Open Source Disaster Project in UN Report

Some time ago I got the Australian Computer Society to sponsor the deployment of the Sahana web based disaster management system for the Indonesian Earthquake. The United Nations Development Program has mentioned the project in a recent item on "Managing Disasters":

"Sahana was deployed to assist with the management of the relief work following the earthquake in Yogjakarta, Indonesia in May 2006. The system was operated by the Indonesian Whitewater Association and the Indonesian Rescue Source, two organizations that undertook relief support work after the eathquake. Technical support was provided by the UrRemote group and the deployment was sponsored by the Communications Technologies Board of the Australian Computer Society."

From: Disasters - Sahana, Christine Apikul, IOSN, UNDP, 2006

Also Paul Currion, an expert from the UK, visited the project in Indonesia and has prepared a draft report with 20 recommendations to improve the system. The report should be out soon.

Overall this was a worthwhile exercise and there is the option of the work being carried out by Australian IT students working online with those of other countries as part of learning about international IT project development.

The project was previously reported in CIO magazine and The Australian.