Towards an Integrated Information Logistics for Multi Hazard Early Warning Systems

Abstract

Abstract:The delivery of user-tailored warning messages for heterogeneous user groups is a challenge rarely covered by hazard monitoring and Early Warning Systems (EWS) even though it is one of the four key elements of early warning systems identified by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR). This article describes the concepts of generic information logistics developed for the distant early warning system (DEWS). It is not limited to specific hazard types, languages or other deployment specifics. Instead, it enables the generation of user-tailored warning messages that account for specific needs, individual requirements, different levels of understanding, distinct perceptions and varying personal abilities and it provides several filter mechanisms to avoid unintentional message flooding in emergency situations. This novel approach is completed by a reusable graphical user interface component, which provides functionality to generate warning messages in compliance with the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) standard to leverage inter-operability among early warning systems.

Climatologically based warning system against meteorological hazards and weather extremes: the example for Poland

“…All of the information appearing in the system will be written with understandable and clear vocabulary since it is the user who has to read the message and interpret the information correctly (Lendholt and Hammitzsch 2012;Mayhorn and McLaughlin 2014). Moreover, to improve the perception of warnings by the public (WMO 2010), additional information will be provided, including a description of the causes of weather hazards, definitions of terminology associated with them, and some historical information about major weather incidents in the country (case studies).…”

Development of tsunami early warning systems and future challenges

“…monitoring, decision support, or information logistics) and packaged as interoperable and standardised services. The SOA of GITEWS and DEWS has been realised with enterprise service bus (ESB) technology (Wächter et al, 2009;Lendholt and Hammitzsch, 2011).…”

“…Sophisticated filtering strategies are applied by checking user thresholds against CAP criticality values provided in the HCM. Figure 6 outlines the ILC model (further details in Lendholt and Hammitzsch, 2011). …”

Evolving an information logistics database for geospatial early warning systems

“…Furthermore, Lendholt and Hammitzsch (2011) assess that while the detection of hazardous events is covered by several projects and productive EWSs, warning message dissemination is often disregarded. In the majority of cases, the focus is on sensor measurements and disaster prediction, but the delivery of user-tailored warning messages for heterogeneous users is a challenge that is rarely covered by EWSs.…”

“…Warning alerts and messages should be geographically specific to ensure that warnings are targeted only to those at risk. Lendholt and Hammitzsch (2011) conclude that while DEWS was primarily focused on tsunami early warning in the Indian Ocean region, the system offers a modular design that can serve as a reference architecture for EWSs independent of the hazard type and region. A generic reference architecture for EWSs should have components designed to work in new deployments and new sites without requiring re-programming or compilation procedures.…”