Andre Dantas

Organisational Issues in Implementing an Information Sharing Framework: Lessons from the Matata Flooding Events in New Zealand

This paper presents a critical review and analysis of issues in implementing electronic data and information sharing frameworks for organisations involved in response activities during disaster. An implementation focused approach is used to understand end-user needs and develop tools that meet their operational requirements. A case study of New Zealand roading organisations examines how information is currently shared both within and between organisations to support crisis decision-making, and the potential benefits and implications of enhanced data and information sharing frameworks. Preliminary results show that considerable performance gains in response activities during disasters can be achieved provided technology is designed to work with and enhance existing operating structures.

Researching Travel Behavior and Adaptability

This article describes a virtual reality role-playing game that was developed as a survey tool to collect travel behavior data and explore and monitor travel behavior adaptation. The Advanced Energy and Material Systems Laboratory has designed, developed a prototype, and tested such a game platform survey tool, called Travel Activity Constraint Adaptation Simulation (TACA SIM). A main objective is investigating adaptability under the simulated situation of rapid fuel price. The computer game survey approach has the potential to capture real behavior data through a well-controlled experiment, because the participant experiences the survey as a role-play exploration. Feedback from participants confirms that TACA SIM collects data efficiently in an acceptable time while the participants enjoyed the experience. The authors propose that this gamed-based survey approach provides the basis for collecting and evaluating travel behavior data and adaptation behavior.

Modelling livestock evacuation following a volcanic eruption: An example from Taranaki volcano, New Zealand

Abstract Livestock evacuation from farms affected by volcanic ashfall during or following a moderate to large volcanic eruption of Taranaki volcano would pose serious logistical challenges for emergency organisations. The volcanic hazards present during the eruption (such as volcanic ashfall) have the potential to significantly disrupt farming and transport operations in widespread areas both near to and far from the volcano. This paper presents a simplistic model that estimates the time and resources required to evacuate dairy cows from a large eruption from Taranaki volcano in New Zealand. Whilst intended to highlight the scale of time, money and logistics required for a large livestock evacuation, the model also provides a first step towards a model which can be run during periods of volcanic crisis to aid decision making. The model estimates that for a total evacuation of cows from dairy farms impacted by 100 mm of ashfall 208 000 cows would need to be evacuated and it would take at least 43 600 man‐hours and cost >NZ

Information Sharing During Emergency Response and Recovery : A Framework for Road Organizations

2,000,000. It would take 264 livestock truck and trailer units to evacuate this number of cows in 7 days, or 88 units in 21 days. It is therefore recommended that large‐scale livestock evacuation and relocation should not be considered in future volcanic crisis planning, due to the large logistical requirements a large livestock evacuation would require in terms of time, livestock evacuation transport units, and lack of capacity of farms in surrounding regions to support the massive influx of additional livestock.

Urban Form and Long-Term Fuel Supply Decline: A Method to Investigate the Peak Oil Risks to Essential Activities

Road organizations are involved in a wide range of emergency response and recovery activities. Information sharing is a critical element in deploying road organization resources during such activities. This paper presents an information-sharing framework for road organizations. On the basis of a study of response and recovery activities, information needs were identified and a geographic information system-based information-sharing framework was created. The framework is applied to a desktop case study in the South Island of New Zealand to establish the magnitude of potential benefits. Results indicate that a reduction in time and cost of emergency response activities could be achieved if the conceptual framework was implemented through reduced response times, faster access to relevant information, and therefore enhanced decision making.