Share this
Twitter
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
Yahoo
Googlize this
Facebook
Export PDF
Print
E-mail
Raindrops will keep falling on our heads this season of the year, and yet this rainy season's starter already induced headaches for our new administration with regard to its disaster management tactics. First was the alleged erroneous forecasting by PAGASA, and the most heartbreaking of all is the lack of calamity fund for the rest of the year. Seriously? We only had like one or two series of rains, not even storms, these past few months and the past administration already spent 70 percent of our calamity funds? Talk about disasters!
Anyway, before I go off-topic, last Asia Source 3 conference-ish, there were talks about disaster coordination and the tools that could be used for such situations. These three of these tools aren't only effective, they are also production-ready and were already deployed to different parts of the world, for different purposes other than disaster coordination. These tools are so cost-effective that any kind-hearted NGO who wants to help could acquire these tools very easily without licensing and cost worries.
Sahana
Sahana is a software foundation, similar to Mozilla, that aims to provide technologies for disaster management for NGOs, as well as community and disaster victims. Its flagship open-source disaster management software has features for keeping track of partner organizations helping the cause, a database for missing persons, a disaster request management interface, a listing of evacuation camps and centers, organization inventory tracking, and a catalogue system. It also has another project, called the Sahana Eden, with its core made using Java Mobile Edition, which aims to build a framework or set of basic tools to build, on top of it, powerful disaster coordination and response systems for mobile devices. There's also a built-in database synchronization feature that enables multiple users or organizations to be in-sync with disaster data and reports. This synchronization tool can be used via web, LAN, CD-ROM, or USB storage devices.
With all these features, seeing the demos from the AS3 conference-ish, I was wondering why the government and the NDCC still don't use tools where people could just login to the web and put requests there for assistance or rescue, or have a mobile application be downloaded from their website to report situations like the Basyang casualties. Or they could also coordinate with local NGOs, like Vibal Foundation, to install Sahana and synchronize data faster and more efficient.
Or maybe when disasters come, Internet connections fail.
FrontlineSMS
In case a web solution doesn't fit the spec because of connection outages during storms or calamities, SMS would be another reliable avenue for communication. During the AS3, we also had the chance to see a free and open source tool that receives and replies to text messages via a simple cellphone. FrontlineSMS is an open source solution that serves as an SMS center that organizes messages into their corresponding groups, and more. One of the winners of last year's Tech Awards, the program allows distribution of text messages to individuals saved in the program's database, and allows replying from those individuals, minus the hassles of setting up a service provider's shortcut number (e.g. 2366, 4627, 14344). Similar to Sahana, it doesn't require internet connection and it also provides a platform where you could extend it to redirect and reorganize text messages to websites or enterprise systems. It supports a variety of phones via its Python SMS library, which could also be hooked up to send HTTP codes to any website supporting the message.
OpenStreetMap
Most commercial map-supported websites employ Google Maps, but there are problems with using Google Maps especially on mobile devices. Also, there are restrictions on the use of Google Maps and sometimes, the street maps aren't even complete. Enter OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMap is a like Wikipedia for street maps, and unlike Wikimapia, it aims to help relief operation teams to locate their destination and the streets they have to use. And also, unlike Wikimapia, OpenStreetMap doesn't contain any copyrighted content like satellite images, so it will be safe for mobile or desktop application makers to use their APIs without worries of copyright infringement. OpenStreetMap's street data has a platform for collaboration by thousands of users around the globe, and these contributors even provide more details than those presented in Google Maps and Wikimapia.
So if you're a geek / software developer who wants to build map applications that matter and help saves lives, you can build your software on top of OpenStreetMap.
You could help OpenStreetMap by going to their website.
Hope for PAGASA and the NDCC
Although the PAGASA shouldn't be blamed for the Basyang incidents, NDCC still has the responsibility, not only to focus the budget on disaster management, but also to collaborate with organizations and individuals who could help speed up the information relay process. And one way to deal with this is to use tools that are more cost-effective and have been widely used.
–
Sahana Screenshot courtesy of Sahana Foundation, used under fair use
FrontlineSMS Youtube video courtesy of FrontlineSMS YouTube Channel, used under fair use
OpenStreetMap Youtube video courtesy of itoworld.com, used under fair use
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
