The power of crowdsourcing in disaster response operations

A case study was conducted using the 2012 and 2013 Colorado wildfires and the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Academics from universities that are part of the Department of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence and senior leaders within the Colorado Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management were interviewed about the use of crowdsourcing during disaster operations. The resultant data was analyzed and the themes of control, verification, and usage emerged as key components of successful crowdsourcing operations. The study revealed that in today's society, we are globally connected through the Internet such that social media and disaster managers in all countries can benefit from the use of crowdsourcing.