10월 20일자 구글 LatLong 블로그 소식입니다. 구글에서 여러가지 재난과 관련된 비영리기관 분들에게 구글의 여러가지 도구를 사용하는 워크샵을 열었다는 내용입니다.

구글의 LatLong 블로그에는 홍수, 지진, 산불, 기근, 허리케인 등 여러가지 재해가 발생할 때마다, 구글맵이나 구글어스가 이재민들 구호에 사용되는지에 대한 내용이 가끔 나옵니다.

그중에서도 특히 후진국에서 발생한 재해 재난의 경우, 여러가지 웹 어플리케이션들이 재난 구호에 아주 유용하게 사용되고 있습니다. 특히 지도의 경우, 구글맵이나 구글어스가 나오기 전에는 비영리 기관에서 지도를 사용한다는 건 꿈도 꿀 수 없는 노릇이었죠.

아무튼 20여군데의 국제 인도주의 기관들이 워싱턴 D.C.에 모여 Google Map Maker and the Google Data Visualization API 등에 대해 토론을 하였다니... 정말 좋은 일이다 싶습니다.

민, 푸른하늘
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http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2009/10/powerful-it-for-disaster-relief.html
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 3:47 PM
Posted by Jen Mazzon, Maps Community Organizer
[Cross-posted with the Google Public Policy Blog]

When disaster strikes in the form of a hurricane, earthquake, famine or flood, information technology can play a crucial role in coordinating a local or global response. Earlier this month, Google hosted over 20 international humanitarian organizations in our Washington, D.C. office for a day of workshops to raise awareness and share experiences about how Google's geographic and data visualization technologies, such as Google Map Maker and the Google Data Visualization API, can aid relief efforts and various humanitarian efforts.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate kicked off the day's discussions with a talk about how agencies can leverage citizen-generated data and imagery to better coordinate response efforts, such as video from people using handheld cameras in the midst of a hurricane. He also cited Google Flu Trends as an example of how to glean public health insights from the wisdom of crowds.

After Craig spoke, the American Red Cross, World Bank and Plan International gave presentations on their own experiences using geographic and data visualization technologies in the field. American Red Cross, for example, is using Google Maps to display open shelters (left) and building damage assessments (right) on the map:


Several Google team members then led discussions and presentations on the myriad Google tools at the disposal of relief agencies: Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Map Maker and the Map Maker Data Download program for Africa, Google Labs Fusion Tables, the Google Data Visualization API and more. See, for example, how UNOSAT used Google Map Maker to aid flood relief efforts in West Africa by clearly mapping transport networks (for more examples of Map Maker in action, see here).

Below are a few photos from the event. Our next workshop, hosted in partnership with the United Nations in New York, will be held in November. If you're interested in more details, give @googlepubpolicy a shout on Twitter.

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