A VIRTUAL emergency response centre dubbed could be just what relief agencies need to coordinate their aid efforts in the aftermath of a disaster when speed is crucial.
Collabbit is the handiwork of the project (HFOSS). It acts as central repository for information, sending out project updates to workers via RSS or text message. Collabbit recently performed well in a simulated emergency.
William Anderson, an emergency coordinator contacted HFOSS after hearing about the work it had done in developing applications in response to the Asian tsunami. He had become frustrated with the available commercial software.
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Those commercial packages are often an amalgamation of features that have been created for other projects, and the result, says Anderson, is bloated software which is difficult to use. 鈥淐ollabbit has about a tenth of features,鈥� he adds, 鈥渁nd that鈥檚 on purpose.鈥�
In June, students from and in Connecticut teamed up with representatives from municipal and volunteer agencies including the , and to design Collabbit.
A team of students built a prototype system in just three weeks, then relief agencies modelled how they would provide aid after a hypothetical hurricane strike on a major city.
The results of the simulation impressed John Berglund, a coordinator with the New York City Salvation Army. 鈥淣ot only did it work, but it demonstrated to those who participated the value of the tool.鈥�
Getting changes made to the system has also been easier, adds Berglund. With commercial packages you would be charged for every change.
HFOSS project director Trishan de Lanerolle says that writing these applications gives computer science students a meaningful way to use their skills. 鈥淭he work they are doing is something that has an impact. It鈥檚 not just a classroom exercise where you write your program and then delete it the next day,鈥� he says.
鈥淭he students鈥� work has an impact. It鈥檚 not just a classroom exercise, deleted the next day鈥�
