Jesse Blum, Genovefa Kefalidou, Robert Houghton, Martin Flintham, Unna Arunachalam, & Murray Goulden. (2014). Majority report: Citizen empowerment through collaborative sensemaking. 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. 767–771). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: In the past crisis sensemaking activities have primarily been controlled by professional emergency responders and the media. Social media, however, has the potential to see a shift towards more grassroots and ad hoc citizen engagement. This paper sets out our vision and our progress in implementation of a new online platform called 'Majority Report', which aims to empower citizen sensemaking activities around crisis events. The concept is to facilitate citizen volunteers to draw together a range of digital media (photographs, Tweets, videos, etc.) to present stories of crisis events, and thus demarcate arguments about different understandings in terms of the temporal ordering of event narrative components and their relations to each other. Through collaborative usages of the platform, accounts may be improved by others, and variants may be presented and compared to challenge existing assumptions and beliefs.
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Colleen J Buono, Theodore C. Chan, William G. Griswold, Ricky Huang, Fang Liu, James Killeen, et al. (2008). WIISARD: Wireless internet information system for medical response to disasters. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (126). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Called the Wireless Internet Information System for Medical Response in Disasters, or WIISARD, the use of sophisticated wireless technology to coordinate and enhance care of mass casualties in a terrorist attack or natural disaster is the focus of a federally funded research project at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). The project brings together broad-based participation from academia, industry, the military, and emergency responders from the City and County of San Diego.
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Erman Coskun, & Dilek Ozceylan. (2011). Complexity in emergency management and disaster response information systems (EMDRIS). 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: Today emergencies seem more complex than ever. Process of managing these emergencies also becomes more complex because of increasing number of involved parties, increasing number of people affected, and increasing amount of resources. This complexity, inherent in emergency management, brings lots of challenges to decision makers and emergency responders. Information systems and technologies are utilized in different areas of emergency management. However complexity increases exponentially in emergency situations and it requires more sophisticated IS and IT and it makes response and management more challenging. Thus analyzing the root causes of emergency management information systems complexity is crucial for improving emergency response effectiveness. This paper frames the issue of information systems complexity by focusing on the types of complexities involved in emergency management phases and explaining each complexity type. We propose 6 different complexity types: Human Complexity, Technologic Complexity, Event Complexity, Interaction Complexity, Decision Making Complexity, and Cultural Complexity.
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Dilek Ozceylan Aubrecht, & Michael R. Bartolacci. (2012). The impact and opportunities for wireless communications in chinese disaster planning and management. 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: Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, fires as well as those of manmade origins, such as dam breaches, necessitate communication between and among emergency responders, governmental officials, and the impacted populace. As the third largest country in terms of area and first in terms of population, China is no stranger to natural and manmade disasters of varying kinds. Until recently, the country had no central focus on dealing with such events and allowed local officials for the most part to plan and carry out all of the activities involved in disaster planning and management. Advances in the Chinese economy and more of a nationalist slant on policies have attempted to broaden the planning scope and management across the country with varying results. The deployment of wireless communications across China has assisted in disaster planning and management activities, but inconsistent policies and a haphazard approach to its deployment have hindered its ability to fully aid such activities. With a population of more than 1.3 billion (2010 Census) and its wide geography, China is one of the most natural disaster-affected countries in the world. Many natural disasters occur in China frequently and often result in severe damage and loss of life. In response to these events, several strategies for emergency management should be implemented, but in particular the integration of the deployment of wireless networks throughout the rural parts of the country with disaster/emergency planning for the same areas should be undertaken. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Jill L. Drury, Amanda Anganes, Heather Byrne, Maria C. Casipe, Roger Dejean, Simone Hill, et al. (2012). Badge-primed decision making. 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: We have been investigating new decision support methods for emergency responders. Most recently, we have added to our decision support prototype the concept of “badges”: symbols that cue decision makers to the top-ranked option(s) that are the recommended alternatives for a particular decision. This paper provides the rationale for badges, a description of the initial implementation, results from our first experiment with badges, and a discussion of the next steps. As a report on work-in-progress, the primary contribution of this paper is the description of the concept of badges and its proposed use for emergency response decision making. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Niklas Hallberg, Helena Granlund, Jonas Hallberg, & Rogier Woltjer. (2012). Rationale for emergency management systems for local communities: A needs assessment. 