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Bartel A. Van De Walle, & Benny Carlé. (2005). Welcome message from the ISCRAM2005 Conference Chairs. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management. Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
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Erman Coskun, & Jessica Hoey. (2005). Airport security complexity: Problems with the information system components. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 61–66). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Airport security is a very relevant, diverse, and complex system in any country. September 11th made this issue an increasing concern for almost every country in the world. Prior to September 11th the media, watchdog groups, and commissions established by the United States Congress, were adamant that airport security had major flaws. Currently many countries are revamping their airport security systems. The U.S. and other governments are implementing many new systems and procedures. There are numerous potential pitfalls with this implementation process and these new systems will have impacts on the public. For example, these systems could reduce freedom, still be flawed, and affect the economy. The primary intents of this paper are to classify airport security as a complex large-scale safety-critical system, to discuss what make airports so complex, describe the information systems that are involved with such systems, and discuss the impacts on the people involved.
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John S. Park Jr., & David Waxman. (2005). Enabling cross-organization interoperability through dynamic directory integration. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 83–88). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Dynamic Team Management for Cross-organization Collaboration was developed by IBM, in cooperation with the U. S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and MITRE (a federally funded research and development organization), to support participating organizations in the U.S. Homeland Security/Homeland Defense Command and Control Advance Concept Technology Demonstration (HLS/D C2 ACTD). Dynamic Team Management includes finding and accessing information about resources (people) with whom you need to communicate and collaborate on a mission or task. Used in conjunction with collaboration tools and other applications, DTM supports constructing cross-organization teams of individuals to address particular missions or tasks, based on emerging needs. DTM demonstrates approaches to overcoming many of the challenges of building the best teams for each mission/task, accommodating information sharing preferences of participating organizations, directory integration automation, dynamically scaling to meet cross-organization communication and collaboration requirements, and achieving organizational interoperability.
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Siegfried Streufert. (2005). Emergency decision making and metacomplexity. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 67–73). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: It is important to understand the cognitive processes underlying emergency decision-making. Cognitive/behavioral complexity theory has successfully predicted human decision making characteristics on a number of dimensions and for a variety of settings. Moreover, theory based training technologies have been successful. The advent of meta-complexity theory as well as the increased stressor levels generated by terrorism and other contemporary challenges, however, require that we review and extend theoretical predictions for decision processes. This paper provides a series of meta-complexity based predictions about the impact of stressor events upon nine primary decision making areas that vary from simpler trough highly complex thought and action processes.
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Jiri Trnka, Michael Le Duc, & Ake Sivertun. (2005). Inter-organizational issues in ICT, GIS and GSD – Mapping Swedish emergency management at the local and regional level. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 75–82). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Inter-organizational issues are very challenging in emergency management (EM). In this paper, aspects of information and communication technologies (ICT), geographical information systems (GIS) and geospatial data (GSD) in the Swedish EM system, an EM system involving a large number of EM organizations, are reported based on a case study. The issues concerned include separated ICT & GIS development between organizations and formation of technological coalitions, problems of identification and access of GSD, located through the large number organizations, as well as uncoordinated launching of web-based GIS service. Possible implications of this situation for command and control are discussed. Additionally, areas for further research are suggested.
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Ola Leifler, & Johan Jenvald. (2005). Critique and visualization as decision support for mass-casualty emergency management. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 155–159). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Emergency management in highly dynamic situations consists of exploring options to solve a planning problem. This task can be supported through the use of visual cues that are based on domain knowledge of the current domain. We present an approach to use visualization of critical constraints in timelines and hierarchical views as decision support in mass-casualty emergency situations.
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Jan Maarten Schraagen, Aletta Eikelboom, Kees Van Dongen, & Guido Te Brake. (2005). Experimental evaluation of a critical thinking tool to support decision making in crisis situations. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 181–189). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Building up proper situation awareness is one of the most difficult tasks in the beginning stages of large-scale accidents. As ambiguous information about the events becomes available, decision makers are often tempted to quickly choose a particular story to explain the events. Subsequent information that contradicts the initial story may easily be discarded and cognitive tunnel vision takes over. Our approach, as part of the COMBINED Systems project, is to prevent tunnel vision by providing critical thinking support. In a laboratory experiment with 60 participants, we tested this hypothesis by comparing the Critical Thinking tool with a 'no support' control condition and a 'minimal support' condition. Participants acted as crisis managers determining the likely cause of an accident based on different pieces of information. The results show a positive impact of the tool on both the decision making process and decision making effectiveness.
