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Ahmed T. Elsergany, Amy L. Griffin, Paul Tranter, & Sameer Alam. (2015). Development of a Geographic Information System for Riverine Flood Disaster Evacuation in Canberra, Australia: Trip Generation and Distribution Modelling. In L. Palen, M. Buscher, T. Comes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), ISCRAM 2015 Conference Proceedings ? 12th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Kristiansand, Norway: University of Agder (UiA).
Abstract: Given the importance of geographic information for riverine flood evacuations, a geographic information system (GIS) is a vital tool for supporting successful flood evacuation operations. This paper discusses the development of a GIS-based riverine flood evacuation model which used to model trip distributions between flooded areas and relocation shelters. As the ultimate goal of this research is to simulate, model, and optimise a planned evacuation, all components of evacuation time have been considered (e.g., travel time between flooded areas and relocation shelters, warning time for each flooded area, and the time needed for evacuation before these areas get inundated). As well, variation in population (static and dynamic population) within the flooded areas has been considered.
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Cheng Wang, Benjamin Bowes, Arash Tavakoli, Stephen Adams, Jonathan Goodall, & Peter Beling. (2020). Smart Stormwater Control Systems: A Reinforcement Learning Approach. In Amanda Hughes, Fiona McNeill, & Christopher W. Zobel (Eds.), ISCRAM 2020 Conference Proceedings – 17th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 2–13). Blacksburg, VA (USA): Virginia Tech.
Abstract: Flooding poses a significant and growing risk for many urban areas. Stormwater systems are typically used to control flooding, but are traditionally passive (i.e. have no controllable components). However, if stormwater systems are retrofitted with valves and pumps, policies for controlling them in real-time could be implemented to enhance system performance over a wider range of conditions than originally designed for. In this paper, we propose an autonomous, reinforcement learning (RL) based, stormwater control system that aims to minimize flooding during storms. With this approach, an optimal control policy can be learned by letting an RL agent interact with the system in response to received reward signals. In comparison with a set of static control rules, RL shows superior performance on a wide range of artificial storm events. This demonstrates RL's ability to learn control actions based on observation and interaction, a key benefit for dynamic and ever-changing urban areas.
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Simone De Kleermaeker, Annette Zijderveld, & Bart Thonus. (2011). Training for crisis response with serious games based on early warning systems. 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: This paper discusses serious games developed as part of a training program developed for a Dutch crisis response group, which acts during a (potential) flooding crisis. Training in general contributes to a wide range of learning objectives and can address different target audiences. For each combination of learning objective and target audience, the proper form of education has to be selected, ranging from self-tuition to large scale multi-party training and exercises. Serious games can be a useful and educational addition to the set of existing training tools. For operational crisis response groups a high match with real-time warning systems is essential. Our approach shows how to integrate both serious games and early warning systems for effective training and exercises. We end with our lessons learned in designing serious games based on early warning systems, in the context of a training program for a crisis response group.
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Gah-Kai Leung. (2021). Reducing Flood Risks for Young People in the UK Housing Market. In Anouck Adrot, Rob Grace, Kathleen Moore, & Christopher W. Zobel (Eds.), ISCRAM 2021 Conference Proceedings – 18th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 481–487). Blacksburg, VA (USA): Virginia Tech.
Abstract: Flooding is one of the most serious natural hazards faced in the UK. The Environment Agency estimates that in England alone, about 5.2 million properties are at risk of flooding, or roughly one in six (2009: 3). Flooding imposes significant financial, psychological and social burdens on households and these may be especially acute for young people in the property market, such as renters and first-time buyers. This paper examines how housing-related policy can help alleviate the burdens of flooding on young people in the housing market. First, it canvasses the kinds of damage inflicted when flooding affects properties. Second, it discusses the financial burdens imposed by such damage. Third, it enumerates the financial burdens and benefits of measures to protect against flooding. Fourth, it considers the non-monetary burdens of flooding, in the form of psychological and social burdens. Finally, the paper offers some policy recommendations in light of the preceding discussion.
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Keri K. Stephens, Jing Li, Brett W. Robertson, William R. Smith, & Dhiraj Murthy. (2018). Citizens Communicating Health Information: Urging Others in their Community to Seek Help During a Flood. In Kees Boersma, & Brian Tomaszeski (Eds.), ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 893–902). Rochester, NY (USA): Rochester Institute of Technology.
