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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Johan Jenvald, Michael Morin, Toomas Timpka, & Henrik Eriksson. (2007). Simulation as decision support in pandemic influenza preparedness and response. 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. 295–304). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Outbreak of a destructive pandemic influenza threatens to disrupt societies worldwide. International agencies and national governments have prepared plans and recommendations, but it is often decision-makers with the local authorities that are responsible for implementing the response. A central issue for these decision makers is what interventions are available and effective for the specific local community. The paper presents a simulator architecture and its relation to a workflow for decision support in influenza preparedness and response. The simulator can simulate pandemic scenarios, using localized community models, in the presence of various interventions to support an evaluation of potential response strategies. The architecture includes a customized modeling tool, separated from the simulation engine, which facilitates swift scenario modification and recalculation. This flexibility is essential both to explore alternative solutions in planning, and to adapt to changing requirements, information, and resources in outbreak response. An example simulation, based on actual population data from a reference city, illustrates the approach.
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Erland Jungert, & Niklas Hallberg. (2009). Capabilities of C2 systems for crisis management in local communities. 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: Development of information systems support for crisis management in local communities must be based on the needs of the crisis management actors as well as capabilities of information technology (IT). IT provides extensive possibilities, but is difficult to adapt to the users' needs. A profound exploration of the needs of systems for crisis management is often neglected. Hence, the management of major crisis has been held back because of the lack of useful tools. This paper presents an architecture for system for the local communities. The development of the architecture was based on a needs analysis, including interviews with crisis management at a local community level. The architecture is also based on novel design issues that have lead to the development of a conceptual model structure called the mission support model whose main concepts mainly include (1) user roles, (2) services and (3) views.
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Linda Plotnick, Elizabeth Avery Gomez, Connie White, & Murray Turoff. (2007). Furthering development of a unified emergency scale using Thurstone's Law of Comparative Judgment: A progress report. 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. 411–418). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: In disasters, local civilians on or near the scene, are often first to respond and give aid. Therefore, the public needs to be well-informed with accurate, time critical information. However, a primary information source is event-specific scales that are inconsistent in their categorization and measurement, adding confusion to public responsiveness. These scales are not extendable to new emergencies in a changing world. We argue for development of a unified emergency scale to facilitate communication and understanding. This scale will inform local communities with regional community-specific information, and will be extendable for further use by professional responders. Research in progress elicited 15 dimensions of an emergency using a Delphi-like process and then ranked the dimensions by importance utilizing Thurstone's Law of Comparative Judgment. Contributions of this paper are to highlight the need for an unequivocal, unified scale and further its development.
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