Stijn Oomes, & Martijn Neef. (2005). Scaling-up support for emergency response organizations. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 29–34). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: We present the design of an information system that supports the process of scaling-up of emergency response organizations. This process is vital for effective emergency response but tends to go awry in practice. Our proposed system consists of multiple distributed agents that are capable of exchanging organizational information. Each agent assists one part of the organization by visualizing the organization and allowing the user to update the information of its closest collaborators. When the agents communicate, they exchange and merge their organizational representations. The structure of other parts of the organization is updated indirectly through multiple interactions between different agents. We tailor our design to two specific procedures that are in common use today: the Coordinated Regional Incident Response Procedure (GRIP) that is applied in the Netherlands, and the Incident Command System (ICS) that is used in a number of areas in the United States of America.
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Babajide Osatuyi, & David Mendonça. (2010). Requirements for modeling collaborative information foraging behavior: An application to emergency response organizations. 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: Collaborative information foraging refers to the collective activities of seeking and handling information in order to meet information needs. This paper delineates requirements for modeling salient factors that shape collaborative information foraging behavior of groups. Existing modeling approaches are assessed based on their adequacy for measuring identified salient factors that shape collaborative information foraging behavior. A view of information foraging behavior as a dynamic process is presented. Consequently, this paper purports that modeling methods employed to aid understanding of foraging behavior must allow for plausible explanation of the inherent dynamism in foraging activities. This work therefore provides an initial roadmap to defining salient factors that need to be addressed in order to adequately model collaborative information foraging behavior within teams that operate in extreme environments. Implications of this work in practice and research are discussed.
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Samuel Otim. (2006). A case-based knowledge management system for disaster management: Fundamental concepts. In M. T. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2006 – 3rd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 598–604). Newark, NJ: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Computer-based knowledge management systems are vital for disaster detection, response planning, and management. These systems aid in early warning, and provide decision support for disaster response and recovery management. Managing past knowledge for reuse can expedite the process of disaster response and recovery management. While early warning systems predict some disasters with remarkable accuracy, there is a paucity of knowledge management systems for disaster response and management. This paper outlines a case-based reasoning (CBR) knowledge management system that in effect, is a model of human reasoning since it is based upon the idea that people frequently rely on previous problem-solving experiences when solving new problems. A CBR knowledge management system results in efficient and effective disaster response and management.
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Kamil Panitzek, Tobias Bönning, Immanuel Schweizer, Gero Seipel, & Max Mühlhäuser. (2012). Enhancing robustness of first responder communication in urban environments. 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: Communication is crucial for first responders. Crisis management is nearly impossible without good means of communication. Unfortunately the communication technology used by first responders today does not scale well. Also most of the given infrastructure, such as cell towers, might be destroyed. In recent research ad-hoc and peer-to-peer based communication has been proposed to solve the problem of resilient communication. Most mobile devices are equipped with wireless transceivers that make them suitable to participate in ad-hoc networks. But node density might be too small for a connected topology. In this paper we, therefore, discuss the implications of an emergency switch for private wireless routers allowing them to transition to an emergency mode to create a supportive wireless mesh network. To analyze if such a network would result in a resilient topology real data from wireless routers in a city is gathered. We calculate the locations of private and public routers from GPS traces and compare the resulting networks with each other. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Alec Pawling, Tim Schoenharl, Ping Yan, & Greg Madey. (2008). WIPER: An emergency response system. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 702–710). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: This paper describes the WIPER system, a proof of concept prototype, and progress made on its development to date. WIPER is intended to provide emergency response managers with an integrated system that detects possible emergencies from cellular communication data, attempts to predict the development of emergency situations, and provides tools for evaluating possible courses of action in dealing with emergency situations. We describe algorithms for detecting anomalies in streaming cellular communication network data, the implementation of a simulation system that validates running simulations with new real world data, and a web-based front end to the WIPER system. We also discuss issues relating to the real-time aggregation of data from the cellular service provider and its distribution to components of the WIPER system.
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Peng Du, Jianguo Chen, & Zhanhui Sun. (2016). Resource Management System for Crisis Response & Management. In A. Tapia, P. Antunes, V.A. Bañuls, K. Moore, & J. Porto (Eds.), ISCRAM 2016 Conference Proceedings ? 13th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Abstract: Crisis response and management is a critical duty of authorities worldwide to ensure the wellbeing and safety of their citizens and the sustenance and function of society. One of the core components of crisis response is the management of various resources that support the emergency response operations. In this paper, the design of an emergency resource management system is presented, which is developed to utilise geographic information system (GIS), internet of things (IoT), and cloud technologies for precise and real-time inventory management as well as dynamic and adaptive resource dispatching services.
