Elizabeth Avery Gomez, & Murray Turoff. (2007). Interoperable communication: An analysis of SMS text-message exchange. In K. Nieuwenhuis P. B. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Intelligent Human Computer Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM 2007 Academic Proceedings Papers (pp. 45–50). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Achieving interoperable communication across governmental agencies and jurisdictions remains a challenge and is simply taking time to implement. Initiatives to support agency interoperability continue. However, community responders remain in need of two-way device quick response tactics. SMS text-messaging is one viable interoperable communication technology that provides a bottom-up approach while offering benefits for everyday use. This research in progress studies the use of a web-based SMS text-message training application, designed to simulate two-way SMS text-message exchange. Speech Act Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior are leveraged to carefully measure SMS text-message exchange. The overarching crisis scenario takes the role of the local community responder. Initial qualitative pilot results are presented and discussed, including next steps for this ongoing research.
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Isuru Samaraweera, & Sheran Corera. (2007). Sahana victim registries: Effectively track disaster victims. In K. Nieuwenhuis P. B. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Intelligent Human Computer Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM 2007 Academic Proceedings Papers (pp. 17–32). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: “Disaster management” a key topic these days due to the enormous amount of disasters occurring all over the world tends to focus mainly on the individuals victimized as human lives and living conditions are in jeopardy. During such a disaster scenario there are many different volunteer organizations and volunteers willing to support victims but due to the lack of robust and reliable human computer systems developed for responding and managing disaster aftermaths the efficiency tends to suffer thus crushing down the volunteer efforts drastically. So developing an effective disaster management solution is vital and a computerized registry that captures and handles information on disaster victims can be called the heart of the system due to the significant bearing it has on human lives. Thus one could say that disaster victim registries have a higher significance in a disaster management context. Due to this reason, three such registries have been developed and integrated into the Sahana Disaster Management System namely the Disaster Victim Registry, Missing Person Registry and the Children Registry.
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John R. Harrald, Theresa I. Jefferson, Frank Fiedrich, Sebnem Sener, & Clinton Mixted-Freeman. (2007). A first step in decision support tools for humanitarian assistance during catastrophic disasters: Modeling hazard generated needs. In K. Nieuwenhuis P. B. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Intelligent Human Computer Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM 2007 Academic Proceedings Papers (pp. 51–56). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The US has not yet developed adequate models for estimating hazard generated needs, the necessary first step for developing useful decision support systems needed to estimate the capability and capacity of the response forces required. Modeling and technology required to support the decisions made by humanitarian relief organizations requires scenario driven catastrophic planning. This paper documents the lack of effective decision support tools and systems for humanitarian aid and describes the current state of models and methods used for determination of hazard generated needs. The paper discusses work performed on a catastrophic earthquake preparedness project. It outlines how the results of this project will be used to advance the modeling and decision support capabilities of federal, state and local disaster planners and emergency responders.
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Ralph A. Morelli, Heidi Ellis, Trishan R. De Lanerolle, Jonathan Damon, & Christopher Walti. (2007). Can student-written software help sustain humanitarian FOSS? In K. Nieuwenhuis P. B. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Intelligent Human Computer Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM 2007 Academic Proceedings Papers (pp. 41–44). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: This paper describes a Humanitarian FOSS (free and open source software) project carried out by a team of students and faculty at Trinity College. The project outcome was a volunteer management module that has recently been incorporated into the Sahana Disaster Recovery IT System. The Humanitarian FOSS movement is based on two premises: (1) that quality humanitarian software can be built and given freely to governments and organizations in need of such software ; and (2) that the FOSS development model can successfully harness the contributions of humanitarian-minded IT and computing professionals. The Trinity Sahana project introduces a third premise: (3) that students and faculty whose main goals are educational and pedagogical can contribute successfully to the Humanitarian FOSS movement. This paper examines these three premises focusing on the question raised by the third.
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Tom De Groeve, Zsofia Kugler, & G. Robert Brakenridge. (2007). Near real time flood alerting for the global disaster alert and coordination system. In K. Nieuwenhuis P. B. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Intelligent Human Computer Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM 2007 Academic Proceedings Papers (pp. 33–39). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: A new flood monitoring module is in development for the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS). GDACS is an information system designed to assist humanitarian responders with their decisions in the early onset after a disaster. It provides near-real time flood alerts with an initial estimate of the consequences based on computer models. Subsequently, the system gathers information in an automated way from relevant information sources such as international media, mapping and scientific organizations. The novel flood detection methodology is based on daily AMSR-E passive microwave measurement of 2500 flood prone sites on 1435 rivers in 132 countries. Alert thresholds are determined from the time series of the remote observations and these are validated using available flood archives (from 2002 to present). Preliminary results indicate a match of 47% between detected floods and flood archives. Individual tuning of thresholds per site should improve this result.
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