
onset of an incident and the resolution phase merit their own analysis. We also find that such an analysis costs a
lot of effort and we propose a more efficient approach to using this method. An unexpected outcome was that
AcciMap may also be very useful for analyzing crisis organizations.

Abstract: Saving and sustaining lives, stabilizing the incident, and protecting both environment and property from further damage are professional responders' first and foremost objectives when responding to any incident including a catastrophic one. For so doing, responders need to gain situational awareness (SA) so to effectively direct the response. Yet, in a catastrophic incident, critical infrastructures including response assets are damaged and disrupted, which leaves responders without the badly needed complete and verified information for days and even weeks. Critical communication and technology infrastructures used by responders are among those damaged and disrupted critical assets leading to both incomplete SA and a distorted common operating picture (COP). The lack of clear and comprehensive SA/COP and the disruption of communications and technology infrastructures seriously impedes incident commanders from efficiently directing the response effort. This study reports on communication and technology-relatedchallenges that emergency responders faced with regard to situational awareness in a recent large-scale exercise under the name of Cascadia Rising 2016 (CR16). The exercise involved a total of 23,000 active participants. Over four days in June of 2016, CR16 simulated the coordinated response to a rupture of the 800-mile Cascadia Subduction Zone resulting in a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami similar to the catastrophic incident in Eastern Japan in 2011. Responders at all levels were severely challenged, and the exercise revealed major vulnerabilities in critical communication and technology infrastructures. Situational awareness was very difficult to establish.

Abstract: In disaster situations security authorities and organizations have the responsibility and duty to manage the disaster response. These organizations work in elaborated command and control structures with well trained employees. But in recent events, supported by new technologies like social media and mobile devices, spontaneous volunteers from the local population gained new importance as helpful force in disaster response. The high amount of volunteers bears high potentials to improve the efficiency of several activities through pure manpower. However, these people are not integrated in existing structures and lack a proper qualification. The proper coordination of spontaneous volunteers poses new challenges for disaster authorities. In this paper we introduce the prototype of a novel information system enabling crisis committees to coordinate spontaneous volunteers by semi-automated purposive communication and allocation. The results of first staff exercises are discussed to emphasize potential benefits and open challenges.

Abstract: While creating a community hazard mitigation plan (HMP) has become recognized as a key component of successful disaster management, significant portions of the process are often inaccessible to people with vision disabilities. Maps in particular are often large, visually dense documents that are printed on two-dimensional paper, or distributed via PDF with no alternate text. For people with profound low vision or who are blind, alternative media is required. The research discussed here proposes that tactile maps may present an accessible and cost-effective medium for representing geospatial data relevant to the hazard mitigation planning process. Using flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a starting point, this paper proposes an evaluatory framework for transcribing conventional maps into tactile documents, as well as characterizing users' experiences using them for mitigation planning, directions for future research and generalizing the process for applications in other domains.

Abstract: Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs) may occur with no notice and require a rapid response to manage the casualties and arrange their transportation to hospitals. MCIs may result in different numbers of casualties and fatalities. Further, response time can play a crucial role in reducing fatalities and protecting lives. This paper reports on a preliminary optimisation-based approach, termed MCIER, which has been developed to co-ordinate the response of ambulances to multiple MCIs. In this approach, a realistic representation of the road network is modelled for the geographical area of interest. Also, a Neighbourhood Search Algorithm (NSA) has been developed in order to find the optimum solution to the problem under consideration. A hypothetical case study of a MCI in Newcastle-upon-Tyne has been considered to investigate the effect on response time of the time of day, and day of week, on which the incident occurs.

Abstract: The research on technology-assisted crisis management has primarily existed for two decades since 9/11. Although, the focus of technology research has been centered around tools to assist the response phase after a disaster. There has been a lack of emphasis on the role and design of technologies to assist the other phases of the crisis management cycle, particularly preparedness and mitigation phases to lead towards the vision of building resilient communities. In this paper, we first identify resilience characteristics of a community from the prior literature. We then analyze a co-occurrence network of concepts in the ISCRAM publications to validate the gap in relating technologies to resilience and conduct an indicator analysis of factors for proactive disaster informatics via a case study of recent disaster. Our analysis leads us to propose a conceptual framework “Digital Crow's Nest” based on Open Source Intelligence to improve the technology design for community resilience.

Abstract: Preparation for mass casualty incidents (MCIs) is highly important but difficult to accomplish. Incidents are rare, often complex, and training is costly. However, with the development of consumer grade virtual reality (VR) hardware, immersive training simulations have become affordable for competency training. To make simulations effective, users have to be immersed and feel present in the simulation. We have developed a VR training system for MCIs in a user centered design process with emergency personnel and further improved the system to increase immersion and presence. In an evaluation with eighteen paramedic trainees, we compare six hypothesized design improvements between the two simulations, such as using a menu or a simulated emergency bag for interaction. Results indicate clear user preferences of interaction styles related to immersion and presence in MCI VR simulations.

Abstract: This practitioner paper describes the efforts of a volunteer fire department in Germany to reduce the time to arrive at a place of emergency. It presents the former situation, identifies reasons for delays and highlights the volunteers' first years in utilizing an existing smartphone application for alert and response as a mean to optimize their times of arrival. The paper finally evaluates the effects of the application's usage.

Abstract: Validation of findings is a challenge in practice-based research. While analysis is being conducted and findings are being constructed out of data collected in a defined period, practitioners continue with their activities. This issue is exacerbated in the field of crisis management, where high volatility and personnel turnover make the capacity to attend research demands scarce. Therefore, conducting classic member validation is logistically challenging for the researcher. The need for rigor and validity calls for alternative mechanisms to fulfill requirements for academic research. This article presents an approach for validation of results of a qualitative study with public organizations that use social media as a source of information in the context of crisis management. The unavailability of original interview-objects to validate our findings resulted in an alternative validation method that leveraged experts in crisis informatics. By presenting our approach, we contribute to encouraging rigor in qualitative research while maintaining the relationship between practice and academia.

Abstract: To deal with a crisis situation, experts must undertake a chain of activities, called process, to minimize crisis
consequences. To assist the expert in making decision in crisis resolutions, authors propose a method aiming at
discovering crisis response processes. This method is based on a two-step strategy: the first step classifies the
system?s traces, representing stakeholders? past actions, into different sets, where each one represents a set of
response processes according to a specific context; the second step uses process mining algorithm to discover
the corresponding response plan process model based on the obtained chain of activities for each previously
classified context. These response plans will be a referenced aid for experts while making crisis resolution,
according to each context. The proposed approach is illustrated on the traces issued from the crisis caused by the
2010 Xynthia storm in France.