Challenges in Disaster Data Collection during Recent Disasters

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 196-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda Morton ◽  
J. Lee Levy
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Hurricane Katrina ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Indian Ocean Tsunami ◽  
Gis Mapping ◽  
Data Repositories ◽  
Needs Assessments ◽  
Disaster Data

AbstractGathering essential health data to provide rapid and effective medical relief to populations devastated by the effects of a disaster-producing event involves challenges. These challenges include response to environmental hazards, security of personnel and resources, political and economic issues, cultural barriers, and difficulties in communication, particularly between aid agencies. These barriers often impede the timely collection of key health data such as morbidity and mortality, rapid health and sheltering needs assessments, key infrastructure assessments, and nutritional needs assessments. Examples of these challenges following three recent events: (1) the Indian Ocean tsunami; (2) Hurricane Katrina; and (3) the 2010 earthquake in Haiti are reviewed. Some of the innovative and cutting-edge approaches for surmounting many of these challenges include: (1) the establishment of geographical information systems (GIS) mapping disaster databases; (2) establishing internet surveillance networks and data repositories; (3) utilization of personal digital assistant-based platforms for data collection; (4) involving key community stakeholders in the data collection process; (5) use of pre-established, local, collaborative networks to coordinate disaster efforts; and (6) exploring potential civil-military collaborative efforts. The application of these and other innovative techniques shows promise for surmounting formidable challenges to disaster data collection.

scholarly journals Narrative Hunger: GIS Mapping, Google Street View and the Colonial Prospectus

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Gis Mapping ◽  
Google Street View ◽  
Interactive Maps ◽  
Street View ◽  
Tracking Time ◽  
The One

There are millions of maps like the one Wislawa Szymborska describes.  But in this essay I’ll be looking at another kind: geographical information systems, which do get stirred when people engage with them.  Arrayed on screens, the surfaces of these interactive maps are designed to get unsettled.  There’s electricity and constant data-accrual agitating them, letting them change with context and consultation.  They are still accounts of space, these new kinds of maps, but they do not stay still.  They alter from moment to moment, tracking time, showing  --  albeit mainly at the somewhat occluded level of metadata  --  a record of everyone who visits them, who gets folded into them.

scholarly journals From paper maps to digital maps: enhancing routine immunisation microplanning in Northern Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl 5) ◽  
pp. e001606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Dougherty ◽  
Masduq Abdulkarim ◽  
Fiyidi Mikailu ◽  
Usman Tijani ◽  
Kazeem Owolabi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Geospatial Data ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Routine Immunisation ◽  
Digital Maps ◽  
Vaccination Strategies ◽  
Catchment Areas

Geographical information systems (GIS) can be effective decision-support tools. In this paper, we detail a GIS approach implemented by the Bauchi and Sokoto state primary healthcare development agencies in Nigeria to generate and convert routine immunisation (RI) paper maps to digital maps for microplanning. The process involved three stages: primary and secondary data collection and reconciliation, geospatial data processing and analysis, and production and validation of maps. The data collection and reconciliation stage identified a number of challenges with secondary data sources, including the need to standardise and reconcile health facility and settlement names. The study team was unable to apply population estimates generated from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to RI planning because operational boundaries for polio activities are defined differently from RI activities. Application of open-source GIS software enabled the combination of multiple datasets and analysis of geospatial data to calculate catchment areas for primary health centres (PHCs) and assign vaccination strategies to communities. The activity resulted in the development of PHC catchment area digital maps, and captured next steps and lessons learnt for RI microplanning in the two states. While the digital maps provided input into the microplanning process, more work is needed to build capacity, standardise processes and ensure the quality of data used to generate the maps. RI service providers and communities must be engaged in the process to validate, understand the data, the contextual factors that influence decisions about which vaccination strategies RI microplans include and how resources are allocated.

INTEGRATING SCAT DATA AND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT SHORELINE CLEANUP OPERATIONS

1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 (1) ◽  
pp. 499-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Lamarche ◽  
Edward H. Owens
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information System ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Software Package ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Data Entry ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Gis Technology

ABSTRACT An analysis of the work performed by the various teams involved in shoreline cleanup operations has been applied to the design of an approach for the integration of data collected by the SCAT process with electronic maps produced by geographical information system (GIS) technology. This has led to the implementation of a PC-based system that incorporates a database of SCAT information, a knowledge base on oil behavior and shoreline cleanup, and a GIS. The system provides support to data collection using the SCAT approach for field teams and to map-based data analysis for planners and managers. In the course of this work, a set of the maps that are considered the most useful for summarizing information about shoreline conditions was designed and evaluated. This evaluation initially involved consultation with individuals experienced in shoreline cleanup. The applicability of the map representation for decision making was further tested during spill drills. SCAT surveys generate a large volume of data that need to be captured and integrated. There is a risk that this large amount of information might overwhelm decision makers involved in the management of shoreline cleanup operations. The paper describes the various modifications that were made to the SHORECLEAN software package to provide some solutions to these problems. These include providing specialized SCAT data entry forms, automating the links between a SCAT database and a GIS, and producing map representations that provide clear, useful, and nonmisleading information for decision makers.

