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Rob Grace, & Michelle Potts. (2022). Opportunities for Multisensor Integration in Public-Safety Answering Points. In Rob Grace, & Hossein Baharmand (Eds.), ISCRAM 2022 Conference Proceedings – 19th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 895–904). Tarbes, France.
Abstract: Public-Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) coordinate emergency response by gathering critical information from 911 callers for dispatch to first responders. However, PSAPs fail to gather this information if 911 callers are unable, unwilling, or unavailable to report key details about an emergency. To address this problem, early-adopter PSAPs employ communication specialists to gather multimedia information from multiple sensing tools, including automated alarms, cameras, government databases, location systems, open-source websites, social media, and alternative communication channels such as text-to-911. Using preliminary usage data from an early- adopter PSAP, this study identifies 11 breakdowns in 911 call taking that create opportunities for multisensor integration. This study then characterizes use cases for multisensor tools based on usage patterns observed across five incident types. These findings highlight multisensor integration as a critical area for crisis informatics research.
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Saloni JD Vaghela, & Patrick C. Shih. (2018). WalkSafe: College Campus Safety App. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 983–993). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: WalkSafe is a location-based app that notifies users of emergencies around them. The app is compared to The Pennsylvania State University's emergency notification system – PSUAlert, which provides time-based alerts. We identify weakness of the existing PSUAlert system and address them by introducing a location-based emergency notification system with the records of past incidents along with the type of emergency with respect to the user's location. We gathered user perception from 43 survey respondents that informed the design of the WalkSafe app. We use mixed-methods approach to evaluate WalkSafe with PSUAlert system as a baseline. We assess both systems with 22 participants by notifying them of the fake emergencies and asking them to use both systems to understand details regarding the emergency and its location. The pre- and post-surveys are evaluated using content analysis and paired t-test. Participant reported higher perceived convenience, perceived security, willingness to use, and willingness to share when using WalkSafe.
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Sardar Muhammad Sulaman, Taimor Abbas, Krzysztof Wnuk, & Martin Höst. (2014). Hazard analysis of collision avoidance system using STPA. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 424–428). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: As our society becomes more and more dependent on IT systems, failures of these systems can harm more and more people and organizations both public and private. Diligently performing risk and hazard analysis helps to minimize the societal harms of IT system failures. In this paper we present experiences gained by applying the System Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) method for hazard analysis on a forward collision avoidance system. Our main objectives are to investigate effectiveness in terms of the number and quality of identified hazards, and time efficiency in terms of required efforts of the studied method. Based on the findings of this study STPA has proved to be an effective and efficient hazard analysis method for assessing the safety of a safety-critical system and it requires a moderate level of effort.
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Simon French, & Nikolaos Agryris. (2014). Nuclear emergency management: Driven by precedent or international guidance? In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 483–487). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: The NREFS project is re-evaluating the management of radiation accidents, paying attention to environmental, financial and safety issues and to the threat and response phase. In designing our project some two years ago, we were concerned to avoid any assumption that a future accident will be similar to a past accident, in particular the Chernobyl and Fukushima Accidents. After a year of research on the issues to be considered and the criteria that could or should drive the decision making, our concern has increased. We have found that international guidance provided by organisations such as ICRP and IAEA lack the specificity to help decision makers. Precedent set in the handling of earlier accidents provides much clearer and tighter guidance – and, moreover, one may feel that that the public will expect them to follow such precedent. Unfortunately the circumstances of a future accident may make precedent inapplicable. Consequently we believe that there is an urgent need to think more widely about nuclear emergency management.
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Simon French, Nikolaos Argyris, William J. Nuttall, John Moriarty, & Phillips J. Thomas. (2013). The early phase of a radiation accident: Revisiting thinking on evacuation and exclusion zones. In J. Geldermann and T. Müller S. Fortier F. F. T. Comes (Ed.), ISCRAM 2013 Conference Proceedings – 10th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 296–300). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: We are just beginning a two year research project on the management of nuclear risk issues, paying particular attention to environmental, financial and safety issues. One aspect that concerns us is to avoid the assumption that any future accident will be similar to a past accident. In the cases of Chernobyl and Fukushima, it was possible both to evacuate the local population to impose a substantial exclusion zone, and we recognize that for many potential accidents this would be the case. But for some nuclear plant, it may not be so because of the large number of local inhabitants or because of some key industrial or societal infrastructure. We would like to take the opportunity of the ISCRAM conference to discuss this issue with a wide audience.
