A Big Data Reference Architecture for Emergency Management

Carlos A Iglesias,Álvaro Carrera,Alfredo Favenza

doi:10.3390/info11120569

Carlos A Iglesias, Álvaro Carrera + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/info11120569

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Journal: Information	Publication Date: Dec 4, 2020
Citations: 13	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, LINKS Foundation

Abstract

Nowadays, we are witnessing a shift in the way emergencies are being managed. On the one hand, the availability of big data and the evolution of geographical information systems make it possible to manage and process large quantities of information that can hugely improve the decision-making process. On the other hand, digital humanitarianism has shown to be very beneficial for providing support during emergencies. Despite this, the full potential of combining automatic big data processing and digital humanitarianism approaches has not been fully realized, though there is an initial body of research. This paper aims to provide a reference architecture for emergency management that instantiates the NIST Big Data Reference Architecture to provide a common language and enable the comparison of solutions for solving similar problems.

Highlights

Having access to reliable information during emergencies is essential for effective emergency management
The growth of social media, satellite remote sensing, sensor networks, and connected devices has contributed to a data deluge beyond what can be captured, processed, and interpreted with traditional tools, which is usually known as a big data problem
According to NIST’s big data definition [1], “Big Data consists of extensive datasets—primarily in the characteristics of volume, variety, velocity, and/or variability—that require a scalable architecture for efficient storage, manipulation, and analysis”

Summary

Introduction

Having access to reliable information during emergencies is essential for effective emergency management. Emergency management has evolved from centralized top-down models managed by public authorities to collaborative approaches where citizen participation is encouraged. These two models represent a continuum of existing emergency management models [4]. The emergency management cycle usually considers four phases [15]: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, there are other proposals in the literature [16,17]. These phases are not sequential, but they overlap, interrelate, and complement each other [17]. Recovery is the process of repairing damage and returning the community to a normal situation (e.g., temporary housing, restoring services, financial assistance)

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