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Mark F. Taylor, & Russell J. Graves. (2005). Adaptive risk-readiness decision support for infrastructure protection. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 161–169). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: This paper presents a system concept for integrating the mass of information critical to infrastructure protection operations. Our main focus and contribution lies in (1) coupling risk assessments into a dynamic decision support process, and (2) providing a collaboration and visualization decision support interface for representing complex and changing infrastructure protection information. The system concept supports adaptive decision making based upon dynamic risk and readiness assessments. Users benefit from having a more comprehensive and up-to-date risk picture on which to base their judgments.
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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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Benny Carlé, Gerd Van Den Eede, Anne-Francoise Rutkowski, & Bartel A. Van De Walle. (2005). Post-tsunami crisis response and disaster recovery in Sri Lanka: Experiences from tilburg university student projects. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 281–282). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
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Suthep Chutiratanaphun, Rungsaridh Boonsin, Parida Kuneepong, & Julalux Suttirod. (2005). Land use / land cover change by tsunami 2004 in Thailand: A case study at phi phi Island, Krabi Province and Ban Num Kem Village, Pang Nga Province. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 301–303). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Aerial photo interpretation were utilized for monitoring land cover changes with emphasis on tsunami ravaged coastal regions in Phi Phi Island, Krabi Province and Ban Num Kem, Bang Muang, Pang Nga Province areas in the southern peninsula Thailand. All of the images acquired after the Dec 26/2004 tsunami hit, were analyzed and results were compared to image taken before to address the tsunami-affected communities' details. Results of interpretation show different land cover changes in different areas due to the former land cover/land use. It was also showed that aerial photo interpretation data are capable of identification on devastated areas with a high level of accuracy at scale of 1:25, 000. Special attention is given to a few examples of Ban Num Kem village in Takuepa District, Pang Nga Province and Phi Phi Island, Krabi Province.
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Martine Couturier, & Edith Wilkinson. (2005). Open advanced system for improved crisis management (OASIS). In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 283–286). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The OASIS Project addresses the Strategic objective 2.3.2.9, “Improving Risk Management”, of the second call for tender of the European Commission FP6 Information Society Technologies program. The objective of OASIS is to define and develop an Information Technology (IT) framework based on an open and flexible architecture and using standards that will be the basis of a European Emergency Management system. OASIS is intended to facilitate the cooperation between the information systems used by civil protection organisations, in a local, regional, national or international environment. This Disaster and Emergency Management system aims to support the response operations in the case of large scale as well as local emergencies.
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Murray E. Jennex. (2005). Informal early warning systems, the utility Y2K experience. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 287–289). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The 2004 tsunami has generated a call for a global early warning system. Political issues may prevent this from occurring soon or at all. This paper explores previous experience with informal early warning systems from the Year 2000, Y2K, rollover. Informal early warning systems, IEWS, are cooperative systems formed outside of direct government control, usually from nonprofit or industry organizations. The two discussed utility Y2K IEWS were formed through an industry group and within a single multinational corporation. The paper concludes with lessons learned from the design and implementation of these systems.
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Dennis J. King. (2005). Humanitarian knowledge management. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 291–295). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: International complex humanitarian emergencies present numerous challenges to aid organizations trying to manage data, information and knowledge about the situation or event. Humanitarian aid organizations should be able to identify what critical information they need, where to find it, what are the major gaps, and how best to share, present and disseminate this information. These challenges can be addressed through improved knowledge management. The faster and more efficiently humanitarian aid organizations are able to identify, collect, distill, analyze and manage the vast corpus of what they need to know, the more effectively they can plan for and respond to natural disasters and complex emergencies and the more lives are potentially saved.
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Farzaneh Moshayedi. (2005). Providing an early warning system to prevent a transportation crisis and its impacts. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (305). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
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Max Wyss. (2005). Earthquake loss estimates applied in real time and to megacity risk assessment. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 297–299). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Real time loss estimates within one to two hours after major earthquakes are becoming useful for disaster managers and rescue teams to respond rapidly and at an optimal level. Tests show that the accuracy is low, but major disasters can be reliably distinguished from inconsequential earthquakes. Many technical and organizational aspects of these estimates can and should be improved. An analysis of what magnitude of disaster is likely to occur, if a major earthquake should occur near a megacity in a developing country shows that much work needs to be done to mitigate the risk, and that the global community is ill prepared to deal with such large disasters.
