Prioritisation of citizen-centric information for disaster response

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Disaster Management
• Network Engineering

Background:

• Disaster events often overwhelm professional responders, leaving uninjured citizens to manage critical tasks like search and rescue.
• Communication and logistics challenges hinder citizen-led disaster response efforts due to lack of coordinated assistance.
• Existing infrastructure is often compromised, necessitating self-sufficient solutions for survivor support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel method for increasing the survivability of individuals affected by disaster events.
• To establish a decentralized communication and information-sharing facility for citizens in disaster zones.
• To address energy constraints in ad hoc networks through efficient information categorization.

Main Methods:

• Deployment and autonomous management of an ad hoc infrastructure for direct liaison with survivors.
• Development of a system for categorizing information elements to ensure efficient data exchange.
• Focus on decentralized control, bypassing the need for central coordination.

Main Results:

• The proposed ad hoc network facilitates citizen coordination and information sharing in disaster scenarios.
• Autonomous network management ensures continuous operation without reliance on external control.
• Information categorization optimizes data exchange, addressing energy efficiency concerns.

Conclusions:

• The developed ad hoc infrastructure significantly enhances disaster survivability by empowering citizen responders.
• Decentralized and autonomous network management provides a resilient solution for communication gaps.
• Efficient information categorization is crucial for sustainable and effective disaster response networks.