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Andrea Bellucci, Alessio Malizia, Paloma Díaz, & Ignacio Aedo. (2010). Framing the design space for novel crisis-related mashups: The eStoryS example. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Web 2.0 can be viewed as a platform where users can develop their own web applications. It is also characterized by a vast amount of user-generated contents presenting spatial and temporal components, by means of associated metadata. These metadata has been successfully exploited to generate map-based mashups (web applications gathering data from different sources) facing different kind of crisis situations, ranging from natural disasters (earthquakes, wildfires, floods...) to human-made disasters (terrorist attacks, school shootings, conflicts...). The social and collaborative dimensions of the Web 2.0 can be also exploited for managing crisis-related information. We present here a survey of current crisis-related mashups we employed to extract design dimensions and provide a conceptual framework that can be used: A) to understand current systems and; b) to design next generation of crisis-related mashups. We propose the eStoryS system as an example of application developed following the design principles presented in this paper. On the basis of our analysis, we believe that the design dimensions posited here provide useful insights for the design of novel web mashups in the emergency management domain.
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Thomas Bernoulli, Gerald Glanzer, Thomas Wiebflecker, & Ulrich Walder. (2010). Infrastructurless indoor positioning system for first responders. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: To overview the site of operation in case of an emergency is crucial for effective emergency management. This is a difficult task, in particular within large buildings or underground structures. Information about the whereabouts of the staff is a key element of effective disaster management. This paper presents an indoor positioning system which is able to track and locate people within buildings independent of any infrastructure (global navigation satellite system, WLAN installations, etc.). The system is based on inertial measurement units computing the track of its wearer and a component verifying this position estimates using floor plans of the building. This novel approach allows robust tracking and locating of action forces within buildings and underground structures.
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José H. Canós-Cerdá, Carmen Penadés, Carlos Solís, Marcos R. S. Borges, & Manuel Llavador. (2010). Using spatial hypertext to visualize composite knowledge in emergency responses. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Having the right information at the right time is crucial to make decisions during emergency responses. To fulfill this requirement, emergency management systems must provide emergency managers with knowledge management and visualization tools. The goal is twofold: on one hand, to organize knowledge coming from different sources, mainly the emergency response plans (the formal knowledge) and the information extracted from the emergency development (the contextual knowledge); on the other hand, to enable effective access to information. Formal and contextual knowledge sets are mostly disjoint; however, there are cases in which a formal knowledge piece may be updated with some contextual information, constituting what we call the composite knowledge. In this paper, we extend a knowledge framework with the notion of composite knowledge, and use spatial hypertext to visualize this type of knowledge. We illustrate our proposal with a case study on accessing to information during an emergency response in an underground transportation system.
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Tiziana Catarci, Massimiliano De Leoni, Andrea Marrella, Massimo Mecella, Manfred Bortenschlager, & Renate Steinmann. (2010). The WORKPAD project experience: Improving the disaster response through process management and geo collaboration. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: In complex emergency/disaster scenarios teams from various emergency-response organizations collaborate with each other to achieve a common goal. In these scenarios the use of smart mobile devices and applications can improve the collaboration dynamically. The lack of basic interaction principles can be dangerous as it could increase the level of disaster or can make the efforts ineffective. The paper focuses on the description of the main results of the project WORKPAD finished in December 2009. WORKPAD worked on a two-level architecture to support rescue operators during emergency management. The use of a user-centered design methodology during the entire development cycle has guaranteed that the architecture and the resulting system meet the end-user requirements. The feasibility of its use in real emergencies is also proven by a demonstration showcased in July with real operators. The paper includes the qualitative and quantitative showcase results and mentions some guidelines which can be useful for persons who want to develop emergency-management systems.
