Sahana Camp 2014: A Silver Lining on a dark cloud

The Indian Ocean Tsunami that devastated parts of the island on Boxing Day 2004 will not be forgotten in our lifetimes. The tragedy is in itself a testament to the resilience of a nation brought together in and bonded in sorrow. Yet, 10 years after the devastation it is not merely the tragedy but the island's response to the tragedy that is worthy of acknowledgement. One response in particular is the Sahana disaster management system, designed to minimise the loss-of life in a disaster scenario. This tool has evolved over time to become one of the most trusted systems for disaster management, used by governments and volunteers in a variety of different scenarios all over the world.

Speaking to Tech-a-Holic, Director/CTO at Sahana Foundation, Chamindra de Silva, explained how Sahana is primarily a public good designed on open standards so that could users customise the system to meet local needs. Moreover, in partnership with Google, IBM and other industry titans, the systems now features new and innovative features for greater portability, evacuation coordination and data management. Such features greatly improve the ability of first-responders, rescue teams and volunteers to work together to find people and help manage disaster scenarios to minimise the loss of life. The system has already been downloaded more than 400,000 times and deployed in more than two dozen major disasters around the world including New York City and Haiti.

The third major phase in the development of the system- codenamed Eden - features a new mapping functionality and greater compatibility for local use. The improvements reflect a growing understanding of disaster management and the importance of managing large quantities of data in an increasingly interconnected world. Importantly, developers involved in Sahana work tirelessly to integrate contingency plans into the disaster deployment systems to minimise the possibility of system failure during a disaster (e.g. the loss of power, lack of connectivity, radio interference, etc.). This is what makes the system so appealing.

As Sahana enters its next phase in the development process, it is becoming an important symbol of the innovative nature of the local IT industry. Sahana’s valuable spill-over effects improve the visibility of local IT companies and local IT professionals. Lately, organisers launched the Sahana camp, coinciding with the Indian Ocean Tsunami 10th Anniversary (IOTX) to bring together thinkers from different disciplines related to disaster management including engineering, public policy and community development. The goal was to understand the role of technology systems in the emergency preparedness and response, community resilience and disaster recovery. This brought together multiple stakeholders from the government, private sector, academia and civil society.

Despite the tragedy of the Tsunami, Sri Lanka should be proud of its role in helping the world minimise the pain and suffering brought about by natural disasters, through the innovative systems such as Sahana, developed right here at home.

By Navam Niles