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: Information systems have great potential to support emergency management. However, development of such systems is difficult, due to the complexity of emergency management. The ability to be able to reveal the needs for support are essential for successful system developments. The emergency responders at the local community level are the main actors when it comes to emergency management. The objective of this paper is to explore the rationale for emergency management systems at the local community level. This is done by an extensive needs assessment based on 12 interviews with representatives for local as well as regional emergency organizations and 49 governing documents. The analysis uncovers ten areas where emergency management systems can enhance the ability of local communities' to manage emergencies. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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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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Steven R. Haynes, Mark J. Jermusyk, & Frank E. Ritter. (2014). Utility-theoretic training for mass casualty incidents. 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. 473–482). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: This paper describes an approach to training emergency responders for mass casualty incidents. The approach is derived from a methodology and supporting software system called Summit. The Summit approach uses an integration of scenarios, hierarchical task analysis, interaction modeling, and expected utility theory to represent how actors engage in complex tasks; here we model mass casualty incident (MCI) activities supported by interactive technologies. Our goal is to ground MCI training in realistic scenarios and to demonstrate required response capabilities through associated hierarchical task analyses (HTA). The terminal nodes in an HTA are interactions, that provide a fine-grained model of the actors, technologies, data, and methods involved in realizing the required capability. The components of an interaction may have associated utility factors (benefits, costs, and risks) that provide learners with a rationale-based resource for understanding how different technologies are used to support MCI response efforts. Assessment of the approach is underway within a local EMS organization.
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Muhammad Imran, Shady Elbassuoni, Carlos Castillo, Fernando Díaz, & Patrick Meier. (2013). Extracting information nuggets from disaster- Related messages in social media. 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. 791–801). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: Microblogging sites such as Twitter can play a vital role in spreading information during “natural” or man-made disasters. But the volume and velocity of tweets posted during crises today tend to be extremely high, making it hard for disaster-affected communities and professional emergency responders to process the information in a timely manner. Furthermore, posts tend to vary highly in terms of their subjects and usefulness; from messages that are entirely off-topic or personal in nature, to messages containing critical information that augments situational awareness. Finding actionable information can accelerate disaster response and alleviate both property and human losses. In this paper, we describe automatic methods for extracting information from microblog posts. Specifically, we focus on extracting valuable “information nuggets”, brief, self-contained information items relevant to disaster response. Our methods leverage machine learning methods for classifying posts and information extraction. Our results, validated over one large disaster-related dataset, reveal that a careful design can yield an effective system, paving the way for more sophisticated data analysis and visualization systems.
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Vitaveska Lanfranchi, Suvodeep Mazumdar, & Fabio Ciravegna. (2014). Visual design recommendations for situation awareness in social media. 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. 792–801). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: The use of online Social Media is increasingly popular amongst emergency services to support Situational Awareness (i.e. accurate, complete and real-time information about an event). Whilst many software solutions have been developed to monitor and analyse Social Media, little attention has been paid on how to visually design for Situational Awareness for this large-scale data space. We describe an approach where levels of SA have been matched to corresponding visual design recommendations using participatory design techniques with Emergency Responders in the UK. We conclude by presenting visualisation prototypes developed to satisfy the design recommendations, and how they contribute to Emergency Responders' Situational Awareness in an example scenario. We end by highlighting research issues that emerged during the initial evaluation.
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Jyoti Laxmi Mishra, David K. Allen, & Alan D. Pearman. (2011). Activity Theory as a methodological and analytical framework for information practices in Emergency Management. 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: Emergency situations are chaotic in nature. It is however, necessary to understand the context in which Emergency Responders work such that information practice issues can be highlighted and addressed by the system designers. In this paper, Activity Theory is proposed as a methodological and analytical framework to study information practices in the context of Emergency Management. Activity Theory aids in achieving a holistic approach to understanding the work activities context unlike some other analytical methodologies, as it focuses on use of artifacts for the interaction of humans with their environment. In this paper, an activity system model is used to investigate information practice issues of response phase of the emergency services in the UK. Using Activity Theory as an analytical framework, several tensions and contradictions emerged which keep the system unstable but which are also a source of innovation. It is also argued that Activity Theory can usefully be applied to the analysis of information practices over short period of time.