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Tina Comes, Claudine Conrado, Michael Hiete, Michiel Kamermans, Gregor Pavlin, & Niek Wijngaards. (2010). An intelligent decision support system for decision making under uncertainty in distributed reasoning frameworks. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: This paper presents an intelligent system facilitating better-informed decision making under severe uncertainty as found in emergency management. The construction of decision-relevant scenarios, being coherent and plausible descriptions of a situation and its future development, is used as a rationale for collecting, organizing, filtering and processing information for decision making. The development of scenarios is geared to assessing decision alternatives, thus avoiding time-consuming analysis and processing of irrelevant information. The scenarios are constructed in a distributed setting allowing for a flexible adaptation of reasoning (principles and processes) to the problem at hand and the information available. This approach ensures that each decision can be founded on a coherent set of scenarios, which was constructed using the best expertise available within a limited timeframe. Our theoretical framework is demonstrated in a distributed decision support system by orchestrating both automated systems and human experts into workflows tailored to each specific problem.
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Gonçalo De Jesus, Anabela Oliveira, Maria A. Santos, & João Palha-Fernandes. (2010). Development of a dam-break flood emergency information system. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: This paper presents a new information system, SAGE-B, structured to support all fundamental data related to dams and the elements associated to an emergency in case of a dam-break flood. Data such as information about the population located in the areas at risk or the vehicles available for rescue that are located in the areas impacted by the predicted flood are always changing. In order to support an effective update of the required information for emergency management, an emergency information system was conceived and proposed. This paper describes the motivation for this research and the basic requirements from an emergency management perspective. The platform has a modular architecture, developed in open and free technologies, which allows a continuous development and improvement. Examples of future developments include a multichannel emergency warning system, flood wave real-time forecast and dam-breaching real-time monitoring models.
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Sukumar Dwarkanath, & Denis Gusty. (2010). Information sharing: A strategic approach. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide and recommend a strategic approach for implementation of information sharing initiatives. While such an approach offers a number of benefits, as a primary benefit, it provides a way to measure and monitor the performance of such initiatives, irrespective of their scope, whether they are regional, state, or federal efforts. The first section of the paper presents a framework for alignment among information sharing initiatives; the second section builds on this framework and outlines a roadmap for an assessment methodology for such initiatives.
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Matthew Guardascione, & Allen E. Milewski. (2010). Feedback mechanisms in automated emergency management training. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: This study explored automated training for emergency managers and the effects of feedback on performance. A prototype emergency management training application was built to allow the usage of either immediate feedback or delayed, “hotwash” feedback. Users were split into two groups and asked to carry out two emergency management scenarios using one of the feedback mechanisms, and the difference in scores between each feedback type were analyzed There was a general increase in performance across sessions. Further, the improvements in scores between each feedback type showed that users performed significantly better when using the hotwash feedback mechanism compared with the immediate feedback mechanism. In contrast to the performance data, preference data showed no overall differences between the two procedures, although each user had a strong preference for one or the other feedback mechanism. The implications for the design of training systems offering both procedures are discussed.
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María Hernandez, Susana Montero, David Díez, Paloma Díaz, & Ignacio Aedo. (2010). A data transfer protocol for forest fire statistics: Achieving interoperability among independent agencies. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The elaboration of statistics after a catastrophic situation allows us not only to analyze the economic, ecological and social impact of the event but also to improve the emergency management process. One compelling example of data collection for statistics is forest fires. The agencies involved in providing data have its own systems to collect data and mechanisms to send them, as well as, its data format for storing. Since such mechanisms are usually proprietary, and in order to normalize the exchange of data with statistics generating systems, a data transfer protocol should be used. In this paper we present a data transfer protocol called Forest Fire Statistics Protocol (FFSP). This protocol aims at transmitting consolidated forest fire data between independent agencies. The data transferred are based on the Forest Fire Report Data Model. Both mechanisms are based on open standards providing both technical interoperability and a solution that might be developed once and fit the needs of all. FFSP has been implemented as a web service over SOAP, SSL/TLS and TCP protocols.
