Using Web 2.0 technology to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations : applying the lessons learnt from the United States Military response to the 2010 Haiti Earthquake to improve the utilisation of the New Zealand Defence Force's communications and information systems during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in Defence and Strategic Studies at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
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Date
2012
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Massey University
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Abstract
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) Operations are complex
multidimensional environments requiring the deployment of a military force. These
operations will have multiple agencies responding including military forces, emergency
responders, United Nations agencies, None Government Organisations (NGOs) and
Private Volunteer Organisations all of which specialising in the provision of the necessities
of life to survive a disaster including food, shelter, water, sanitation, medical and logistics
support. The coordination of the relief effort and ensuring resources are applied where
they can achieve maximum impact is a significant challenge. Information and
communications technology, and in particular the Internet, has matured to a level now
where this technology can be used to aid with the coordination challenges facing the
multiple responders in a HA/DR operation.
This paper examines the command and control arrangements that the New Zealand
Defence Force has in place to support deployment on HA/DR operations and looks at
modern commercial information technology trends, labelled broadly as Web 2.0, and
proposes ways that these trends in information and communications technology might be
utilised to increase the effectiveness of a New Zealand Defence Force Deployment. It
examines the use of Web 2.0 type technology that was used by the United States Military
during their deployment to Haiti and compares this with the use of information and
communications technology by the New Zealand Defence Force during a response to a
major earthquake in Christchurch and on an HA/DR exercise in the South Pacific. It seeks
to highlight ways that the New Zealand Defence Force might use information and
communications technology to enhance responses to HA/DR incidents in the future.
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Web 2.0, Information systems, Communication, Haiti earthquake, New Zealand Defence Force, United States Military, Disaster relief, Emergency relief, Emergency management, Humanitarian assistance, Humanitarian aid, International relief