Managing Disasters (during the post-event phases)

What Can Be Done?

Through hazard mitigation, lives and property can be saved and environmental damage can be reduced. Hazard mitigation has physical, engineering, and social aspects. The physical aspect involves the observation and collection of data and modeling.Physical models attempt to predict the likelihood and outcome of a hazard; for example, they can be used to predict weather, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions and forecast flood stage levels. Engineering, for example, is applied in designing and building structures to resist earthquakes. Social considerations include land-use planning, scientific predictions, analyzing risk, and the cost-benefit analysis. The stated goal of hazard mitigation is to reduce by 50 percent the number of people affected by disasters by the year 2015. Disaster can be defined as the onset of an extreme event causing profound damage or loss as perceived by the afflicted people.Disaster management involves three phasespredisaster, during the disaster, and postdisaster. The predisaster phase consists of risk identification, mitigation, and preparedness. During the disaster, emergency response takes place, and in the postdisaster phase, rehabilitation and reconstruction are applied. The actions create a cycle in time (figure 5).

Disaster Management Cycle: Predisaster, During, and Postdisaster Phases In the predisaster phase to identify risk, hazard, risk, and vulnerability assessments are performed. Hazard can be defined as an interaction between humans and an extreme natural event with respect to cultural perceptions and value systems.10 The term risk includes probability and could, therefore, be defined as the actual exposure of something of human value to a hazard and is often regarded as the combination of probability and frequency, magnitude, and location. Elements at risk are the population and assets exposed in a vulnerability assessment. Since risk is identified using vulnerability and probability of hazard, therefore: Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability

The result of the risk assessment provides a function of hazard probability and vulnerability. Hazard monitoring and forecasting use GIS, mapping, and scenario building. At the end of this phase, risk is identified and mitigated. Land-use planning and building codes related to the risk can be updated and enforced in the community. The public could be educated about risks and trained in prevention. In emergency preparedness, early warning systems, communication systems, networks of emergency responders, shelter facilities, and evacuation plan are key elements. During the disaster phase, existing early warning systems could be used. In emergency response, humanitarian assistance, cleanup, temporary repairs, restoration of services, and damage assessment are the basic steps. After this phase, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities take place. Damaged critical infrastructure is reconstructed; budget and macroeconomic management issues are addressed; revitalization of affected sectors begins; and tourism, exports, and agriculture are managed.

GIS and Remote Sensing in Disaster Management

GIS can be loosely defined as a system of hardware and software used for storage, retrieval, mapping and analysis of geographic data. Spatial features are stored in a coordinate system (latitude, longitude, state, plane, etc.) that references a particular place on the earth.Descriptive attributes in tabular form are associated with spatial features. Spatial data and associated attributes in the same coordinate system can then be layered together for mapping and analysis. GIS can be used for scientific investigations, resource management and development plan.

Remote sensing is the measurement or acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon by a recording device that is not in physical or intimate contact with the object. In practice, remote sensing is the remote utilization (as from aircraft, spacecraft, satellite or ship) of any device for gathering information about the environment. Thus, an aircraft taking photographs, earth observation and weather satellites, monitoring of a foetus in the womb via ultrasound, and space probes are all examples of remote sensing. In modern usage, the term generally refers to techniques involving the use of instruments aboard aircraft and spacecraft. As disaster management work usually involves a large number of different agencies working in different areas, the need for detailed geographical information in order to make critical decisions is high. By utilizing a GIS, agencies involved in the response can share information through databases on computer-generated maps in one location. Without this capability, disaster management workers have to access a number of department managers, their unique maps and their unique data. Most disasters do not allow time to gather these resources. GIS thus provides a mechanism to centralize and visually display critical information during an emergency. There is an obvious advantage to using a map with remote sensing or GIS inputs instead of a static geographical map. A static map is mostly analogous and is not interactive. On the other hand, a vulnerability map with GIS input provides dynamic information with cause and effect relationship. As shown in Figure 6, the visualization effect is much more effective in the latter case.