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Mohammadreza Khalilbeigi, Immanuel Schweizer, Dirk Bradler, Florian Probst, & Jürgen Steimle. (2010). Towards computer support of paper workflows in emergency management. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: A crucial aspect for large-scale disaster management is an efficient technology support for communication and decision-making processes in command and control centers. Yet, experiences with the introduction of novel technologies in this setting show that field professionals tend to remain attached to traditional workflows and artifacts, such as pen and paper. We contribute the results of a comprehensive field study which analyzes how the information flow is currently performed within different units and persons in the command and control center. These findings provide insights into key aspects of current workflows which should be preserved by novel technological solutions. As our second contribution, by using a participatory design approach and based on our findings, we present a novel approach for computer support in command and control centers. This relies on digital pens and paper and smoothly integrates traditional paper-based workflows with computing, thereby combining the advantages of paper and those of computers.
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Lauren C. Landrigan, Allen Milewski, & Jason Baker. (2010). Determining credible sources during an emergency situation. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: An important aspect of working in an emergency operations center (EOC) is determining what information is credible and what actions to take based on that information. Information during an emergency may come from various sources and EOC workers may not know the information providers personally. Information may come from electronic sources where the exact source of the information may be unknown and credibility may be affected. For this study, we conducted ethnographic interviews with emergency management subject matter experts to gain insights on credibility. The interviews included a series of questions to learn about the current processes of an EOC, what sources generally provide information about the situation and what factors determine credibility. These interviews are ongoing and this paper provides a summary of the interviews completed at this point. The expected outcome of this study is a potential software system with features to enhance credibility despite weak source information.
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Mark Latonero, & Irina Shklovski. (2010). Respectfully yours in safety and service: Emergency management & social media evangelism. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: In this paper we consider how emergency response organizations utilize available social media technologies to communicate with the public in emergencies and to potentially collect valuable information using the public as sources of information on the ground. We discuss the use of public social media tools from the emergency management professionals. viewpoint with a particular focus on the use of Twitter. Little research has investigated Twitter usage in crisis situations from an organizational perspective. This paper contributes to our understanding of organizational innovation, risk communication, and technology adoption by emergency management. An in-depth case study of Public Information Officers of the Los Angeles Fire Department highlights the importance of the information evangelist within emergency management organizations and details the challenges those organizations face with an engagement with social media and Twitter. This article provides insights into practices and challenges of new media implementation for crisis and risk management organizations.
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Cynthia Nikolai, Irma Becerra-Fernandez, Troy Johnson, & Greg Madey. (2010). Leveraging WebEOC in support of the Haitian relief effort: Insights and lessons learned. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The magnitude seven earthquake that rocked Haiti has been a devastating disaster for the small country (USGS 2010). They are not alone in this crisis, however. When the earthquake struck, thousands of US citizens responded by donating money, resources, people, and time to aid in the disaster relief. To respond to the incident and to create a secure information-sharing environment, the Florida Miami-Dade County and State Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) were activated. The main information system in use at the Miami-Dade EOC is WebEOC, a web-based crisis information management system that aids in secure coordination and collaboration among EOC staff, liaisons, and emergency managers. As a result of the earthquake response efforts using this system, we have identified seven main insights and lessons learned with respect to crisis information management software. In this paper, we discuss Miami-Dade's role in the Haitian relief efforts and how this lead to these insights and lessons learned.
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Teresa Onorati, Alessio Malizia, Paloma Díaz, & Ignacio Aedo. (2010). Interaction design for web emergency management information systems. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The interaction design for web emergency management information systems (WEMIS) is an important aspect to keep in mind due to the criticality of the domain: decision making, updating available resources, defining a task list, trusting in proposed information. A common interaction design strategy for WEMIS seems to be needed but currently there are few references in literature. Our aim is to contribute to this lack with a set of interactive principles for WEMIS. From the emergency point of view, existing WEMIS have been analyzed to extract common features and to design interaction principles for emergency. Furthermore, we studied design principles extracted from the Turoff's model relating them to emergency phases and features. In particular, in this paper, we choose to follow the current trend in the definition of emergency life cycles. In our approach, referring to general policies in literature, the emergency management process is divided into two different sub cycles: back-end and front-end. From the interaction point of view, a formalization process based on the interactive PIE model has been defined. The result we propose here is a set of design principles for supporting interactive properties for WEMIS.