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Peter Berggren, Mateo Herrera Velasquez, Jenny Pettersson, Oscar Henning, Henrik Lidberg, & Björn J E Johansson. (2018). Reflection in Teams for Training of Prehospital Command and Control Teams. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 203–211). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: Prehospital command and control (PS) is a structure for handling medical accidents in Sweden. It includes terminology, command structure, roles, and performance indicators. The concept is taught and trained at the Centre for Teaching and Research in Disaster Medicine and Traumatology (KMC). The concept is trained using a mixture of lectures, simulation based exercises, and scenario designed by the participants. The scenarios are ran in Emergo Train System (ETS), a versatile and flexible table-top simulation platform, where medical command and control can be trained and evaluated. The purpose of this study was to develop structure for feedback and reflection by using a measure of shared understanding. The empirical study presents how the Shared Priorities instrument can be used to provide structured feedback for training. The paper is concluded with a discussion on how the empirical findings can be integrated in training prehospital medical command and control.
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Sofie Pilemalm, & Niklas Hallberg. (2008). Exploring service-oriented C2 support for emergency response for local communities. In B. V. de W. F. Fiedrich (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2008 – 5th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 159–166). Washington, DC: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: The increased impact of natural disasters and terror attacks on our society has augmented the awareness of needs for advances in emergency response. For local communities it is vital to make use of existing resources. Service-oriented technology provides new possibilities for the enhancement of command and control (C2) systems. However, to gain full use of the technology, it must harmonize with the supported organizations and their work procedures. This paper explores the possibilities and usefulness of service oriented C2-systems for emergency response at the local community level. The study was performed in five steps: (1) literature study, (2) interviews, (3) scenario design, (4) prototyping service-oriented C2 systems, and (5) a scenario based evaluation. The results show that service-oriented C2 systems would support and enhance emergency response at the local community level. Still, several issues that need to be further considered remain, not the least the ability of quality assurance of services.
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Sofie Pilemalm, Tobias Andersson Granberg, Rebecca Stenberg, & Anders Axelsson. (2012). Emergency response in rural areas. 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: In this study, security and safety in rural parts of Sweden is investigated. New ways of organizing for efficient response can be found in the extended collaboration between societal sectors and in utilizing the local social capital. New categories of first responders and their requirements are identified and we propose non-technical and technical solutions as support. The results' application to large-scale crises is discussed. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Jens Pottebaum, Anna Maria Japs, Stephan Prödel, & Rainer Koch. (2010). Design and modeling of a domain ontology for fire protection. 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 semantics of things represent the central problem of the heterogeneous domain of emergency response. Both the communication between human actors and the interface between information systems face this hurdle with high impact on the efficiency in mission and time critical command and control processes. The integration of applications and information sharing based on semantic technologies promise added value for a solution to this problem. Therefore a model of the domain is essential; this paper contributes a domain ontology for fire protection. The scientific discussion as well as expert interviews built the basis for a new modeling approach. The selection of ontology languages is one of the important design issues presented in this paper.
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Jens Pottebaum, Robin Marterer, & Steffen Schneider. (2014). Taxonomy of IT support for training emergency response & management. 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. 374–378). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: Training is a prerequisite for effective and efficient emergency response and management. Information technology (IT) offers high potential to support various educational methods and environments. One example for interdependent use cases is given by planning, controlling, observation and debriefing of training exercises. Dedicated IT systems are available to support these use cases; nevertheless, there is no joint understanding of system use cases, types and functionality as a fundament for scientific and technological progress. This work in progress paper presents results of literature and market research complemented by expert interviews leading to a taxonomy of relevant IT components and systems.
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Jens Pottebaum, Alexander Artikis, Robin Marterer, Georgios Paliouras, & Rainer Koch. (2011). Event definition for the application of event processing to intelligent resource 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: The application of event processing methods and systems carries high potential for the domain of crisis management and emergency response for different use cases and architectural aspects. This hypothesis is based on the general event based characteristics of the domain as well as former research approaches. Resource management represents a complex task for decision makers; therefore it is taken as a basic use case for this work. It builds up on foundations of resource management (use case and demand side) and event processing (technology and supply side). Methods and results are presented for the identification, definition and validation of events that happen in reality and corresponding event objects which are processed by information systems.
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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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Stephen Potter, Yannis Kalfoglou, Harith Alani, Michelle Bachler, Simon Buckingham Shum, Rodrigo Carvalho, et al. (2007). The application of advanced knowledge technologies for emergency 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. 361–368). Delft: Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management, ISCRAM.