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Ronja Addams-Moring, Markku Kekkonen, & Shushan Zhao. (2005). A simple taxonomy for mobile emergency announcement systems. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 309–316). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Mobile communications networks and devices can be and have been used by authorities to warn and instruct the general public during crises. However, our understanding of how mobile technologies could best be used for emergency announcements (public warnings) is currently limited. To clarify one part of this field of study, we define and describe a simple taxonomy for mobile emergency announcements (MEA) systems. The taxonomy has three categories: preplanned MEA systems, ad-hoc MEA systems and semi ad-hoc MEA systems. Differences in functional, security and other requirements were found between MEA systems belonging to different taxonomy categories, both concerning how each category of MEA systems can meet the common requirements, and concerning which requirements are the most important for each category of MEA systems. The differences between the categories were especially clear for these requirements: the understandability and credibility of the MEAs and the security of a MEA system.
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Marnix W.B. Eysink Smeets, & Simone Sillem. (2005). Intelligent SMS as an effective public warning system: The inspiring results of a dutch pilot project. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 317–321). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The classic Dutch disaster-warning system (the 'siren') is not as effective as it should be. The alarm is not heard by 37% of the population, not all the people that hear the siren do take it seriously. A public-warning system was developed based on so-called 'intelligent SMS'. This system was tested in 2004 among 700 inhabitants of the city of Vlaardingen (region Rotterdam-Rijnmond). The University of Delft conducted an intensive evaluation. The evaluation shows that use of SMS is technically feasible. It diminishes the part of the population that is not reached is by approx. 50%. The public is now not only warned that 'something is going on' but is informed by SMS of the nature of the threat ánd on what to do. The public perceives intelligent SMS as the most effective warning system. Based on the pilot, the disaster-management authority of the region Rotterdam-Rijnmond, with some 1.2 million inhabitants, decided to structurally implement the system in the whole region in 2005.
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Mark Wood. (2005). Cell@lert, for government-to-citizen mass communications in emergencies; 'It's about time'. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 323–326). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Cell Broadcasting has been an existing feature of GSM, UMTS, CDMA and PDC for many years, which however is rarely used. It has three attributes that make it very good for Government to Citizen mass communications in emergencies. 1) It uses reserved capacity for this feature; traffic does not take its bandwidth. Therefore it works even if the cellular system is in full overload, as it always is during disasters. 2) It can place millions of text messages on mobile phone within seconds, and is scalable to any size of broadcast including international scale without any additional time penalty. Most mobile phones have the capability now, so there is no need to build more infrastructures or replace phones. 3) By selecting the individual cells to be used, specific areas can be targeted with different messages, so that people in one area can be asked to evacuate, while in another they can be advised to stay. The government of Holland is the first in the world to adopt the technology, which will be operational by May 2005.
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Hans Zimmermann. (2005). Recent developments in emergency telecommunications. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 327–334). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Recent Developments in the telecommunication technology offer a number of additional tools not only for the providers of emergency and disaster response, but may also facilitate early warning. Their application depends, however, on the regulatory framework governing telecommunications and on their appropriateness for the specific requirements in the pre-, peri- and postimpact phases of an event. Telecommunications are a key element for to the success of emergency preparedness and response, and the application of all available technologies and networks saves lives. The recent events in the Indian Ocean Region will have to be the subject of detailed analysis and evaluation of all existing mechanisms, hopefully leading to improvements in the organizational and operational field. First information available already in the immediate aftermath of the events of 26 December 2004 has been applied to the considerations in the present paper.
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Marline Claessens, Nicolas Lewyckyj, Jane Biesemans, & Jurgen Everaerts. (2005). Pegasus, a UAV project for disaster management. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 233–236). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The Flemish Institute for Technological Research (Vito) in Belgium has initiated in 2000 the PEGASUS (Policy support for European Governments by Acquisition of information from Satellite and UAV-borne Sensors) project which envisages the development of a solar powered UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) containing several types of instruments for remote sensing and flying at an altitude of about 20 km. The aircraft can be deployed rapidly in crisis situations and provide disaster managers with ~1 m resolution images (or better if required) of the affected area. High quality data shall be received in less than half an hour from a mobile ground station that is in direct contact with the UAV, which can operate as long as requested by the user. The PEGASUS HALE-UAV is a flexible and cost-effective tool that will allow officials and local authorities to dispose quickly over relevant geographical information in an emergency situation. The first demonstration flight of the PEGASUS HALE-UAV shall take place in the summer of 2005 over Flanders.
