Lifesaving technology dilutes disasters

First there were the early warning systems triggered by seismic activity that resulted in thousands of people being able to flee to higher ground, minutes before the big waves struck with such awesome power. Then, there was the technology built into skyscrapers that rocked and rolled and swayed and swung but stayed put.

People power

But most of all, it was modern communications technology that not only warned citizens of impending disaster but that let family members know pretty much instantly, who was safe and who wasn't. Communications technology that found loved ones, that let people know where shelters were, where food and water could be obtained.

And, of course, to keep everyone informed, instantly.

Interestingly, when the quake struck, CCTV cameras, amateur photographers and webcams showed people hanging on for dear life as their homes and offices looked like aircraft flying through severe turbulence but, at the same time, many were on their cellphones, texting and tweeting.

Professional amateurs

And, once again, the vast majority of live television and radio coverage of the disaster came from citizen journalists. Ordinary people texting their experiences, their emotions, their fears. Amateur videographers bringing the most remarkable pictures to the world's television screens.

But, more and more, technology is coming to the aid of global citizens in terms of instant warnings of impending disaster.

For example, one of the best iPad applications is Disaster Radar from RSOE Emergency & Disaster Information Service in Budapest, Hungary. This remarkable service is available online and also on Facebook and via Twitter (RSOE_EDIS).

Plain language

On a map of the world, it shows all earthquake activity, volcano dangers, epidemics, bio-hazards, nuclear events and even major road accidents. It is a remarkable feat of early warning communications technology, written in plain language and going into quite remarkable detail, with events analysed by experts.

Zooming in on the Japanese coast right now will show literally dozens and dozens of earthquakes and aftershocks, as well as tsunami warnings and nuclear events.

There is no question that modern scientific technology is becoming more accessible by ordinary people and that ordinary people are now very much the front line in terms of disaster management activation, early warnings and most of all, mass communication.

Mass media from the masses

While TV networks such as CNN, Sky and Al-Jazeera have been extremely quick and outstanding of events such as the Egyptian Revolution, the Libyan crisis and now the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster, they owe much of their initial coverage to ordinary people who, in spite of danger to themselves, feel obligated to tell the world what they are seeing and experiencing.

Technology has saved innumerable lives in Japan; of that there is no doubt. Now all that the scientists have to come up with is a way of stopping nuclear power plants from blowing up.

For more:

• Google Crisis Response: 2011 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami
  
• Rescue South Africa: www.rescue-sa.co.za, @ResQSA (Rescue South Africa is is putting together a team for a mission to Japan under the auspices of the department of international relations and cooperation. Bank details for donations are available on the Rescue South Africa site.)