Technology Used in Emergency Management

Following the earthquake/tsunami disaster, months of response and relief work have passed. The ongoing humanitarian aid includes rehabilitation and reconstruction. Since the event encompassed such an immense area, the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase will be a long-term issue; months and even years will be invested. Emergency response to the area was relatively quick. What's more, the amount of donations gathered from all over the world for the relief activities was outstanding. Hundreds of international

nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) rushed to the area. Local NGOs, government agencies, universities, and the public and private sectors are all working side by side to provide disaster relief.In general, these activities can be distinguished into three areas: Social activities (relief work, food, shelter, etc.) Scientific activities that could support social activities Scientific activities that support research The technology applied in these activities differs in context. For example, a better tsunami animation of the event would not be beneficial to relief workers. On the other hand, a detailed map of the damage area would be more functional. The following table shows the technology summary gathered from an e-mail questionnaire that was sent out to ESRI contacts who worked in the field: Hardware Computers, Laptops, Mobile Phones, GPS, Tabular Forms

Software

ArcView, ArcGIS 9 (Military Analyst and Maplex extensions), MapInfo, ERDAS Topography, Census, Roads, Utilities, Bathymetry, Elevation, Geology, Land Cover, Landmarks, Hydrology, Administrative Boundaries, Tidal Datum, Orthophoto, GCP, LandScan (population), SRTM, DTED Levels 1 and 2, QuickBird, IKONOS, SPOT Interactive Maps (ArcIMS, Manifold, DM Solutions), Static Maps, Information Sharing for Coordination, Eroom and Groove Technology

Data Used

Internet Usage

Possible Technology Implementations for the Region

Neither an early warning system for tsunami nor tsunami education existed in the Indian Ocean region at the time of the disaster. If there had been, many lives and property would have been saved. An English girl's story of how she told people that the receding sea was a sign of tsunami coming to the shore in Phuket (Thailand), eventually saving many lives, reinforces the importance of education in surviving disasters. As mentioned earlier, disaster management is a cycle in time, and the objective is to save lives and property. Thus, the goal is to be prepared for the next disaster. Hazards are region based, and this generally means that they will repeat themselves sooner or later. To be better

prepared for the next one, the steps that should be taken are Assessment of risk Mapping the extent of the disaster Helping communities prepare Allocating resources Deploying personnel Monitoring emergencies in real time Saving lives Protecting property Identifying the key issues that can be solved by GIS and applying its technology can assist in preventing catastrophic loss of life and property in the future. An example of advanced GIS technology deployment is applied by MapAction. Below is the main information flow diagram that it is putting into practice. While deploying staff to a disaster area, predisaster mapping data is gathered and analyzed . At the same time, remotesensing imagery is obtained from the Earth Observation Satellite and the information is shared through communications satellite with the Internet and telephones. The field team starts collecting information using the mobile GIS mapping and GPS and sends the information to the base (figure 6). This fills one of the most important information gaps, namely, the location of people affected and critical infrastructures such as hospitals.

MapAction and Its Technology Usage Diagram

The development of reliable tsunami systems in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans must focus on COMMUNICATIONS, to a greater extent than on additional seismic sensors.

A further step in advanced technology implementation uses the satellite communicationsobservation data. The mobile GIS mapping and GPS connected to the hardware servers and data enables the established command center to reach decision makers, the media, and other information users. The Australia-based company Maptel is developing commandmap, a new system incorporating the use of GIS technology in real time with wireless technology to provide dynamic data exchange from field team to command center and other emergency service providers.

The Commandmap project enables advanced technology to be used in emergency management.

Future Early Warning Systems

Tsunami warning systems have been used mostly in the Pacific, Hawaii, and Japan. Other countries, such as Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, New Zealand, Nicaragua, and Peru, also have warning systems. The Japanese use a simultaneous announcement wireless system, which receives the signal and broadcasts through speakers, and so forth. In addition, fire trucks equipped with loudspeakers cruise the areas that are not covered by the wireless system. Television, radio, sirens, bells, telephone network, and word of mouth are also used to warn the general public. Moreover, the education system provides training on tsunami and other hazards to children in Japan. For future technology deployments, Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), an international effort, is under way. This initiative is being led by the United States, Japan, South Africa, and the European Commission, with dozens more nations participating at the ministerial level. Indonesia, Thailand, and India have also joined the 54 participating nations. The aim of this effort is to build a network of linked data from satellites, ocean buoys, and groundbased air and water quality monitors to take the pulse of the planet. This project will facilitate enhanced monitoring and detection, warning, and communications, which will help provide emergency responders more time to take action.21 Specifically, NOAA will deploy 32 new advanced technology, Deep-Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami buoys to create a fully operational tsunami warning system, scheduled for completion in mid-2007, as part of a $37.5 million expansion of the U.S. tsunami warning system.22 These systems are based on pressure-sensitive sensors mounted on floating buoys, which are linked to satellites and monitored continuously. The buoys are highly sensitive but expensive to install and maintain. Satellite-borne radar altimetry is another potential technology that can be used for warning systems.