Mobile IT is at the center of emergency management of the future. I saw a video tape (that is how long ago it was) about an earthquake in California close to fifteen years ago. It was showing what the future held for the use of technology in a disaster. First it showed an earthquake warning system altering civilians and giving them a few seconds warning, enough to take cover. Japan has this system in place today and was used during the Mega Quake. It gave as much as thirty seconds warning depending on how far you were away from the epicenter. There is a wave that an earthquake produces that travels faster than the physical movement and can be recorded. Tens of thousands of residents received a warning on their cell phones. It was used even to trip some factories to shut off prior to the physical effects were felt.
Next it showed CERT team members using what is now an IPad to report damage and injuries to the EOC. It showed the same type of technology being used by the first responders to report progress or report damage. In Haiti they used a program to map the local of incoming calls of damage and injuries using cell phone location. These maps were used by the Marine Corp and Coast Guard to decide on the best use of their resources. So it is already beginning to happen.
I think the use of drones with live feeds to the EOC to receive an early damage assessment are the next big thing. Think if they could have been launched immediately after the tornado in Joplin.
I am not even touching on the power of social media to warn as well as collection information from the public.
So IT and mobile devices are at the center of emergency management. The biggest question is how to integrate it with current operations.
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