Can You Control a Natural Disaster?
Natural disasters can't be controlled, however, how their planning and response can be managed to mitigate the effects.
Local, state and federal government all need to be involved in emergency management planning and response in order to minimise the impact on communities and the environment. While the ferocity of naural and man-made disasters can never be predicted, it is vital that government and state agencies plan for the worst case scenario.
Stages of information
Emergency management encompasses a wide range of activities and is the responsibility of all levels of government, federal, state and local. Emergency management isn't just about natural disasters but also human-caused emergencies such as chemical spills, nuclear radiation escapes, utility failures and explosions.
Valuable information can be gleaned in the aftermath of a disaster or large event, helping organisations to plan for the future. However, it is imperative that government and state agencies are maximising all intelligence that is available before, during and after the event to best inform decision making.
No matter the disaster, or what stage it is at, data from a variety of sources is crucial to emergency management. But what technology can possibly encompass all these disasters and enable the planning required to mitigate against them?
Data is key
During an actual emergency it is critical to have the right data, at the right time, available to all stakeholders to respond and take the appropriate action. This can range from communicating to other government agencies, the emergency services and citizens to managing on-the-ground resources to attend the areas most in need.
By utilising a Geographic Information System (GIS), all departments can access the same up to date information through databases on computer-generated maps in one location. Without this location intelligence capability, much time would be taken up by emergency workers collating the information from a number of different sources in a number of different formats and basing decisions on inaccurate information.
Timing is critical in emergency management and the ability to make the right decisions at the right time can save homes and ultimately lives. Location intelligence can provide vital answers when preparing for actual emergencies:
- Where should fire stations be located if a five-minute response is required?
- How many ambulance units are required and where should they be located?
- What evacuation routes should be selected if a toxic cloud is accidentally released from a factory?
- How will people be notified in an emergency?
- What facilities will provide evacuation facilities?
In addition, GIS can display real-time monitoring for emergency early warning. Remote weather stations can provide current conditions at a specific location and its surrounding areas. For example, wind information is vital in predicting the movement of a chemical cloud release or anticipating the direction of a bushfire spread.
Hindsight is not enough
The planning before an emergency dictates how the scenario will unfold, forecasting its impact. Therefore is the most crucial aspect of emergency management. However, GIS should not be limited to the preparation stage. Best practice contingency planning encompasses the response and recovery phases too.
During an emergency scenario, location intelligence can help to determine which response teams should be despatched to various locations taking into account route, time to location and most effective use of resources.
Emergency management programs must be developed and implemented with the analysis of information are the core. From the speed of the spread of fire to housing displaced citizens, spatial awareness is critical, making GIS a vital tool.
The application of location intelligence can dispel panic and surprise by having the right information to guide rapid decision making, ultimately saving communities and lives.