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The efficiency at which governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are able to respond to a crisis and provide relief to victims has gained increased attention. This emphasis coincides with significant events such as tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, and environmental disasters occuring during the last decade. Crowdsourcing applications such as Twitter, Ushahidi, and Sahana have proven useful for gathering information about a crisis yet have limited utility for response coordination. In this paper, we briefly describe the shortfalls of current crowdsourcing applications applied to disaster relief coordination and discuss one approach aimed at facilitating efficient collaborations amongst disparate organizations responding to a crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no relief operation similar to another. Nature, number and incentives of stakeholders vary tremendously from one operation to another, and so do the collaboration modes. One thing is always true thought: for each disaster, collaboration networks are implemented on both global and local levels. Yet, lack of collaboration is often underlined as a major weakness of humanitarians. Practitioners have therefore recently focused on this issue in order to find improvement paths. This paper, using a review of existing academic literature as well as reports published by practitioners, illustrates how collaborative networks are designed in the humanitarian sector. A panorama of existing collaboration networks during and in-between relief operations is presented. Barriers and enablers to implement them are made explicit. Two frameworks are finally proposed to better understand collaboration modes at a local level on one hand, and collaboration protocols at a global level on the other hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most wireless sensor networks are driven with a battery. Lifetime maximization is thus very important when designing such networks. Clustering a network is an effective topology control scheme to enhance energy efficiency and scalability of large-scale wireless sensor networks. However, when using a wireless sensor network after a disaster, if sensor nodes cannot join any clusters, the detection area of the wireless sensor network is narrowed. Maximizing lifetime and minimizing the number of sensor nodes, that cannot join clusters is very important. To maximize the number of communicable sensor nodes, current clustering algorithms are based on exact location information of sensor nodes, such as those used with GPS and complex localization algorithms. The error of GPS is about 10 m, which is inadequate for disaster relief. Localization algorithms, on the other hand increase the traffic overhead of the network. Although localization accuracy will improve due to the advancement of localization technology, power consumption of the localization module and the increase in the sensor node's cost cannot be disregarded. We have proposed a lightweight clustering scheme for wireless sensor networks used in disaster relief and applied it in simulations. Simulation results show that the proposed clustering scheme is efficient and effective for maximizing the lifetime of a network and the number of communicable sensor nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex emergencies (CEs) can occur anywhere and are defined as crisis situations that greatly elevate the risk to nutrition and overall health (morbidity and mortality) of older individuals in the affected area. In urban areas with high population densities and heavy reliance on power-driven devices for day-to-day survival, CEs can precipitate a rapid deterioration of basic services that threatens nutritionally and medically vulnerable older adults. The major underlying threats to nutritional status for older adults during CEs are food insecurity, inadequate social support, and lack of access to health services. The most effective strategy for coping with CEs is to have detailed, individualized pre-event preparations. When a CE occurs, the immediate relief efforts focus on establishing access to food, safe water, and essential medical services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the disaster continuity planning of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the U.S. It mentions that the plan involves risk mitigation, risk prevention, and recovery. It notes the initiative of the DHS in renaming its National Response Plan (NRP) into National Response Framework (NRF) for continued development of all-hazards emergency operations plans. It also emphasizes that the DHS ensures that it will maintain the evolution of its emergency management culture.

Chapter 4 of the book "Climate Change and Adaptation" is presented. It examines the effectiveness of past strategies used by rural communities in the Limpopo basin of Botswana to reduce the negative impacts of climate variability. It explores the role of the government's rural development and disaster relief programmes in transforming the coping capacity at the community level, and outlines the factors that need to be considered and the recommendations for future actions.

Chapter 4 of the book "Humanitarian Relief Operations: Lending a Helping Hand" is presented. It explores the natural disasters such as the 2004 tsunami and earthquake which cause the United Nations' workers and volunteers to provide humanitarian assistance to disaster victims It also highlights the global disaster prevention and preparedness program for early detection of calamities.

The article presents Chapter 4, "Disaster, Public Service and Emergency Communications" from the 10th edition of the "ARRL Operating Manual" of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). It references the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) report, "Crisis Response and Disaster Resilience 2030: Forging Strategic Action in an Age of Uncertainty." Topics include emergency management in a changing environment, implications for Amateur Radio, and the role of the Emergency Coordinator (EC).

Chapter 3 of the book "The Next Catastrophe: Reducing Our Vulnerabilities to Natural, Industrial and Terrorist Disasters" by Charles Perrow is presented. It examines the federal government's response to past disasters that occurred in the U.S. In particular, it explores the role of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in helping with disasters and whether it was an effective agency. It seeks to determine why the federal response to disasters has been reactive rather than proactive.

