Feature
Multidimensional Warning
| USF News
Knowing who lives and what facilities are available in an area under a severe weatheralert could help save lives. That's the idea behind a warning system under development by USF assistant professor Jennifer Collins, National Weather Service Science and Operations Officer Charles Paxton and USF undergrad Garret Speed.
The system links social data such as population, age, number of homes, and locations of nursing homes, colleges, mobile home parks and gas stations with weather watches, warnings and advisories — critical information for emergency planners, first responders, the media and Florida residents.
"The data for demographics is not a novel idea," says Speed. "But to link warning data with demographics is something that has not been done in Florida."
Speed presented the warning system in April at the 9th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. "Using Python and Javascript, and with collaboration with NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory, we are developing an Internet mapping interface that displays National Weather Service warning and watch polygons (areas) with pop-up menus showing demographic and infrastructure location data for Florida."
The system is easy to use. First, warning/watch polygons are projected onto a map. Then, by clicking on a census tract, users can obtain the age distribution, race/ethnicity distribution and facilities in the area.
The demographic data comes from the United States Census and the Florida Geographic Information System. Speed and his colleagues say the system has the potential to be replicated throughout the United States.
"Each state has a clearinghouse for data like Florida," Speed says. "The information is readily available."
For residents of affected areas, the multidimensional system can improve emergency response — both the speed at which needs are evaluated, and the matching of resources to the needs of residents in a given area, such as nursing home dwellers.
Funding for the research was made possible by a grant from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology (COMET).
Collins and her team hope to have the system ready for use during this year's hurricane season.