Google Crisis Response Mapping

Google Crisis Response makes critical information more accessible around natural disasters and humanitarian crises, such as hurricanes and earthquakes. This initiative is a project of Google.org, which uses Google's strengths in information and technology to build products and advocate for policies that address global challenges.

The types of activities we might initiate include:

• Organizing emergency alerts, news updates and donation opportunities, and making this information visible through our web properties or dedicated Landing Pages
• Building engineering tools that enable better communication and collaboration among crisis responders and among victims such as Person Finder
• Supporting responders in using core Google tools, including Google Apps and Google Maps
• Providing updated satellite imagery and maps of affected areas to illustrate infrastructure damage and help relief organizations navigate disaster zones 
•  Supporting the rebuilding of network infrastructure where it has been damaged to enable access to the Internet
• Donating to charitable organizations that are providing direct on-the-ground relief

Google assesses the scale and scope of each disaster to determine whether and how Google can uniquely contribute tools or content to relief efforts.

During a crisis, individuals go online to search for the latest emergency information. Google has created a platform to disseminate relevant emergency alerts to users when and where they’re searching for them. As an organization, you can use Public Alerts to get out your information.

Following a crisis, people often get separated, and responders play a role in helping people locate one another. Google Person Finder, launched by the Google Crisis Response team, helps with this process by providing an open platform for individuals and organizations to let people know who they’re looking for and to enter updates about missing persons. As an organization you can:

• Embed Google Person Finder in your website to allow people to directly access and use the tool
• Download data from Google Person Finder to match with your information or take to the field
• Upload data you’ve collected into Google Person Finder    

Resources

Custom Google Maps

While many people are familiar with Google Maps for finding directions, responders can also easily create custom Google maps when they need to supply critical crisis information to their teams or to the public. Use custom Google Maps to:

• Mark crisis information such as road closures and resources such as emergency medical stations
• Draw lines and shapes to highlight paths and areas that are covered in debris
• Add your own text, photos, and videos to provide context
•  Share
• Import KML, KMZ, and RSS formatted data into your map, to host on Google’s servers and share broadly

 Google Earth

Google Earth is a virtual globe that allows extensive customization. See the places you are working in or traveling to in great geographic detail. Customize Google Earth with editing tools to draw shapes, add text, and integrate live feeds of information such as earthquakes as they happen. Use Google Earth to:

• Visualize the place before the crisis event, and afterwards, once new imagery becomes available
• Explore the places you are working through the many information layers built into Google Earth, or through files (KMLs) that you download from the Gallery or other websites
• Add markers and customize them with text, photos, and videos - only you can see the things you add until you save them as a KML file and share them with others

 Google Fusion Tables

Gather, visualize and share data online with your staff and other response organizations and constituents. Use Google Fusion Tables to:

• ·         Visualize
• ·         Identify data patterns to aid in crisis decision making
• ·         Show the world your work in real time by embedding your map or chart in a web page
• ·         Collaborate with other responders by merging your data, allowing you to see all important related information in one place

Home Page for Crisis Response: http://www.google.org/crisisresponse/