Abstract: When wide-scale flooding occurs in a community not accustomed to floods, health concerns emerge. While official organizations tasked with communicating emerging health information exist, the proliferation of social media makes it possible for average citizens to participate in this conversation. This study used a combination of semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation techniques to explore how citizens used private social media sites to share health information. We found two main categories of health concerns: existing medical conditions and water-created. We further identified six themes that describe the common approaches average citizens used to share health information: Narrating a personal experience, presenting it as a Public Service Announcement, downplaying the contribution, bringing a credible source into the conversation, including external links and sources, and using humor. Together, these findings suggest that citizens need health information during a flood disaster, and when they do not have it available from official sources, they use their private social media to tap into a shared community identity and carefully help one another.
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Meshal Alharbi, & Graham Coates. (2019). Assessing Flood Recovery of Small Businesses using Agent-Based Modelling and Simulation. In Z. Franco, J. J. González, & J. H. Canós (Eds.), Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response And Management. Valencia, Spain: Iscram.
Abstract: In developed countries, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent the majority of all businesses, e.g. 99.9% in the UK. Given this significant proportion, any disruption to the operation of SMEs will have a negative impact on a nation?s economy. In the context of flooding, this paper reports on the use of agent-based modelling and simulation (ABMS) to assess SMEs immediate response and short-term recovery. In particular, it focuses on the interactions between manufacturing SMEs and mutual aid partners, and retail SMEs and companies specializing in refurbishing premises. Results show that a manufacturing SME with a mutual aid partner can reduce loss in production by approximately 6% over a 7 working day period. In relation to retail
SMEs, those with employees able to be allocated to refurbish its premises recovered faster than SMEs employing a refurbishment company, potentially one day earlier.
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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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Simone De Kleermaeker, & Loana Arentz. (2012). Serious gaming intraining for crisis response. 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 practitioner report, we present the experiences with the use of the serious game Water Coach in a national training for crisis response professionals in the Netherlands. This paper describes the set-up of the training and its learning objectives. We explain the usability of the Water Coach in such a training and the extended functionalities that were required. Finally, the evaluation of the training, in which we focus on the added value of a serious game in the training for crisis response, is presented. © 2012 ISCRAM.
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Anuradha Venkateswaran, Katrina Simon-Agolory, & Kera Z. Watkins. (2011). Risk analysis for Greene County and Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio: Simulation of riverine flooding using HAZUS-MH. 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: Greene County in Dayton, OH houses Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), whose estimated 2009 economic impact within its Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is $5.17 million. Despite its military/strategic importance as the largest base in the U.S. Air Force, literature search did not uncover a published comprehensive risk analysis for WPAFB, or even Greene County, across the entire spectrum of hazards from natural to technological to man-made (including terrorism). This paper presents a summary report on risk determination and economic impact data for Greene County and WPAFB (within Greene County) in the context of riverine flooding, using FEMA's HAZUS-MH tool. It is hoped that the results will further the regional compilation of data and thus prove of use to the local disaster management community while generally growing the overall body of work in risk analysis. Future work aims to expand regional risk determination to other natural disasters and terrorism scenarios.
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Rene Windhouwer, Gerdien A. Klunder, & F.M. Sanders. (2005). Decision support system emergency planning, creating evacuation strategies in the event of flooding. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 171–180). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The Decision Support System (DSS) Emergency Planning is designed for use in the event of sea or river flooding. It makes accessible all the information related to the decision whether to evacuate an area. An important factor in this decision is the time required for the evacuation. The model used by the DSS Emergency Planning system to estimate the time required employs a strategy that prevents congestion on the road network in the area at risk. The use of the DSS Emergency Planning system during the proactive and prevention phases enables disaster containment organisations to prepare better for a flood situation. Moreover, all relevant information is saved and is therefore available for the post-disaster evaluation. The DSS Emergency Planning system can play a significant role in ensuring that the evacuation of an area at risk goes according to plan. In the future the DSS Emergency Planning system can also be used to evacuate people in the event of a nuclear, natural fire or extreme weather disaster.
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