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Soraia Felicio, Viviane S. R. Silva, André Dargains, Paulo Roberto Azevedo Souza, Felippe Sampaio, Paulo V. R. Carvalho, et al. (2014). Stop disasters game experiment with elementary school students in Rio de Janeiro: Building safety culture. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 585–591). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: Currently, the city of Rio de Janeiro is is in total evidence, hosting important events such as the Pope's Francis' visit in 2013, the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016. In order to make the population aware, of some environmental problems this article was produced to analyze what factors people consider dangerous. In 2011, Rio de Janeiro went through difficult times, caused by one of the biggest floods seen in the city which ended up partly destroying cities of the state's the mountain region. Kids from aged 10 to 13 years from a high school in Rio were invited to participate in a study and they had to answer questionnaires before and after playing the game. From the results obtained, we analyzed how the game “Stop Disasters” developed by the by the UN can help create awareness and learning on how to behave in flooding situations at an accelerated rate.
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Steve Peterson, Keri Stephens, Hemant Purohit, & Amanda Hughes. (2019). When Official Systems Overload: A Framework for Finding Social Media Calls for Help during Evacuations. In Z. Franco, J. J. González, & J. H. Canós (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management. Valencia, Spain: Iscram.
Abstract: During large-scale disasters it is not uncommon for Public Safety Answering Points (e.g., 9-1-1) to encounter
service disruptions or become overloaded due to call volume. As observed in the two past United States hurricane
seasons, citizens are increasingly turning to social media whether as a consequence of their inability to reach
9-1-1, or as a preferential means of communications. Relying on past research that has examined social media
use in disasters, combined with the practical knowledge of the first-hand disaster response experiences, this paper
develops a knowledge-driven framework containing parameters useful in identifying patterns of shared
information on social media when citizens need help. This effort explores the feasibility of determining
differences, similarities, common themes, and time-specific discoveries of social media calls for help associated
with hurricane evacuations. At a future date, validation of this framework will be demonstrated using datasets
from multiple disasters. The results will lead to recommendations on how the framework can be modified to make
it applicable as a generic disaster-type characterization tool.
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Steven McGee, & Reverend Kathy Graves. (2008). The International Heartbeat Beacon for interoperability & synchronicity of event, alert data. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 128–133). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The Heartbeat Beacon addresses data temporal / exchange interoperability gaps by stipulating CAP instantiated data exchanges for military, first responder, and commercial stake holder domains by standardizing data exchange formats, symbol sets, event refresh rates enabling direct collaboration with military telemetry systems using commercial products. Multicast radius will be adjustable e.g., increase / decrease with audible tones based on business logic / military mission thread logic according to threshold rules visually displayed as concentric color band expansion / collapse based on DHS five level color / audible advisory schemes. Alert, evacuation, alternate routing of transportation assets, medical triage will then are adjustable. Organizations through router/switch updates via heartbeat messages will enable spontaneous integration of disparate communities of interest allowing the network to be maneuvered in response to unified events and alerts.
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Teun Terpstra, & Hanneke Vreugdenhil. (2011). Filling in the blanks: Constructing effective flood warning messages using the Flood Warning Communicator (FWC). In E. Portela L. S. M.A. Santos (Ed.), 8th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: From Early-Warning Systems to Preparedness and Training, ISCRAM 2011. Lisbon: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: This paper reports the progress that is being made in developing a software tool (the Flood Warning Communicator, FWC) that helps communication professionals constructing effective flood-warning messages. The program provides authorities with a warning message that contains open spaces where event specific information can be inserted. The program uses a database containing (parts of) phrases. Based on the specific situation, a communication professional receives the most suitable standard phrase by clicking on information buttons in a user interface. Together, the phrases form the warning message that sometimes requires minor adjustments such that it suits the specific circumstances. FWC is a well working prototype that allows constructing messages for web sites and short text messages (sms). Research is needed to test and validate these warning messages. In addition, cooperation with public authorities is necessary to make the program suitable for local circumstances (e.g., safety regions and municipalities).
