The extensive flooding last weekend in our area of Nashville, TN has been devastating in terms of life and property. Weekend storms dumped an unprecedented thirteen inches of rain in just 48 hours. Nineteen deaths have been reported from the storm so far in Tennessee. Untold millions of dollars in property damage has accrued (most involving people with no flood insurance as they were not in a historical flood plain). On the plus side, emergency managers, first responders, utility workers, political leaders and others have been highly praised for their heroic efforts and untiring service in the response and recovery process.
Another group has also emerged during this crisis that we believe deserves praise and consideration--citizen volunteers. As we've been involved in our hometown's cleanup efforts, we've been humbled and amazed at the turnout of ordinary people helping fellow neighbors in difficult times. We've also seen trained volunteers, people who serve on various public safety organizations and committees, rise to the occasion as key support to the professional responders.
How does this relate to alerts and warnings?
Many times, we think of notification technology as strictly a tool for disseminating information to a large group of citizens in harm's way (evacuations, boil water notices, etc.). This is certainly a fantastic use of the tool. However, we should not forget the technology is also valuable for MOBILIZING citizens, potentially key partners in any large-scale response effort.
LAFD as an Example
Ron Corona, of the Los Angeles Fire Department, agrees. He says LAFD stands ready to use their notification system for calling up any number of volunteer groups. One set of groups is the city's Crisis Response Teams. These teams include a wide variety of professionals who have unique skills needed in a crisis (grief counselors, medical practitioners, construction/demolition experts, etc.). They also use the system to bring together their Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)--civilians trained in disciplines such as urban search and rescue, mass casualties, etc.
Even in non-critical, planned events such as festivals and concerts, the system is used for locating people with needed skills not necessarily on the government payroll.
How They Work
In general, these systems allow you to capture volunteer contact information (multiple devices) and collect customizable information on skill sets (training certifications, competencies, etc.). Through proper querying, you can select appropriate team members to fit the circumstance on the fly, or, have the teams pre-built for quick activation.
Some systems have the ability to ask questions such as, "Can you respond?" and "What is your ETA?" allowing for feedback through the telephone touch-tone keypad, or through email or SMS. All of this activity is captured in a database for real-time or after-the-fact reporting.
Notification technology is certainly a useful means for alerting citizens in danger (perhaps the first thing to come to mind when considering these systems). However, it can also be a valuable tool for mobilizing citizens--a powerfully positive force during disasters such as the one experienced across the Southeast this week.
Here's a personal "thank you" to the many dedicated emergency personnel who have helped during this tragedy. Also, here's a big shout out to the average men and women who have shown what it means to be real "citizens."
All the best,
Lorin
Another group has also emerged during this crisis that we believe deserves praise and consideration--citizen volunteers. As we've been involved in our hometown's cleanup efforts, we've been humbled and amazed at the turnout of ordinary people helping fellow neighbors in difficult times. We've also seen trained volunteers, people who serve on various public safety organizations and committees, rise to the occasion as key support to the professional responders.
How does this relate to alerts and warnings?
Many times, we think of notification technology as strictly a tool for disseminating information to a large group of citizens in harm's way (evacuations, boil water notices, etc.). This is certainly a fantastic use of the tool. However, we should not forget the technology is also valuable for MOBILIZING citizens, potentially key partners in any large-scale response effort.
LAFD as an Example
Ron Corona, of the Los Angeles Fire Department, agrees. He says LAFD stands ready to use their notification system for calling up any number of volunteer groups. One set of groups is the city's Crisis Response Teams. These teams include a wide variety of professionals who have unique skills needed in a crisis (grief counselors, medical practitioners, construction/demolition experts, etc.). They also use the system to bring together their Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)--civilians trained in disciplines such as urban search and rescue, mass casualties, etc.
Even in non-critical, planned events such as festivals and concerts, the system is used for locating people with needed skills not necessarily on the government payroll.
How They Work
In general, these systems allow you to capture volunteer contact information (multiple devices) and collect customizable information on skill sets (training certifications, competencies, etc.). Through proper querying, you can select appropriate team members to fit the circumstance on the fly, or, have the teams pre-built for quick activation.
Some systems have the ability to ask questions such as, "Can you respond?" and "What is your ETA?" allowing for feedback through the telephone touch-tone keypad, or through email or SMS. All of this activity is captured in a database for real-time or after-the-fact reporting.
Notification technology is certainly a useful means for alerting citizens in danger (perhaps the first thing to come to mind when considering these systems). However, it can also be a valuable tool for mobilizing citizens--a powerfully positive force during disasters such as the one experienced across the Southeast this week.
Here's a personal "thank you" to the many dedicated emergency personnel who have helped during this tragedy. Also, here's a big shout out to the average men and women who have shown what it means to be real "citizens."
All the best,
Lorin
No comments:
Post a Comment