IU team tests emergency blog system

Informatics professor David Wild is working to make sure the disorder and chaos that plagued the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina never happens again.\nWild and a few colleagues and graduate students are testing an online blogging system that would be used for emergencies. The system, which is in a trial stage, relies on trusted citizen reporters to monitor any possible emergency situations, which are usually strong thunderstorms or tornadoes, but could also include man-made disasters.\nWhen there is an emergency, predetermined citizens watch different news sources and upload information about the situation. Emergency response teams can then access the information. This also allows all the agencies, including fire and ambulance teams, to have access to the same information.\nSheetal Narayanan, Wild’s graduate research assistant for the project, said she thinks that one of the project’s strongest aspects is that “you can use one area’s expertise to help others.”\nJoe Stuteville, coordinator of media relations for the School of Informatics, said, “I think it’s a very good example of the way technology can be used to benefit the community.”\nVolunteers keep minute-by-minute updates on the blog in actual emergencies. Currently, the information is only available to first responders, but Wild and his partner on the project, professor Kalpana Shankar, want to make the next phase of the system open to the public.\nWild and Shankar are looking to expand the system statewide. Wild recently presented the system to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security in Indianapolis. He said he hopes the blogging system could be used to provide local and statewide information in the event of a large-scale disaster.\nThe two are still researching the system.\n“We’re currently looking to develop new ideas,” Wild said.\nShankar said they would like to incorporate mapping and time and date stamps into the system.\nThe system was most recently tested during a Monroe County emergency response drill. The system is a success story about how to use computer technology and communication networks to complement each other\n“It’s pretty simple,” Shankar said. “You don’t need a lot of computer expertise to use it.”\nNarayanan added, “This project definitely has potential to be helpful to the community.”