Researchers at UC San Diego are performing spatiotemporal analysis on 9-1-1 call data from the California wildfires to help define a future early warning system. The volume and frequency of calls in specific locations could be used to adequately allocate emergency responders. The fact that residents often dial 9-1-1 at the outset of emergency makes the 9-1-1 call system a logical funnel for human sensor input, which when visualized gives an accurate picture of an evolving situation.
The researchers are hoping that their research will enable more command centers to complement their current systems with visualization and analysis techniques. The spatiotemporal analysis could also result in a more efficient response to large-scale disasters.
There’s a good overview of this project on the UC San Diego news center, complete with multimedia video presentations. This research will be presented at the findings at the URISA/NENA Addressing Conference (Urban and Regional Information Systems Association and National Emergency Number Association) in Portland, Ore., April 7-10.
