Development of a mobile post-disaster management system using free and open source technologies

Portability, accessibility and usability in extreme situations during or after disasters are essential requirements for a disaster management system to work at full capacity. Affordability is another concern that should be highlighted, especially in underdeveloped countries. For these purposes, a mobile-based post-disaster management system (MDMS) mainly used for collecting, sharing and disseminating disaster-induced damages/risks was successfully developed under a combination of native and web application technologies (so-called hybrid technologies) using various open source and free software such as GeoServer, Openlayers, Cordova, and jQuery Mobile. The MDMS was then assessed using a case study with a class of 45 students who were asked to report typhoon-induced damages/risks via the MDMS and complete a questionnaire concerning the portability, accessibility and usefulness of the system. In general, the functionality provided by the MDMS was well recognized, as most of the surveyed students were satisfied with the mobile and web-based technologies. The cross-platform and offline-work capabilities as well as the portability of the system were considered the most valuable features in facilitating post-disaster management. Therefore, it was concluded that an MDMS based on free and open source software constitutes an affordable, portable and cross-platform solution for post-disaster management. Nevertheless, as a prototype system, the MDMS will require further improvements to provide better user experiences and maximize its functionality.