Abstract: Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have the potential to provide United Nations (UN) humanitarian agencies and their partners with much needed disaster related information and improved management of resources. However, the technical nature of these tools requires considerable expertise to fully benefit from satellite images and related geographic information. The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is implementing the UNOSAT service on behalf of the UN Institute on Training and Research (UNITAR) together with several private actors. UNOSAT provides the UN and its partners with the expertise in Earth Observation (EO) and GIS applications. As a crisis is part of a spectrum of disaster related events, UNOSAT provides services in all phases of humanitarian assistance, including planning, crisis response, relief and development. UNOSAT's objectives are to facilitate the territory planning and monitoring processes of local authorities, local technicians, development project managers and humanitarian field operators working in coordination with or within the framework of UN activities, on issues such as disaster management, risk prevention, peace keeping operations, post conflict reconstruction, environmental rehabilitation and social and economic development. A key part of this work is to accelerate and expand the use of accurate geographic information derived from EO-satellite imagery. UNOSAT is also involved in several international initiatives aimed at improved crisis response and management, such as the International Charter “Space and Major Disasters”, an important asset in providing timely information to relief personnel on the ground. By working closely with its UN sister agencies, UNOPS/UNOSAT offers a one-stop-shop for satellite imagery and GIS services related to disaster response & management within the United Nations. © Proceedings ISCRAM 2004.

Abstract: In this paper, we propose an ontology-driven modelling framework, which allows to capture the domain and expert knowledge available within the interface design community, and to support designers in their daily design tasks by eliciting user and application dependent design recommendations. We illustrate how this framework can be used in practice with a concrete case study devoted to multimodal interface design for the purpose of emergency response applications. © 2012 ISCRAM.

Abstract: Although Y2K was neither an accident nor an unanticipated challenge, the millennium debugging represented a watershed event for crisis response and management, and the range of effects remains relevant in 2004. Not only information systems professionals, but also leaders and professionals in every application area saw computer systems as subsystems of their areas of responsibility and accountability. The acknowledged dependence of government, healthcare, utilities, transportation, services, and communications on reliable information systems widened the circle of stakeholders for crisis prevention, response, and management. Emergency preparedness and broad systems approaches to disaster and contingency planning were enhanced by the ubiquitous multi-year Y2K effort. The author emphasizes the investments, learning, leadership, and commitment in information systems control that occurred as part of the prevention stage of crisis management as a result of Y2K. The simultaneity, high stakes, and ubiquity of the millennium crisis permanently altered the circle of players with vested interests in and responsibility for information systems control. From government agencies to households, users realized that the scope of information systems design and reliability must extend beyond computer engineers and information systems professionals to ensure the general good. © Proceedings ISCRAM 2004.

Abstract: When emergency announcements (EA) to a population in a crisis area are needed, avoiding single points of failure in the EA sending and forwarding systems is essential. We present a new concept, an extension to existing EA sending systems, which is based on real-time location information about mobile devices. Such a solution would increase the EA sending systems' robustness through redundancy and technology diversity. At the same time, these mobile emergency announcement (MEA) sending systems would increase the percentage of the threatened population that can be reached fast. The proposition is based on a set of requirements for EA sending systems, the most important of which turned out to be ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the EA information content. We found our preliminary results too optimistic: current GSM networks should not be used for sending EAs, as it is quite possible to forge SMS text messages, even to multiple GSM phones in a specific target area. The next generations of mobile phone networks (3G/UMTS and 4G) seem more promising, due to their packet-oriented architectures, as each data packet can be stamped with verifiable information about the source of the data. However, the development of communications networks with features compatible with MEA sending will demand that both authorities and independent experts take an active, early role in networks design right beside the commercial organisations. © Proceedings ISCRAM 2004.

Abstract: The characteristics of a crisis cannot be predicted and no two crises are alike. The responders in a crisis also vary creating two axis of uncertainty that inhibit rapid and accurate scope definition of a crisis. How and what a responder chooses to communicate in a crisis can impact subsequent response efforts placing importance on the clarity and cohesion of information exchange. Training and increased practice of clear and accurate message content between responders is proposed to improve the situation details needed for rapid scope identification. SMS text-messaging is one viable, mobile interoperable communication technology, accessible for everyday use. This research studies message content exchanged between responders and begins with the message-prompt to message-response relationship during crisis response training. A web-enabled training application has been designed to simulate two-way SMS text-message exchange and captures communication responses based on defined task prompts. Leveraging Speech Act Theory and the use of plain language protocols for communication exchange, the SMS text-message responses are assessed for ongoing training and practice.

