Chelsea DeCapua
Participant Uses GIS to Map Lessons Learned in Emergency and Disaster Management
Chelsea DeCapua, a participant in the ORISE-managed U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Scholarship and Fellowship Program, uses geographic information systems to identify new ways to improve emergency response and disaster management in the wake of the destruction brought by the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Photo courtesy of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
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Traveling through the battered suburbs of Beaumont, Texas, months after Hurricane Rita had left her mark, Chelsea DeCapua saw first-hand the physical and emotional destruction left by one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes ever to make landfall.
A volunteer with an organization that traveled to the area to provide disaster relief to victims, DeCapua spent spring break repairing a home heavily damaged by Rita. “I worked on a house built in the 1920s that was literally ‘full of holes’ months after the hurricane swept through the area,” said DeCapua, whose interest in researching new ways to improve emergency and disaster management peaked after visiting the hurricane-ravaged region. “The experience was very humbling and made it apparent how much more we need to do to improve disaster response.”
When a disaster strikes, ensuring adequate response time and resources can be the greatest obstacles facing emergency responders tasked with providing aid to victims. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), DeCapua is spending the summer researching ways to mitigate such obstacles using advances in geographic information systems (GIS) technologies through an internship provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Scholarship and Fellowship Program. The program, which is managed for DHS by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, is designed to support and encourage the next generation of scientists and engineers to pursue research related to DHS’ mission of improving homeland security.
A senior at Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology (RIT) majoring in information technology and pursuing a certificate in emergency and disaster management, DeCapua uses GIS and software developed by ORNL to compare trend data from international disasters, such as the Indian Ocean tsunami that occurred in 2004. Much of her research involves examining geospatial information (which uses GIS to collect data that locate points of interest on a computer-generated map) to develop a “lessons learned” resource that will define best practices for disaster preparation, response and recovery.
Beyond simply mapping routes, landforms and waterways, GIS is a prevalent tool used in emergency response, planning, exercises, mitigation, homeland security and national preparedness. GIS can help reduce disaster response time by building an integrated infrastructure of power and water utilities, schools, hospitals, residential areas and other locations.
The end result allows emergency planners to make informed decisions about the resources available to response crews whose primary goal is to provide assistance to those impacted by natural and man-made disasters. “GIS has huge potential for aiding emergency responders, but there is still room to improve its use by creating standards and centralizing data,” said DeCapua.
After DeCapua completes her research in August, the Vermont native will return to RIT, however her experience with the DHS program has been one she will never forget. “I have been blessed with so many opportunities through the DHS Scholarship and Fellowship Program,” she said. “The internship opportunities are challenging and introduce you to people who will shape your future in many ways.”