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Willem Treurniet, Rozemarijn Logtenberg, & Peter Groenewegen. (2014). Governance of occasional multi-sector networks. In and P.C. Shih. L. Plotnick M. S. P. S.R. Hiltz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2014 Conference Proceedings – 11th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 120–124). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: Large-scale safety and security incidents typically require the coordinated effort of multiple organisations. A networked organisation is generally seen as the most appropriate structure for coordination within safety and security collaborations. Such networks generally are mixed-sector networks in the sense that the strategic orientations of the contributing organisations differ. Our research focuses on how to prevent, overcome and cope with the tensions resulting from this mixed-sector nature. We studied cases of three major Dutch events and our preliminarily findings were that an active network governance approach contributes to a more decisive and more purposive organisation. The flexibility and decisiveness of the networked organisation can be enhanced if in addition informal network governance measures are applied. Moreover, a purposive information infrastructure, directed towards a limited number of clear priority issues, is a key enabler of the functioning of the network.
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Yan Song, & Yao Hu. (2009). Group decision-making method in the field of coal mine safety management based on AHP with clustering. In S. J. J. Landgren (Ed.), ISCRAM 2009 – 6th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Boundary Spanning Initiatives and New Perspectives. Gothenburg: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The complex and changeful system of coal mine increases the difficulty and importance of its decision-making. Individual decisions sometimes can not bring satisfactory outcomes since the decision need broad knowledge and experience which is not in single field but related to many domains of economics, sociology, logic, etc. To improve the validity and objectivity of decision-making, the group decision-making method is feasible and necessary since it can collect more intelligence to choose and judge together. This paper synthetically analyzes the content and characteristic of decision-making in the field of coal mine safety. A methodology for group decision-making using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with cluster analysis is proposed accordingly. Then a case study using the method indicates that it is effective and helpful to improve the level of decision-making in the field of coal mine safety management in China.
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Yasir Javed, Tony Norris, & David Johnston. (2012). Evaluating SAVER: Measuring shared and team situation awareness of emergency decision makers. In Z.Franco J. R. L. Rothkrantz (Ed.), ISCRAM 2012 Conference Proceedings – 9th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Vancouver, BC: Simon Fraser University.
Abstract: Large scale emergencies are usually responded to by a team of emergency managers or a number of sub teams for safety and efficiency. Team coordination has attracted considerable research interest, especially from the cognitive, human factors, and ergonomic aspects because shared situation awareness (SSA) and team situation awareness (TSA) of team members are critical for optimal decision making. This paper describes the development of an information system (SAVER) based on SSA and TSA oriented systems design. Validation and evaluation of the implemented design show that decision performance is improved by the SAVER system. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Zeleskidis, A., Chalarampidou, S., Dokas, I. M., & Torra, F. (2023). COBOT Safety Awareness: A RealTSL Demonstration in a Simulated System. In Jaziar Radianti, Ioannis Dokas, Nicolas Lalone, & Deepak Khazanchi (Eds.), Proceedings of the 20th International ISCRAM Conference (pp. 874–891). Omaha, USA: University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Abstract: This work aims to propose the RealTSL methodology to empower collaborative robotic systems with self-safety awareness capability and address the methodology's limitation in determining time ranges for the unsafe system state transitions, which are inputs of the methodology. The COBOT system used in this paper to demonstrate RealTSL is an automated scissor lift robot to be used by first responders for “work at height,” simulated in Simulink™. The demonstration begins by 1) applying STPA to the system, 2) applying Early Warning Sign Analysis based on STAMP (EWaSAP), 3) creating an acyclic diagram that depicts system state transitions towards unsafe states, 4) incorporating the appropriate sensory equipment in the simulation, 5) simulating the system's operation for different scenarios using fault injection and finally 6) use information from the simulations to complete the RealTSL analysis and calculate the safety level of the system in real-time during its simulated operation.
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