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Anthony C. Robinson, Robert E. Roth, & Alan M. MacEachren. (2010). Challenges for map symbol standardization in crisis management. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: A wide range of local, regional, and federal authorities will generate maps to help respond to and recover from a disaster. It is essential that map users in an emergency situation can readily understand what they are seeing on these maps. Standardizing map symbology is one mechanism for ensuring that geospatial information is interpretable during an emergency situation, but creating an effective map symbol standard is a complex and evolving task. Here we present preliminary results from research into the application of the ANSI 415-2006 INCITS Homeland Security Map Symbol Standard, a point symbol standard intended to support emergency management mapping for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This standard has so far not been widely adopted across the full range of DHS missions, and we elaborate on key issues and challenges that should be accounted for when developing future map symbol standards for crisis management.
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Heiko Roßnagel, & Olaf Junker. (2010). Evaluation of a mobile emergency management system – A simulation approach. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Large public events such as sporting events, concerts, fairs and street festivals are quite common in metropolitan areas. Because of the high frequency of such events and the increasing number of involved parties, those being responsible for the organization and execution have to cope with increasing complexity and shortening time frames for planning and preperation. Because of the high concentration of passengers, unplanned incidents that occur during these public events can have devastating effects and can lead to crises and disasters. Emergency management systems that utilize mobile communication infrastructures can provide prompt information delivery to save human lives. In this paper we propose a system design for mobile emergency management and outline our approach of evaluating this system design using multi-agent based simulation. To make our simulation of passenger movements as realistic as possible we gathered empirical data for a large event as well as for normal rush hour traffic.
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Xiang Yao, Murray Turoff, & Starr Roxanne Hiltz. (2010). A field trial of a collaborative online scenario creation system for emergency management. In C. Zobel B. T. S. French (Ed.), ISCRAM 2010 – 7th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management: Defining Crisis Management 3.0, Proceedings. Seattle, WA: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: In Emergency Management and Business Continuity Planning, scenarios are a widely used tool. Existing scenario creation systems allow distributed groups to create scenarios together but have limited collaboration support. This study developed and evaluated a solution to provide various types of collaboration support around a knowledge structure at the core of a collaborative scenario creation system called Collario. Following the Design Science paradigm, it evolved through four iterations into a working prototype. Several evaluation methods, including protocol analysis and field study, were employed to evaluate the design effects and obtain user feedback. The results of the first field trial are described in this paper. They indicate that the system is useful to support creation and discussion of emergency scenarios in virtual teams and to share knowledge and experiences among geographically distributed emergency professionals and researchers. It was also found that the system is not hard to learn and use.
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Jan Steen Jensen, & Jan Pehrsson. (2009). Central response to large chemical accidents. 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: Present scenarios, issues, requirements, experience and solutions from a central government organisation supporting local emergency management organisations. The presentation will cover the experience collected in the DIADEM project by the Danish Emergency Management Organisation with the focus of using ARGOS for response to chemical incidents.
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Alessio Malizia, Pablo Acuña, Teresa Onorati, Paloma Díaz, & Ignacio Aedo. (2009). CAP-ONES: An emergency notification system for all. 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: 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.
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Cláudio Sapateiro, & Pedro Antunes. (2009). An emergency response model toward situational awareness improvement. 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: When facing emergency scenarios, several contingent factors may strongly condition the pre-defined response procedures. The proposed approach takes the perspective that an emergency response tool may guide the response effort. The tool adopts a conceptual model grounded on existing situation awareness models and research work done with High Reliability Organizations. The model structures the emergency management process in a set of dimensions that should be collaboratively correlated by the involved participants in order to mitigate the disruptive situation. An instantiation of the proposed approach is also described in the paper, focusing on IT service desk teams addressing emergency incidents that may compromise business continuity.
