Supporting urban-emergency response and recovery using RFID-based building assessment

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to focus on improving mobile computing support for professionals involved in a disaster response and recovery operation to facilitate better assessment of the damage caused to buildings and to make this assessment information available to personnel within the disaster response arena so as to expedite a safe, efficient and effective disaster response process. Design/methodology/approach - The research method involved the use of scenario-based user needs analysis for studying end-user needs and requirements and use of Rational Unified Process for software design and implementation. An IT-supported collaboration platform was developed to enable first responders to communicate using handheld devices and laptops and share critical building evaluation information using a mobile ad hoc network. The deployed system was trialled at Illinois Fire Services Institute (IFSI). Findings - Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled mobile devices and tags can be used for posting, gathering, storing and sharing building assessment information in a efficient manner with fewer errors, leading to improved efficiency and effectiveness in the emergency response process. Originality/value - The key research contribution includes analysis of the information needs of first responders, development of a collaborative framework for supporting urban preparedness and emergency response, demonstration of developed concepts in realistic disaster scenarios, and implementation and validation of the prototype system to demonstrate the concepts.