Building Preparedness: Data and Communication for Crisis Response
LED BY: Michael Zick Doherty, Sonoma Fire Info Michael Wilkening, California Health and Human Services Agency Bobbi Jo Price, Twilio.org DESCRIPTION: When fires broke out across Northern and Southern California in 2017, people and organizations sprung to action en masse, including government officials, volunteers, and the private sector. But early on, the lack of reliable information about health facilities, shelter, route closures, and other critical resources made it difficult for people to get help. To address this gap, creative developers and data scientists devised methods to collect, verify, and share relevant information across government agencies and the public.
In this session, Michael Wilkening from The California Health and Human Services Administration (CHHS), Michael Zick Doherty from Sonoma Fire Info, and Bobbi Jo Price from Twilio will share how their experience building information systems in the midst of a crisis can help inform future planning and response. Lessons from this intersection of public and private spheres offers replicable insights for building preparedness for future events.
Key learnings will focus on: Validating rapidly changing information Building redundancy in communication systems Collecting and visualizing disparate data sources to inform response activities
WHO SHOULD ATTEND: City officials working in emergency response or crisis management, nonprofits, developers, and other people who want to support disaster response communications.
