Optimizing Technology: Transport & ICTs

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Technology is becoming more critical in disaster response and recovery work.  The experts on this panel will discuss the pros and cons of available satellite, radio, cellular and terrestrial technology during a disaster.  There is no one size fits all solution that will work in every disaster situation.  As a result, response & recovery coordinators need to have a high level understanding of the tools.  This panel will introduce a number of technology tools so the participants will gain a better understand of what to look for across the entire spectrum.

Steve Summers will talk about how using technology in travel can be used to reduce the administration of travel booking, and more importantly provide risk management tools to ensure the welfare of travelling employees.

Jeff Jacobson will describe how satellite communications are so much more than a satphone. With our ubiquitous reliance on the Internet and data sharing, satphones may not be enough anymore – particularly for disaster relief and development programs. Jeff will explore emerging trends in satcom solutions for voice and data connectivity, to which types of scenarios they’re best suited, and factors to consider when evaluating.

Lionel Marre will examine the fact that humanitarian responders rely on IT tools for numerous aspects of their operations from coordination and communication, to security and safety of staff in the field. As the environment in which humanitarian responders operate becomes increasingly complex and unstable, the need for efficiency and security becomes even more demanding.  EPIC is an innovative and cutting-edge solution to meet the increasing demands on IT for efficiency in humanitarian work. The EPIC solution integrates handheld devices (such as wireless mobile computers, digital radios and PDAs), applications used in humanitarian operations (such as geo-referential solutions and biometrics registration) and an online customisable portal. Through EPIC, humanitarian workers will be able to carry out their operations more effectively and safely.

Allen Pitts discusses the role of amateur radio in providing information during the first hours and days of a disaster. As Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva of the European Union recently posted on her blog at http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/georgieva/the-wave-heroes/ , it remains critical to the efficient deployment of other response assets.  This is even more important in rural and underdeveloped areas around the world.  Comparisons of recent events in China, Chile, Haiti, the Andaman Islands and Louisiana show the differences caused by the presence or absence of Amateur Radio operators in the region.  Using these examples, along with information about the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), we can show the educational, economic and humanitarian benefits of cultivating a population voluntarily learning electronics and communications skills and how to promote such an activity . 

Shari Temple will cover how the Aidmatrix Network™, an online portal to assist disaster relief agencies, can help with the management of in-kind donations, transportation, volunteers and cash donations following a disaster.  It will look from the perspective of corporate donors, individual donors, governments, and aid agencies with examples from recent disasters. Aidmatrix provides Supply Chain Management software solutions for the humanitarian sector.