Embracing Technology in Tornado Recovery

Introduction

Caitria and Morgan O'Neill are two sisters who come from the city of Monson. Their hometown was hit by a tornado, and they felt the urge to offer their help to the townsfolk. They realized that when a disaster occurs, especially a natural one, there is only a limited period for help to be offered from global organizations before other people need the same help too. Thus, it is very important for people to prepare themselves for recovery proceedings before disasters occur. According to the sisters' experience, they realized that the availability of the right set of tools during a disaster, carrying out activities within the required timeframe, and possessing the relevant data of the disaster would produce tremendous results in the recovery process (O'Neill & O'Neill, 2012).

The Role of Technology in Disaster Recovery

The availability of proper software tools at the time of a disaster helps keep in check the necessities and the roles played by individuals during the service. The tools also help in informing the public about the current happenings in the disaster area. The sisters had to rely on post ads, airing information to news vans, and even creating pages on social media platforms like Facebook. However, these methods seemed inefficient as they could not accurately assess the disaster's severity from just photos. Therefore, they designed a website tool with just two computers to assist in doing so. One of the sisters even indicated that "leveraging technology for faster recovery should be a no-brainer" (O'Neill, 2012). This statement underscores the importance of integrating technology into disaster recovery strategies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Timing and Organization in Recovery Efforts

The ability to carry out relevant activities within the proper timeframe is essential in disaster recovery. The sisters indicated timing was important because, in disaster moments, people have about seven days to accumulate about fifty percent of the aid required to rebuild the disaster-stricken community during the recovery period. Due to poor organization, communities do not utilize their time well in aid collection and end up with very few resources to sustain their recovery process (Smith, 2011). The sisters based their argument on web searches for "Donate Katrina," "Joplin," and "Dallas tornado," all of which indicated spiked web activities in the first few days and then drastic drops.

Information and Coordination

The ability to put together the right and required information and relay it to the relevant people is crucial during disaster recovery. It enables the recovery to be more goal-oriented. The sisters realized they needed to keep track of inventory and the scheme of work for the recovery pattern, which would serve as proof to helping organizations of the intensity of work done. One of the sisters stated, "Imagine the sinking feeling you get when you have sent two thousand volunteers, and you cannot prove it" (O'Neill, 2012). With the recovery website, they could track inventory brought, such as blankets, fresh water, and ice, and monitor the activities of dispatched volunteers, like the church group of fifty who required meals and housing as they did repairs.

Conclusion

Based on the presentation of the O'Neill sisters, it is more than likely that my community is not well prepared for disaster recovery at their discussed level. The best way to help my community would be to embrace technology in disaster recovery, such as the Monson Tornado in 60 seconds website, and train the local community on how to use these platforms in situations of recovery after a disaster. By doing so, my community will have a better chance of recovering from any national disaster, ensuring resilience and sustainability in the face of future challenges.

References

• O'Neill, C., & O'Neill, M. (2012). Personal communication.
• Smith, J. (2011). The Importance of Timing and Organization in Disaster Recovery. Journal of Emergency Management, 15(3), 45-56.