Abstract: Making sense of the current state of an emergency and of the response to it is vital if appropriate decisions are to be made. This task involves the acquisition, interpretation and management of information. In this paper we present an integrated system that applies recent ideas and technologies from the fields of Artificial Intelligence and semantic web research to support sense-and decision-making at the tactical response level, and demonstrate it with reference to a hypothetical large-scale emergency scenario. We offer no end-user evaluation of this system; rather, we intend that it should serve as a visionary demonstration of the potential of these technologies for emergency response.
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James E. Powell, Linn Marks Collins, & Mark L.B. Martinez. (2009). Using architectures for semantic interoperability to create journal clubs for emergency response. 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 certain types of “slow burn” emergencies, careful accumulation and evaluation of information can offer a crucial advantage. The SARS outbreak in the first decade of the 21st century was such an event, and ad hoc journal clubs played a critical role in assisting scientific and technical responders in identifying and developing various strategies for halting what could have become a dangerous pandemic. This research-in-progress paper describes a process for leveraging emerging semantic web and digital library architectures and standards to (1) create a focused collection of bibliographic metadata, (2) extract semantic information, (3) convert it to the Resource Description Framework /Extensible Markup Language (RDF/XML), and (4) integrate it so that scientific and technical responders can share and explore critical information in the collections.
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Raj Prasanna, Lili Yang, & Malcolm King. (2009). GDIA: A cognitive task analysis protocol to capture the information requirements of emergency first responders. 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: As a partial requirement of the development of an information system for the UK fire and rescue services, this paper describes the development and application of a protocol capable of capturing the information requirements of fire and rescue first responders. After evaluating the existing techniques commonly used in difficult decision-making environments, a Goal Directed Information Analysis (GDIA) protocol is proposed. The clearly defined, repeatable steps of GDIA make it a requirements-gathering protocol which can be easily administered by an investigator without any prior knowledge or experience of the tool. This makes GDIA one of the very few information requirements-gathering protocols capable of capturing the requirements of the emergency-related domains.
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Raj Prasanna, Lili Yang, & Malcolm King. (2011). Evaluation of a software prototype for supporting fire emergency response. 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: Despite recent work on information systems, many first responders in the UK Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) are unable to develop sufficient understanding of the situation to enable them to make good decisions. As a partial requirement of the development of information system for the UK fire and rescue services, a software prototype consisting of a number of human computer interfaces are developed and subsequently evaluated to explore how to present useful information for firefighters during their response operations. This paper exclusively discusses the findings arising from end-user demonstration sessions conducted via participative type of prototype evaluation which is aimed to understand the appropriateness and usefulness of the proposed software prototype. This paper contributes to improve the designing of the human computer interfaces and human computer interaction for supporting fire fighters during fire emergency response.
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Hemant Purohit, Shreyansh Bhatt, Andrew Hampton, Valerie Shalin, Amit Sheth, & John Flach. (2014). With whom to coordinate, why and how in ad-hoc social media communities during crisis response. 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. 787–791). University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University.
Abstract: During crises directly affected people and observers join social media communities to discuss the event. They may share information relevant to response coordination, for example, specific resource needs. However, responders face a massive data overload and lack the time to monitor social media traffic for important and trustworthy information. To address these challenges, response teams may attempt manual filtering methods, resulting in limited coverage and quality. Hence, we propose a computational framework for extracting specific resource-related information, and an interface for identifying and engaging with influential participants in the dynamic, evolving social media community. Our approach helps to identify those virtual responders who serve both as sources and disseminators of important information to assist in coordinated emergency response.
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Markus Quaritsch, Robert Kuschnig, Hermann Hellwagner, & Bernard Rinner. (2011). Fast aerial image acquisition and mosaicking for emergency response operations by collaborative UAVs. 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: Small-scale unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have recently gained a lot of interest for various applications such as surveillance, environmental monitoring and emergency response operations. These battery-powered and easy-to-steer aerial robots are equipped with cameras and can promptly acquire aerial images. In this paper we describe our system of multiple UAVs that are able to fly autonomously over an area of interest and generate an overview image of that area. Intuitive and easy user interaction is a key property of our system: The user specifies the area of interest on an electronic map. The flight routes for the UAVs are automatically computed from this specification and the generated overview is presented in a Google-Earth like user interface. We have tested and demonstrated our multi-UAV system on a large fire service drill. Our system provided a high-resolution overview image of the 5.5 ha large test site with regular updates, proved that it is easy to handle, fast to deploy, and useful for the firefighters.