Abstract: Crisis response relies on information dissemination and decisions made from real-time data. Sensor networks, especially in an environmental context, are a source of real-time data and used in both military and industrial applications for information gathering. However, sensor data usage for more pervasive system applications, especially mobile applications outside the battlefield, is limited. Mobile devices play key roles in crisis management, but little research exists on their effectiveness under duress. This research extends a previous study on user (responder) preparation in crisis management to mobile device readiness and real-time data acquisition. This paper steps beyond application use to focus on mobile device capabilities and the interface with wireless sensor networks towards an integrated mobile system framework that provides information and real-time decision data for crisis management. In particular, the approach being proposed incorporates novel strategies for maintaining battery life and connectivity among sensors and portable communication devices that are ideally suited for crisis management applications where “staying connected” is critical.

Abstract: The need for transparent and consistent decision making in nuclear emergency management across local, regional, national and international levels is well recognised. Several decision support systems have been developed to help achieve this; but, by and large, with little consultation with potential DMs and with limited understanding of the emergency management procedures across Europe and how they differ. This work, part of a European Fifth Framework project EVATECH, considers the application of process modelling to document and compare the emergency management process in four countries. We have observed that the four process models are substantially different in their organizational structure and identified differences in where decisions are made, the management of advice and the communication network style. This papers focus is on the results of the comparison and the implications for the design and use of decision support systems.

Abstract: The paper describes work-in-progress of an action research approach investigating command post exercises in disaster response organizations. The empirical basis of our approach is three command post exercises in Germa-ny. The main contribution of this paper is the framework for the conceptualization of command post exercises and an analysis of challenges in the conceptualization of command post exercises. © 2012 ISCRAM.

Abstract: The Interstate Chemical Terrorism Workgroup (ICTW) was formed in 2002 and currently includes members from nearly all states and Washington, DC, as well as representation from a number of non-governmental organizations. In addition to offering monthly conference call/presentations, the ICTW partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2003 to host a workshop to address basic elements of risk communication needs in a chemical event. The primary goal of the workshop was to develop a list of core competencies and benchmarks as well as a series of fact sheet templates destined for the general public and press, health care providers, public health department and/or officials, and first response and emergency workers (Lee et al., 2006). Key findings of the 2003 workshop, along with other work being done by CDC, academia and the states, underscore the importance of public health agencies in providing risk communication services during (and particularly after) chemical emergencies, whether intentional or not. Tools developed by the ICTW have been used and/or consulted by many groups involved in public health preparedness. This case study will examine the efforts of Michigan to implement these tools to reduce information overload in an emergency.

Abstract: Social media tools are seeing use in crisis situations. Authorities have recognized the value of such tools and are beginning to use services such as Facebook and Twitter to disseminate official information. However, the use of the social media concept as an internal, operational tool by emergency services is in its early stages. Current social media tools for mobile devices are of potential value, yet security concerns can render such systems unsuitable for operational use, and the user interface can hinder operational efficiency due to the inheritance of a text based model for input and display. The research to be described is examining interaction methods that may improve the efficiency and usability of mobile device-based social media for operational use by police services. A Twitter like model for police activity reports can provide a means for enhanced situational awareness for police command authorities, and for individual officers or patrol units engaged in the “professional” media interchanges. The proposed model, SUMO, is based on a hybrid symbolic and text interface to rapidly enter status, integrated with geolocation, and sensor-based data to automatically capture key information, and thereby minimizing the amount effort required create a complete status update.

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.

Abstract: This article systematically reviews the literature on using IT (Information Technology) in humanitarian logistics focusing on disaster relief operations. We first discuss problems in humanitarian relief logistics. We then identify the stage and disaster type for each article as well as the article's research methodology and research contribution. Finally, we identify potential future research directions.

Abstract: Microblogging services like Twitter afford opportunities for real time determination of situation awareness during crises as people report, via their statuses, information about events on the ground. An important component of the information included in a tweet are mentions of place names that may be sites of damage, injuries, or relief efforts. Methods for extracting these place names and determining the actual location being referenced are an essential part of the suite of tools required for automated extraction of situation awareness from tweets. Extracting and disambiguating place name mentions from text have been areas of extensive research. Twitter, however, presents challenges given the 140 character restriction on status and the informal, abbreviated language that are a norm in this communication channel. Named entity recognizers, which are dependent on labeled training data, may not be useful in this medium for extracting location mentions because the typical training domains for these taggers are absent the noise found in Twitter statuses. Additionally, the contextual information that is necessary for disambiguating place names is not always present. In this paper, we demonstrate a new technique, RapidGeo, for extracting and disambiguating place names from a location specific Twitter feed using an unsupervised technique for tagging location mentions and relying on the known geographic context of the feed for disambiguation. Our location tagging technique performs much better than an off-the-shelf named entity recognizer and we achieve reasonable precision in disambiguating extracted place names. We argue that such fast, high precision, unsupervised approaches are needed when important, actionable information is required from noisy data sources such as Twitter. © 2012 ISCRAM.