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Kim Weyns, & Martin Höst. (2009). Dependability of IT systems in municipal emergency management. 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: In recent years governmental actors have become more and more dependent on IT systems for their responsibilities in a crisis situation. To avoid unexpected problems with the dependability of IT systems in the aftermath of a crisis it is important that such risks are identified and that measures can be taken to reduce the dependence on systems that could be unreliable. This paper describes two case studies exploring how Swedish municipalities incorporate IT systems in their emergency planning. The study focuses especially on how different actors within a municipality cooperate to analyse the risks of depending on IT systems in critical situations. The study shows that today there is much room for improvement, especially in the communication between IT personnel and emergency managers. Finally, this paper describes the requirements for a process improvement framework that can assist governmental actors in analysing and improving their dependency on IT systems in emergency management.
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Connie White, Linda Plotnick, Jane Kushma, Starr Roxanne Hiltz, & Murray Turoff. (2009). An online social network for emergency management. 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: Online Social Networking Sites (SNS) are becoming extremely popular and can be employed in a variety of contexts. They permit the establishment of global relationships that are domain related or can be based on some general need shared by the participants. Emergency domain related websites, each with their own stated mission, are becoming widespread. Can a social network offer a solution to bringing emergency domain-related entities together as a 'one stop shop?' We propose to investigate whether the social network paradigm can be used to enable individuals and organizations to collaborate in mutually beneficial ways, in all stages of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Emergency management students were surveyed to examine the concept of social networks and their acceptance as a potential tool. The results of this exploratory research show overwhelming agreement that SNS should be considered a viable solution to the problems plaguing information dissemination and communications in the emergency domain.
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Tim J. Grant. (2008). Checklist for comparing emergency management information systems. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 752–763). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: This paper describes a checklist that has been developed for comparing the functionality of emergency management control centres and their information systems. The intention is to interest the ISCRAM community in using the checklist in various applications and pooling experiences. The Control Centre Visit Checklist has evolved through four iterations. It has been used to study two military C2 systems and one non-military control system, and has been applied by students for course assignments. The paper focuses on the part of the checklist that evaluates the information system from the systems viewpoint. It describes the underlying applications architecture and process model. The Royal Netherlands Army's Battlefield Management System illustrates the application of the checklist. The results show that the checklist aids in identifying where C2 systems can be developed further. The next step is to perform a set of substantial pilot studies for diverse domains, including civilian emergency management systems.
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Irma Becerra-Fernandez, Weidong Xia, Arvind Gudi, & Jose Rocha. (2008). Task characteristics, knowledge sharing and integration, and emergency management performance: Research agenda and challenges. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 88–92). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Emergency management tasks are inherently complex and dynamic, requiring quick knowledge sharing and decision coordination among multiple organizations across different levels and locations. However, there is a general lack of understanding about how to describe and assess the complex and dynamic nature of emergency management tasks and how knowledge integration help managers improve emergency management task performance. This paper describes a research project that aims at (1) developing the concepts of task complexity and uncertainty of emergency management tasks and (2) testing the mediating role of knowledge sharing and knowledge integration between emergency management task characteristics and performance. The overall research agenda, approaches, challenges and the advantages of utilizing a virtual Emergency Operations Center (vEOC) for this line of research are discussed.
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Andrea Capata, Andrea Marrella, Ruggero Russo, Manfred Bortenschlager, & Harald Rieser. (2008). A geo-based application for the management of mobile actors during crisis situations. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 219–229). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The widespread availability of network-enabled handled devices has made the development of pervasive computing applications an emerging reality particularly suitable for managing emergency/disaster situations. Moreover in emergency management scenarios, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are gaining momentum for their capacity to capture, analyze and manage geo-referenced data. In this paper we discuss an architecture designed to support rescue teams operating in outdoor environments and equipped with mobile devices working in a P2P fashion within a Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET). Our system has been designed to effectively address the on-field working persons' need for geographic information that cannot be supplied by conventional paper-based maps. Our approach provides a transparent access to geo-information and to GIS functionalities, and it addresses issues specifically relevant to emergency management scenarios in open fields.
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