Risk Returns

PDC’s Disaster Alert application for the iPad. Disaster Alert is also available for Android devices

Source: PDC 2010

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tate damage assessments and loss estimations, which can then be

used to support response and recovery activities.

The collection methods described above do not readily capture

local drivers of risk. One way to ensure that local knowledge is

incorporated into decision making is through participatory mapping

and GIS exercises,

or vulnerability and capacity assessments.

These processes allow participants to tell their own stories and can

strengthen horizontal and vertical relationships while supporting

DRR and DM activities at the community level. The outputs of

these exercises may not be digital. However, digitizing data related

to local knowledge and experiences (whether spatial or not) makes

that information more easily updated, more accessible, more easily

included in analysis and analysis outputs, and thus more ‘visible’ to

decision makers and disaster managers.

Web-based collaboration tools and wikis can also facilitate the

collection of digital data in data-poor areas. While access to these

tools may be limited in certain regions and wikis pose challenges

related to data validity and verification, they have had some

success in generating useful data at relatively low cost. Ushahidi,

Crisis Commons and OpenStreetMap

have been invaluable in

responding to the 12 January 2010 earthquake in

Haiti and the recent Japanese earthquake and associ-

ated events.

While most visible in response activities, Web 2.0

initiatives support pre-event DRR and DM activities

as well. In 2010, The Guardian reported that at the

end of January, there were 239 people rebuilding

the map of Haiti

to reflect current conditions. In

addition to contributing to search and rescue and

response activities, this newly collected and proc-

essed information will support risk assessment,

recovery and development efforts. Another example,

Map Kibera,

combines the advantages of participa-

tory mapping and wiki-mapping to make informal

settlements, and the people who live in them, more

visible. Map Kibera began mapping critical base

data as well as themes of health, security, education

and water/sanitation in Nairobi in 2009. While not

specifically collected for disaster management, this

information can be leveraged for risk assessment and