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Babajide Osatuyi, & Michael J. Chumer. (2010). An empirical investigation of alert notifications: A temporal analysis 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: As the deployment of situational awareness mechanisms such as geothermal sensors, use of social network sites, and information and communication technologies (e.g., cell phones) become increasingly widespread to emergency responders, the problem of alert analysis has become very important. Broadcast of large amounts of alerts sent back to command centers for processing may impair the ability of analysts to connect dots that may otherwise adequately enable them to make informed decisions in a timely fashion. This paper investigates trends and patterns embedded in alert notifications generated over a given period of time in order to uncover correlations that may exist in the data. Data for this study are obtained from the National Center for Crisis and Continuity Coordination (NC4). We employ classical time series analysis to understand, explain and predict trends and patterns in the data. This work presents results obtained thus far in the quest for the effect of passage of time on alert patterns. Implications of this work in practice and research are discussed.
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Stephen Potter, & Gerhard Wickler. (2008). Model-based query systems for emergency response. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 495–503). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: In this paper we describe the approach adopted and experiences gained during a project to develop a general architecture that aims to harness advanced sensor, modelling and Grid technologies to assist emergency responders in tackling emergencies (specifically fire emergencies). Here we focus on the command and control aspects of this architecture, and in particular, on a query-based approach that has been adopted to allow end users to interact with available models of physical and other phenomena. The development of this has provided a number of insights about the use of such models, which along with the approach itself, should be of interest to any considering similar applications.
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Stephen Potter, Austin Tate, & Gerhard Wickler. (2006). Using I-X process panels as intelligent to-do lists for agent coordination in emergency response. In M. T. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2006 – 3rd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 272–281). Newark, NJ: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to describe the I-X system with its principal user interface, the I-X Process Panel, its underlying ontology, , and how this panel can be used as an intelligent to-do list that assists emergency responders in applying pre-defined standard operating procedures in different types of emergencies. In particular, multiple instances of I-X Process Panels can be used as a distributed system to coordinate the efforts of independent emergency responders as well as responders within the same organization. Furthermore, it can be used as an agent wrapper for other software systems such as web services to integrate these into the emergency response team as virtual members. The heart of the I-X system is an automated planner that can be used to synthesize courses of action or explore alternative options manually.
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Adriaan Ter Mors, Xiaoyu Mao, Nicola Roos, Cees Witteveen, & Alfons H. Salden. (2007). Multi-agent system support for scheduling aircraft de-icing. 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. 467–478). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Results from disaster research suggest that methods for coordination between individual emergency responders and organizations should recognize the independence and autonomy of these actors. These actor features are key factors in effective adaptation and improvisation of response to emergency situations which are inherently uncertain. Autonomy and adaptability are also well-known aspects of a multi-agent system (MAS). In this paper we present two MAS strategies that can effectively handle aircraft deicing incidents. These MAS strategies help improve to prevent and reduce e.g. airplane delays at deicing stations due to changing weather conditions or incidents at the station, where aircraft agents adopting pre-made plans that would act on behalf of aircraft pilots or companies, would only create havoc. Herein each agent using its own decision mechanism deliberates about the uncertainty in the problem domain and the preferences (or priorities) of the agents. Furthermore, taking both these issues into account each proposed MAS strategy outperforms a naive first-come, first-served coordination strategy. The simulation results help pilots and companies taking decisions with respect to the scheduling of the aircraft for deicing when unexpected incidents occur: they provide insights in the impacts and means for robust selection of incident-specific strategies on e.g. deicing station delays of (individual) aircraft.
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Gerhard Wickler, George Beckett, Liangxiu Han, Sung Han Koo, Stephen Potter, Gavin Pringle, et al. (2009). Using simulation for decision support: Lessons learned from FireGrid. 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: This paper describes some of the lessons learned from the FireGrid project. It starts with a brief overview of the project. The discussion of the lessons learned that follows is intended for others attempting to develop a similar system, where sensor data is used to steer a super-real time simulation in order to generate predictions that will provide decision support for emergency responders.
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