[LINK] Role of the web in bushfire warnings

[Tom Worthington]

The 2009 Victorian Brushfires Royal Commission is this week 
addressing the issue of the role of the web, phones, Twitter and 
social networking in providing warning to the public . Professor John 
Handmer, author of "Handbook of Disaster and Emergency Policies and 
Institutions", gave evidence on 16 June 2009. The statement is not 
yet online (the commission secretariat told me they have some 
"technological issues" with statements at present), but the 
Transcript of Proceedings is:

1. Some excerpts: 
<http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2009/06/role-of-web-in-bushfire-warnings.html>.
2. Full transcript at: 
<http://www.blogger.com/www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Public-Hearings/Transcript-VBRC_Day-024_16-Jun-2009>.

I agree with the general approach suggested by Professor Handmer, but 
would like to see simple efficient web mark-up used for warnings, 
rather than plain text.

Also last night I took part in a colloquium at LIRNEasia in Sri Lanka 
via Skype from Canberra on "The future of community-based hazard 
information systems: Insights from the Internet sharing economy" 
presented by Dr. Gordon A. Gow from University of Alberta: 
<http://lirneasia.net/2009/06/colloquium-the-future-of-community-based-hazard-information-systems/>.

  Dr. Gow has some interesting things to say about how to make the 
web for emergencies sustainable. My notes are at: 
<http://www.tomw.net.au/blog/2009/06/community-based-hazard-information.html>. 
I will add a link to Dr. Gow's paper and slides, when they are available.



Tom Worthington FACS HLM tom.worthington at tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150
Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd            ABN: 17 088 714 309
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617                      http://www.tomw.net.au/
Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Australian National University