Cartography and GIS

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Вячеслав Раклов ◽  
Vyacheslav Raklov
Keyword(s):  
Real Estate ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Gis Mapping ◽  
History Of ◽  
Gis Environment ◽  
Composition Structure ◽  
Classification Of Maps

The textbook considers the basic concepts of cartography, the history of its development, as well as the classification of maps and the main elements of the map, the issues of mathematical cartography, the main stages of creating maps, the factors, types and methods of cartographic generalization. Separate sections of the manual are devoted to cartographic signs and methods of image on maps of thematic content, the development of cartographic scales and methods of use of maps in land management and cadastre. Separately, the issues of the functioning of geographical information systems (GIS): their composition, structure, technology for creating thematic maps in the GIS environment. The manual concludes with a section on GIS mapping for real estate cadastre, environmental protection and land monitoring, as well as recommendations on the choice of GIS and requirements for cartographic documentation of real estate cadastre. Recommended for students studying in the field of "land Management", "Land cadastre", "Urban cadastre".

scholarly journals Employment of Mapping Technology in Antimicrobial Resistance Reporting in Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah A. Alhifany ◽  
Abdullah F. Alqurashi ◽  
Mohamed H. Al-Agamy ◽  
Nasser Alkhushaym ◽  
Faten Alhomoud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Antibiotic Consumption ◽  
Resistance Rate ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Gis Mapping ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Mapping Technology

Although Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a worldwide threat, local AMR databases do not exist. Unlike other health disasters, developing containment strategies for AMR cannot be started without a representative, local, updated AMR data. However, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping technology is capable of visualizing AMR data integrated with geographical regions. Due to the absence of AMR databases in Saudi Arabia, we searched Medline and Embase databases from inception until May 28, 2018, including literature that reported AMR data on the most prevalent gram-negative bacterial strains in Saudi Arabia. These data were extracted into Microsoft Excel file and inserted into STATA software, version 13 and ArcMap 10.6 software platform for mapping. We found particularly high levels of AMR in Makkah (Mecca), possibly due to high antibiotic consumption because of the influx of pilgrims, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates showing the highest resistance rate against amikacin, aztreonam, cefepime, ceftazidime, ciprolfloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, meropenem and pipracillin/tazobactam, and Enterobacteriaceae isolates against cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, imipenem and ertapenem. The cause is, however, multifactorial since Acinetobacter baumannii isolates showed a variable resistance rate throughout the country. The employment of mapping technology in displaying AMR data extracted from published literature is a practically useful approach, and advanced GIS analyses should help stakeholders create containment strategies and allocate resources to slow down the emergence of AMR.

scholarly journals Integrating GIS and statistical approaches to enhance allocation of highway patrol resources

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-95
Author(s):  
Mahdi Rezapour ◽  
Er Yue ◽  
Khaled Ksaibati
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Gis Mapping ◽  
Crash Data ◽  
Gis Applications ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Highway Patrol ◽  
The Right

Large truck crashes undermine the contribution of trucks to the U.S. economy due to the economic costs of the crashes. Wyoming has the highest truck crash rate and the lowest budget contribution for traffic enforcement in the USA. Because of the state’s intensive truck corridors, the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) might not be able to use their resources efficiently. Previous studies have indicated that WHP performed better when they allocate their resources efficiently at the right locations and towards the right enforcements. This study used 4-year historical crash and enforcement data along Interstate 80 (I-80), which has the highest truck-related crash rate in Wyoming. Crash data were filtered to include truck crashes only. However, both truck and no-truck enforcements were included in the data because both could be at fault in truck crashes. This study used two approaches to help state policy-makers improve traffic safety on I-80. First, a statistical method was used to identify geometric variables contributing to allocated enforcement and truck crashes. Second, truck crashes and related enforcements were visually assessed using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping. Crash data were disaggregated into the main driver actions of no improper driving, following too closely, improper lane change and driving too fast for the conditions. These driver actions accounted for more than 70% of all truck crashes on I-80. Related enforcements were also identified and disaggregated by driver actions. Disaggregated enforcements and crashes were visualized along the I-80 corridor using GIS maps to see if WHP allocated their resources efficiently. Cluster index, enforcement spatial coverage and mean density are some of the parameters used for the analyses. This study aimed to contribute to research on police effectiveness in reducing truck crashes, police innovation and the use of GIS applications in enforcement. This methodology can be used by other agencies to better allocate resources to improve traffic safety in most efficient ways.

scholarly journals Quality Control and Management of Inspection and Data Collection

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Simmons ◽  
Richard Kania
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Inspection Time ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Pipeline System ◽  
Complex Data ◽  
Practical Applications

Geographical Information Systems, Data trending, and Risk Assessment Software are now available to help pipeline operators execute safe, cost effective maintenance programs. However, to use these analytical tools effectively, large amounts of data pertaining to the integrity of the pipeline system and its environment are required. For this reason, pipeline rehabilitation programs have evolved into complex data collecting procedures, the success of which depends on the ability to efficiently obtain reliable, consistent and accurate information. This article will describe new software technology and Quality Control programs, relating to inspection personnel, which have been developed to increase the efficiency and reliability of the information collected during a pipeline excavation. The pertinent functions of software programs discussed will involve compatibility between databases, on site data validation, code calculations, communications and CAD drawings for a comparison with In Line Inspection results. As well, the need for quality control or training programs will be discussed addressing both the theoretical and practical applications of pipeline integrity and it’s relevance to quality data collection. Previous projects using these approaches will be presented showing their effectiveness in significantly increasing the efficiency and accuracy of the information collected while reducing overall inspection time and cost.

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