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: In order to reduce human casualty after a large earthquake, it is vital to secure the traffic function of main roads. Local governments promote the seismic reinforcement of roadside buildings, however, the project is not going well as planned. There is a high demand for appropriate information of its effect. In this paper, we proposed a method to identify the roadside areas with vulnerable accessibility to disaster bases after a large earthquake. First, we defined the accessibility indices; Link Isolation ratio (LI ratio) and Network Isolation ratio (NI ratio). Then, using the simulation model, we evaluated the accessibility to disaster base hospitals using emergency transportation roads in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. LI ratio tended to be low in areas with a sparse road network. Furthermore, some hospitals indicated a severely high NI ratio. In secondary medical areas with these hospitals, it is necessary to consider the measures to improve accessibility.

Abstract: In this paper we present an ontology-based system for managing emergency alert notifications. Our purpose is to generate emergency alerts that are accessible to different kinds of people, paying special attention to more vulnerable collectives like impaired people. By adapting alerts to different devices and users we can allow Emergency Management Systems (EMS) to communicate with collectives like blind or deaf people whom otherwise will be unreachable by usual channels. Moreover, if we consider the constrains imposed by the nature of the emergency situations we can also improve the information transmission to cope with situational disabilities (e.g. smoke during a fire can cause low vision problems). We centered our system architecture on two characteristics: The first one is an ontology that codifies knowledge about accessibility, devices, disabilities, emergencies and media so the alert notification can be tailored according to different parameters; the second one is the use of an open standard like the CAP (Common Alerting Protocol) that enables our system to interoperate with other existing systems.

Abstract: Information and communication technologies (ICT) are becoming increasingly important in emergency management and crisis communication. ICT tools are developed and adopted in all phases of the emergency management cycle. On the one hand, these tools contribute to better disaster preparedness and effective response. On the other hand, the lack of consideration of universal design in these tools also creates new barriers for different stakeholders, particularly the elderly and people with disabilities. The primary objective of this paper is to give an overview of the current state of the emerging research field of Universal Design of ICT for emergency management and provide a Research Agenda to highlight ways to uncover how the increasing introduction of ICT in emergency management can contribute to removing barriers instead of adding more barriers.

Abstract: Accessibility is an essential indicator for measuring the functions and equity of urban services, and could be harnessed to provide insights into the social disparities in urban residents’ interaction with urban services. In this study, we attempt to measure urban residents’ accessibility patterns to urban services during natural disasters using an improved gravity model method. Firstly, by analyzing human digital trace data in the Wilmington metropolitan area over three months, we assessed the residents’ accessibility levels of grocery stores and restaurants before, during and after Hurricane Florence, and captured the diverse trends of residents’ responses to the hurricane. Then, we identified and statistically tested the social disparities in residents’ accessibility behaviors in response to the hurricane. The findings may provide new insights for city planners and policymakers in terms of equity evaluations of resource accessibility and resource allocations among different communities and improvement of their resilience against natural disasters.