title: Community response grids: using information technology to help communities respond to bioterror emergencies.
abstract: Access to accurate and trusted information is vital in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from an emergency. To facilitate response in large-scale emergency situations, Community Response Grids (CRGs) integrate Internet and mobile technologies to enable residents to report information, professional emergency responders to disseminate instructions, and residents to assist one another. CRGs use technology to help residents and professional emergency responders to work together in community response to emergencies, including bioterrorism events. In a time of increased danger from bioterrorist threats, the application of advanced information and communication technologies to community response is vital in confronting such threats. This article describes CRGs, their underlying concepts, development efforts, their relevance to biosecurity and bioterrorism, and future research issues in the use of technology to facilitate community response.
authors: College of Information Studies, University of Maryland, College Park 20742-4345, USA. pjaeger@umd.edu
authors: Paul T
authors: PT
authors: Jaeger
authors: Kenneth R
authors: KR
authors: Fleischmann
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Preece
authors: Ben
authors: B
authors: Shneiderman
authors: Philip Fei
authors: PF
authors: Wu
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Qu
mesh_terms: D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000517:prevention & control; D003142:Communication; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004631:Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States