Civilian Crisis Response Models (Dagstuhl Seminar 13041)

Abstract

This report documents the program and the outcomes of Dagstuhl Seminar 13041 Crisis Response The vulnerability of modern societies to the threats of man made and natural disaster increases and scale and number of disasters are expected to rise. The earthquakes of Haiti with its subsequent Cholera epidemics, the natural disasters in Pakistan as well as the ongoing situation in Japan illustrate the need for effective and efficient crisis and disaster response organizations as well as humanitarian aid organizations in developing and first world countries. Disaster preparedness is a key to effectiveness and efficiency in case of crisis or disaster - but we observe that natural and human disasters are too often beyond what is being planned for. There is a need for new and better approaches in disaster and crises response and humanitarian aid. Think of IT-systems and how well designed systems can help or think of what science can contribute in terms of models, methods, instruments and tools for analysis and decision making. This Dagstuhl Seminar is motivated by the fact that computer science is an enabler for the changes and should contribute to the body of scientific knowledge and instruments and tools alike. The Seminar discussed approaches to Crisis Response from a variety of disciplines and worked on a research agenda for Networked Civilian Crisis Response Models.