A comparison and classification framework for disaster information management systems

A disaster, whether artificial or natural, can overwhelm even the best prepared segment of a society. When not properly managed, the same disaster inflicts far more damage than necessary. At the core of disaster management lie the monumental tasks of collecting, distributing, processing, and presenting disaster-related data. Although many products and proposals claim to accomplish these critical undertakings, few actually do live up to the expectations mainly due to the complex and comprehensive nature of disaster information management. Noting the lack of standards and consensus on what constitutes an ideal Disaster Information Management System (DIMS), this paper sets out to first identify essential requirements for a truly useful DIMS and to eventually propose a comparison and classification framework that can be used by various organisations considering the adoption of a DIMS.