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August 31, 2006
Innovative uses of blog technology for disaster response
First, the Emergency Blogcasting System is the creation of a bunch of Austin techie activists led by Chip Rosenthal:
The Emergency Blogcasting System (EBS) is an association of Austin-area weblog authors who will contribute to a regional disaster response through communication and citizen reporting enabled through blogging.The EBS is under development. Official release is planned late August 2006.
Mission
The mission of the EBS for bloggers is:
* Educate the blogging community of the role they can play in a disaster situation.
* Identify and publicize primary sources of information that may assist bloggers in their task during a disaster situation.
* Establish and encourage best practices for bloggers during a disaster situation.The mission of the EBS for the general community is:
* Publicize the constructive role that bloggers may play in a disaster situation.
* Bring attention to valuable blogging and citizen reporting during a disaster situation.
* Dissemenate information to people less connected to official and conventional channels, with particular attention to the diversity of cultures and languages in our community.
This work arose out of the experiences Austin bloggers and techies had with disseminating information during Katrina and Rita and with helping storm evacuees use the Internet while they were in Austin.
Second, Brian Oberkirch's HurricaneMind is an application of "hive mind" principles to quickly disseminate information about an upcoming storm based on patterns in large numbers of inputs:
For instance, last night I had a tough time sleeping, worrying about yet another super powerful hurricane about to enter the Gulf later this week. One thing that happens as a storm gets closer is everyone starts asking each other: What are you going to do? Ride it out? Board up? Nothing? Leave town? So I outlined a little Web app that asks people what they are planning to do. You type in your zip code and it tells you what your neighbors have in mind. Here’s a specific user behavior written large (and quickly) through the power of the Web. You have more info and can make a more educated decision based on the collected insights of the hive mind. Now, let’s take it farther and start gathering up recommended backroad evacuation routes. The main arteries pack up quickly, and long time natives know the best ways out. Let’s gather them. Mash them up with Google maps. Port in hotel availability in the cities that people typically go to — like Baton Rouge, Jackson, Birmingham, Houston, etc. Flow in the updates from the hurricane center in a pane. Suddenly, we have a little dashboard people can use to make better decisions for their families & neighbors. Much better than flipping through channels or pulling up a series of bookmarked sites, burrowing through forums, etc.
Posted by ray at August 31, 2006 5:55 PM | Permalink
Categories: [austin | blogging | katrina | new orleans | software ]
Tags: austin, blogging, disaster response, ebs, hive mind, katrina, new orleans, rita, software
Comments
As a sex blogger, you might think I'm not interested in this. But this is really cool. I am however, very interested. Unfortunately the type of disaster likely to hit me will take out electricity with no warning. An earthquake. I spend a lot of time working in preparedness in this area.
Really neat to know about though. Hope it works out.
Posted by: DevilBlueDress at September 5, 2006 8:56 PM
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