Post on 31-Mar-2015
Part 3. Where to finddisaster information
New technologies and disaster information resources
Principal Sources
The World Wide Web CD-ROMs Disaster Information Centers
Principal tools
Problems:
the overwhelming amount of information the disorganized nature of the information lack of standards and quality control slow connection speeds
The World Wide WebThe World Wide Web
What gives value added to disaster information?
A reliable source Speed Quality and relevance of content Organization A combination of resources Has a focus It’s up-to-date Good design and easy to navigate
What makes a good web site?
Simplicity Graphics, fonts, colors Ease of navigation Avoid needless animation Reduce “download” time Good (and working!) “links” Up-to-date information Include “meta tags” A search engine Quality control
The growth of Internet access can generate inequities in access to information.
We cannot cater exclusively to the online community.
Keep in mind the needs, interests and
limitations of all users.
The Internet is not the only source of digital information .
. .CD-ROMs enable widespread use of information in electronic format when the Internet is not accessible. They are:
low cost easy to use economies of scale large storage
capacity
CD-ROM: The Virtual Health Library for Disasters
CD-ROM: The Virtual Health Library for Disasters
The Global Virtual Library of Essential Information Resources on Public Health for Disasters and Complex Emergencies (2001
Edition)
What is the Virtual Disaster Library?
An open and changing collection
Information in Spanish, English and French
An organized collection of technical and scientific
documents selected for their quality of content
Available free of charge, it does away with
restrictions of time an space imposed by Internet
Dual platform: CD-ROM and Internet
Dual electronic format: HTML and PDF
New edition of the Virtual Health Library for Disasters
The same objective:
facilitate fast and low-cost
access to technical and
scientific publications on
health and disasters.
What’s new?
A global collection, prepared by PAHO and WHO, with collaboration from some of the most imporant international organizations working in health, emergencies and disasters: UNICEF, UNHCR, ICRS.
Expanded content and themataic coverage: now more than 400 technical documents including the most important publications on emergencies and disasters from these organizations.
Easier to search, with material in in three languages.
Topics
Public health in disasters and emergencies Disaster preparedness and response Human rights and humanitarian legislationEnvironmental health and chemical agentsRefugee health and displaced populationsCommunicable and vector-borne diseasesFood and nutritionReproductive health, child health and immunizationMental healthSupply management and essential drugsMedical management of the consequences of war
A note . . .
The easiest part of the process was harnessing the technology.
The most difficult part was negotiating with organizations to relinquish copyrights.
The process helped to eliminate, or at least reduce, bureaucratic tendencies.
Many advantages
Permanent and unlimited access to information
Reduced printing and distribution costs
Easy to update
Can personalize how information is manipulated and distributed.
Technology and training
The use of technology should be supported by training and education.
Internet is just a tool – it doesn’t provide the skills to search for information or the capacity to interpret and understand it.
Training, training, training . . .
“How do organisations convince people that training is much more than courses, that it is about life-long commitment to workplace learning, continuous improvement and discovery.”
Alistair Rylatt & Kevin Lohan, Creating Training Miracles, 1995
“In the end we retain from our studies only that which we practically apply.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Remember the principal challenges
Connectivity, but with value added Training Content Promoting other technologies and not forgetting
those on the other side of the digital divide Promoting institutionalized information services
and centers.
Disaster Information Centers
Regional Disaster Information Center (CRID)
Caribbean Disaster Information Network (CARDIN)
CRID: An institutional alliance
Management
PAHOISDR
AdvocacyCNE
IFRC
CEPREDENAC
Administrative support
FUNDACRIDSustainability
CRID
What can CRID do for your organization?
Satisfy information needs Publish and distribute bibliographical material (Bibliodes) Conversion to digital format and distribution of e-documents Technical advice on creating information centers Promote inter-institutional collaboration Distribute technical documentation Help to create strategic alliances
Creates a “culture” of informationCreates a “culture” of information
Contributes to improving vulnerability and risk reduction in the Caribbean
CRID Information Resources
Databases and bibliographic services Publications in digital format Support for education and decision making Integrating methodologies and resources
Bibliographic Databases DESASTRES VIDEOS Contacts
Electronic Publications
Usefulness of electronic publications
Paradigm shift: a virtual CRID Decentralizes and opens up the collection. Transfers the experience and methodology of work Makes widely available material that otherwise
would have a limited audience
Support to education anddecision making
Includes texts and multimedia materials, directed to specific publics and situations:
Manuals,Guidelines for professionals and the public Case studiesCatalog of experiences that could be replicated or
should be avoided. Frequently-asked questions Reference materials for “situation rooms”
C A R D I N
Caribbean DisasterInformation Network
Remember . . .
Beware of technology fanatics!
Digital or electronic “gold fever” can be as volatile and risky as any other fever!
“I’m connected, therefore I am!
. . . not the other way around!