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Sébastien Delhay, Mahamadou Idrissa, & Vinciane Lacroix. (2005). PARADIS: GIS tools for humanitarian demining. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 213–219). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Landmines and UXO (UneXploded Ordnance1) represent a constant and long-lasting threat to the life of millions of individuals. Moreover, these weapons have a strong socio-economic impact on contaminated countries as they involve serious effects as the loss of agricultural fields or access to water. Demining is a critical issue since contaminated areas are large and their clearance often requires investing much time and money into it. It is then fundamental to manage demining activities in an efficient manner. PARADIS 2 is a tool dedicated to Mine Action and helps demining campaigns planners take rational decisions. It fits the needs of all campaign actors, as it is based on the tasks assigned to both the campaign planner and the field operator. The tool is built upon GIS technology and uses satellite imagery as a substitute for background maps, in order to represent all data involved in demining in their most explicit form: a map.
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Klaus Granica, Thomas Nagler, Markus M. Eisl, Mathias Schardt, & Helmut Rott. (2005). Satellite remote sensing data for an alpine related disaster management GIS. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 221–232). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Natural disasters are an age-old problem that occur regularly in alpine regions, posing a major threat to the safety of settlements and transport routes. Within the project “Safety of Alpine Routes – Application of Earth Observation Combined with GIS (Hannibal)”, financed by the Ministry of Transport and Innovation, information relevant for disaster management has been extracted from satellite remote sensing and integrated into a newly developed GIS based Decision Support System (DSS). Some of the required map information were inferred from ERS- or from SPOT5- and QUICKBIRD satellites, others were taken from conventional data sources such as maps or Digital Terrain Models.
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Simon Mulwa Mutie, Banci Mati, Hussein Gadain, & Patrick Home. (2005). Land cover change effects on flow regime of mara river. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 237–246). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: The transboundary Mara River across Kenya and Tanzania and draining in to Lake Victoria has undergone major anthropogenic changes affecting its land cover over the past 50 years. However, these changes have not been quantified in a manner to allow wider scale understanding of the causative factors, their effects and show hot spots that required immediate intervention. To address these issues, a study of the land use/land cover change was done based on interpretation of digital LANDSAT TM and ETM images of 1986 and 2000 respectively with Idrisi Kilimanjaro software. In a separate addition, analyses of hydrological factors was done which involved comparing monthly mean flow hydrographs to assess changes in flow characteristics of the Mara river immediately after the basin forests. The results obtained showed 2.3 % deforestation, 0.7% reforestation, 20.9% of the basin was opened up for agriculture and 7.5% changed to wetlands. Hydrological investigations showed that river flow regimes have changed, with sharp increases in peaks, attenuation of the river hydrographs and reduction in base flows, factors that could not be linked to changes in rainfall amounts and characteristics but related to modifications of the land surface induced by artificial influences of the man in the basin.
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Catherine Lowry Campbell, Bartel A. Van De Walle, & Fadi P. Deek. (2005). Asynchronous negotiation and collaboration of software requirements for an emergency response information system: An empirical investigation. In B. C. B. Van de Walle (Ed.), Proceedings of ISCRAM 2005 – 2nd International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (pp. 5–11). Brussels: Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium.
Abstract: Negotiation and collaboration during the requirements stage of the software engineering process are fundamental to developing successful software products. Groups of stakeholders work together to come to agreement on the most important requirements to be sent forward for implementation. Distributed software engineering is becoming the norm rather than the exception, yet the requirements elicitation and definition process is normally conducted face to face. This paper describes an empirical study to investigate the relationship between structured task and specified negotiation steps within an asynchronous environment. The results reveal that these structures can have a positive impact on solution quality but a negative impact on process satisfaction, although following a negotiation sequence and task structure can help asynchronous groups come to agreement faster. Details of the experimental procedures, statistical analysis, and discussion of the results of the experiment are presented, as are suggestions for improving this work and a plan for future research.
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