Accession Number:

ADA607901

Title:

Operationalizing Mobile Applications for Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief Missions

Descriptive Note:

Master's thesis

Corporate Author:

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA

Personal Author(s):

• Summerville, Carlton B.

Report Date:

2014-03-01

Pagination or Media Count:

89.0

Abstract:

When a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, has occurred, the critical information communications technology ICT infrastructure is often completely destroyed or damaged to a point of ineffectiveness. For first responders, such as the military, government relief agencies, and non-governmental organizations, quick and reliable communication tools are essential for carrying out their missions. As technology continues to evolve, more tools are becoming available to first responders in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief HADR missions. These tools are improving relief strategies in many ways by providing real-time or near real-time situation updates and data essential to the mission. There are mobile applications under development and commercially available are aimed at improving the ability of HADR responders to make assessments. This research assesses the implementation of applications used on mobile devices while enhancing the ICT of the disaster area for first responders during HADR missions. This includes a setup of a hastily formed network in order to establish a wide area network to provide a network for the applications to work. The use of such applications can drastically improve information sharing, interoperability, command and control, and coordination among responders between all agencies involved.

Descriptors:

• *MOBILE COMPUTING
• COMMUNICATION AND RADIO SYSTEMS
• COMPUTER PROGRAMS
• DISASTERS
• HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• INFORMATION EXCHANGE
• THESES

Subject Categories:

• Computer Systems
• Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics
• Radio Communications

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE