Big Data vs. Big Storm: Here Is A Technology That Informs Hurricane Sandy Preparedness, Response

As Hurricane Sandy barrels up the East Coast, Direct Relief, a medical relief organization, in collaboration with technology partner Palantir introduces a smart system that would help assess needs, determine likely emergency scenarios, and mount a targeted response for health clinic partners in the path of the storm.

Because of the huge geographic area and population potentially affected by the storm - an estimated 60 million people - a key priority is to identify people and communities that are most at risk. Palo Alto-based company, Palantir, specializes in data integration, visualization and analysis tools that allowed Direct Relief to pull together massive amounts of information sources into a common framework to better understand, visualize, plan, and manage for complex emergencies, including Hurricane Sandy.

A critical component which enables its ability to mount an effective response is their understanding of social vulnerability: who is at risk, where, and why? Not everyone within a hurricane's path is equally at risk.

Extensive research by Dr. Susan Cutter of the University of South Carolina regarding past hurricanes and other emergencies has identified over 30 factors that affect communities' vulnerability in such events, including an area's natural and built environment, its rural or urban character, and the demographic composition and income levels of the population. In general, vulnerability is greater among people at age extremes (young and old), with low incomes, members of minority populations, and those with special health or medical needs.

"Palantir's analytical and data visualization tools are helping Direct Relief pinpoint our clinic partners located in socially vulnerable populations, and in flood risk zones as they relate to Hurricane Sandy, allowing us to better anticipate the needs for essential medicines in emergencies," said Andrew Schroeder, Direct of Research and Analysis at Direct Relief. "In addition we can assess the likely scenarios for population movement which may stretch the resources of inland primary care health centers in the event of evacuation. The better the information the better we can understand and manage complex problems in near real time."

The general principle that good information is needed to make good decisions is particularly true in emergencies, as situations can shift rapidly and information flow can be interrupted. Among the challenges in emergencies is the need to make rapid decisions to deploy resources - equipment, personnel, money, food, water, shelter supplies, and health resources - occurs just as current, precise information becomes harder to obtain and distribution channels become damaged.

A "fog of war" analog exists in emergencies; the company's preparedness and response efforts focus on building information channels, working consistently with the nonprofit health centers and clinics that serve vulnerable people in high-risk hurricane areas, pre-positioning essential health resources in the areas, and building a robust distribution channel to infuse additional resources as circumstances warrant.

The contents of the prep packs are versatile and can be used for acute care as well as to treat patients with chronic diseases should they become displaced by storms and lose access to their medications or medical care. Each U.S.-bound pack contains enough medicines and supplies to treat 100 patients for three to five days after a hurricane hits. The modules shipped internationally are much larger, containing enough supplies to treat 1,000 people for a month following a disaster.