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Rachel Samuels, John Eric Taylor, & Neda Mohammadi. (2018). The Sound of Silence: Exploring How Decreases in Tweets Contribute to Local Crisis Identification. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 696–704). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: Recent research has identified a correlation between increasing Twitter activity and incurred damage in disasters. This research, however, fails to account for localized emergencies occurring in areas in which people have lost power, otherwise lack internet connectivity, or are uncompelled to Tweet during a disaster. In this paper, we analyze the correlation between daily Tweet counts and FEMA Building Level Damage Assessments during Hurricane Harvey. We find that the absolute deviation of Tweet counts from steady state is a potentially useful tool for the evolving information needs of emergency responders. Our results show this to be a more consistent and persistent metric for flood damage across the full temporal extent of the disaster. This shows that, when considering the varied information needs of emergency responders, social media tools that seek to identify emergencies need to consider both where Tweet counts are increasing and where they are dropping off.
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Reza Mazloom, HongMin Li, Doina Caragea, Muhammad Imran, & Cornelia Caragea. (2018). Classification of Twitter Disaster Data Using a Hybrid Feature-Instance Adaptation Approach. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 727–735). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: Huge amounts of data that are generated on social media during emergency situations are regarded as troves of critical information. The use of supervised machine learning techniques in the early stages of a disaster is challenged by the lack of labeled data for that particular disaster. Furthermore, supervised models trained on labeled data from a prior disaster may not produce accurate results, given the inherent variation between the current and the prior disasters. To address the challenges posed by the lack of labeled data for a target disaster, we propose to use a hybrid feature-instance adaptation approach based on matrix factorization and the k nearest neighbors algorithm, respectively. The proposed hybrid adaptation approach is used to select a subset of the source disaster data that is representative for the target disaster. The selected subset is subsequently used to learn accurate Naive Bayes classifiers for the target disaster.
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Rob Grace, & Michelle Potts. (2022). Opportunities for Multisensor Integration in Public-Safety Answering Points. In Rob Grace, & Hossein Baharmand (Eds.), ISCRAM 2022 Conference Proceedings – 19th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 895–904). Tarbes, France.
Abstract: Public-Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) coordinate emergency response by gathering critical information from 911 callers for dispatch to first responders. However, PSAPs fail to gather this information if 911 callers are unable, unwilling, or unavailable to report key details about an emergency. To address this problem, early-adopter PSAPs employ communication specialists to gather multimedia information from multiple sensing tools, including automated alarms, cameras, government databases, location systems, open-source websites, social media, and alternative communication channels such as text-to-911. Using preliminary usage data from an early- adopter PSAP, this study identifies 11 breakdowns in 911 call taking that create opportunities for multisensor integration. This study then characterizes use cases for multisensor tools based on usage patterns observed across five incident types. These findings highlight multisensor integration as a critical area for crisis informatics research.
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Robin E. Mays, Rebecca Walton, & Bridgette Savino. (2013). Emerging trends toward holistic disaster preparedness. 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. 764–769). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: Our research reflects an emerging shift in understandings of effective preparedness practices from siloed approaches toward more holistic views. We trace a shifting perspective emerging in literature and present in the early qualitative data of current preparedness experts' interviews within an international humanitarian organization whose core mission is disaster preparedness and response. Designing effective information systems for disaster preparedness requires us to better understand the dynamic and implicit ways practitioners define effective work. Our pilot research begins to uncover preparedness experts' perspectives, with plans for the study to investigate how preparedness practitioners view, conduct, and evaluate their work at the lowest-level1. Our long-term research goal is to realize implications for the more effective design of tools and systems to support disaster preparedness.
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Jakob Rogstadius, Claudio Teixeira, Evangelos Karapanos, & Vassilis Kostakos. (2013). An introduction for system developers to volunteer roles in crisis response and recovery. 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. 874–883). KIT; Baden-Baden: Karlsruher Institut fur Technologie.
Abstract: Technological advances, such as software tools for citizen reporting, first responder support, and online collaborative information management and mapping, are enabling new or improved forms of volunteering in humanitarian crisis. However, the change is largely driven by the technical community and many proposed solutions are never integrated into community response efforts, indicating mismatches between designs and real world needs. This paper offers readers with a technical background insight into roles, goals and constraints of humanitarian crisis response. In particular, we present three seemingly conflicting views regarding how citizens can contribute to response activities as spontaneous volunteers. With examples from two field studies and grounded in literature review, we integrate the three viewpoints into a framework explaining how the roles of volunteers and trained professionals shift with increasing severity and scale of a crisis. Based on this framework, we also discuss high-level opportunities for supporting crisis response with new software tools.
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