Spiritual care has taken an important role in the aftermath of 9/11. The shattering of numerous basic assumptions by this attack has created many spiritual and existential questions. In this article, we explore different aspects of spiritual care after major disasters and the different roles that clergy can fulfill, As the field of spiritual trauma care is in a rudimentary stage, best practices for spiritual care need to be developed, In the second part of the article, different elements of the training for spiritual caregivers are described. In order to assure appropriate caregiving, guidelines for training of clergy need to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aid of the Canadian Space Agency and the Canadian geospatial industry (Ærde, HCL, Strata 360), CARTEL is working in close collaboration with the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the Cambodian Red Cross to establish a Flood Emergency Response System in Cambodia. Earth Observation (EO) and Geomatics generally insists on spatial distribution and the accessibility of the health centres, food warehouses, flood safe areas as well as the spatial distribution of the disease according to the changing factors of the physical environment and planning and the management of public health in order to improve quality of the decision-making process. The strategy is centered on the analysis of the needs for the managers of the Mekong River Commission and of the Cambodian Red Cross. It also focuses on the questions and data relating to the follow-up in space and time of the flood events and its effects on the local communities. This study takes into account the three dimensions of security: vulnerability, preparedness, response. The methodology includes the following stages: (1) analysis of the needs of the Mekong River Basin managers such as health, transportation, safe areas, infrastructures at risk, food security; (2) design of the diagram of the emergency response system including the identification and the conception of georeference data and spatial analysis functionalities; (3) design and development of a database and metadata; (4) development of vulnerability maps by using multi-date EO imagery (RADARSAT-1, aerial photography, high resolution optical imagery) combined with the historical and topographic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter understands the politics of natural hazard management and disaster relief organization in the Philippines. The management of natural hazard and the organization of disaster relief and rehabilitation have increasingly been considered primarily the business of government and the implementation of subsequent policy has effectively turned disasters into political exercises. In a nation particularly vulnerable to extreme seismic and meteorological disturbances, the relationships between disaster and politics and between hazard and class are significant ones that form the basis of vulnerability and partially explain the growing disparities in the Philippines between the haves and have-nots. To understand the politics of disaster in the Philippines requires first an examination of the structure and then an assessment of the effectiveness of the disaster management and relief mechanisms that the modern state has evolved to cope with these occurrences. Subsequently, it is argued that there is a correlation between natural hazards and the manner in which power is articulated in society that partially explains the widening disparities of wealth both within the Philippines and even between it and other nation states.

The article focuses on the relief programs that were generally available across the entire earthquake disaster area of Northridge, California in 1994 and examines routinized aspects of response and recovery, specifically federal programs directed towards housing support and rehabilitation. Institutionalized disaster relief--programs routinely available after federally declared disasters--includes federal and state programs, emergency relief services by the American Red Cross (ARC), and private hazard insurance. These federal programs constituted about half of all monetized direct expenditures in the Northridge disaster. The federal government responded to the earthquake with a $12 billion aid package delivered through an elaborate system of service centers, supplemented by additional monies made available by the state of California. A total of 681,117 applications for individual assistance were received in the one-year period that they were accepted. Private earthquake insurance was a major source of home rebuilding assistance after Northridge, paying out an estimated $7.8 billion in more than 265,000 residential claims by March 1995.

The article focuses on the significance of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus Eight (ADMM Plus) in shaping regional security architecture and tackling non-traditional security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. It states that as of the initiation of ADMM forum, the key areas tackled include disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. It also discusses the growing attention in non-traditional security issues.

The article focuses on the strain posed by the earthquake in March 2011 to the ability of Japan to manage emergencies. It says that the increasing ferocity and unpredictability of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan have seriously challenged the record of effective disaster management capabilities and high safety standards of the country. It adds that the country was engulfed in managing disaster relief operations as it counted the human and property cost of the disaster.

The article discusses the potential challenges and pitfalls of increasing the role of military in disaster relief and management, particularly in Indonesia. It says that the Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) was deployed due to the triple disaster that hit the country in 2010 to provide search and rescue assistance and emergency relief. It states that the militarisation in disaster management might cause tensions with international donor agencies and non-government organizations.

The article suggests the addition of television (TV) as part of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) tool kit, noting the success of the Boulder County, Colorado ARES group BCARES in working with emergency services groups like fire and law enforcement. It notes that the BCARES tool kit includes amateur television (ATV) capability aside from the usual ham services. It cites the benefits of ATV in providing situational awareness to the Incident Command Post (ICP) for prompt decision-making.

The article outlines the reports and project proposals by the United Nations (UN). These include a written report on the international disaster and crisis, research of new web sites which disclose the humanitarian assistance given by UN, and the creation of a multimedia presentation using powerpoint, collage or DVD concerning the response of the UN to calamities.

The article presents principles of disaster response communications for Amateur Radio operators. It stresses the need to keep QRM or man-made interference level down and for other stations to remain silent as most crucial stations will have weak signals during disasters. It advises monitoring established disaster frequencies and authenticating all messages in order to avoid spreading misinformation. It also talks about band and mode selection, and intelligent use of all communication channels.

The author discusses the role of Amateur Radio and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) in delivering public service during the U.S.' Hurricane Katrina relief effort. He notes the field deployment of amateurs from several states and Canada through the American Red Cross processing center in Montgomery, Alabama which supplied operators to The Salvation Army, religious groups and emergency operations centers. He claims that amateurs created vital interoperable emergency communication systems.

The article focuses on the collaboration of Canadian relief workers with international agencies to coordinate relief efforts for the victims of the tsunami on December 26, 2004. The country continues to contribute to the rebuilding of the devastated regions of the tsunami as of 2005.