MiCAST - Mobile Information Crisis Action Support Team
This entry has been selected as a finalist in the
We Media PitchIt! Challenge: How can we use media to inspire a better world? competition.
An instant disaster response strategy that combines the immediacy of radio, flexibility of the Internet and cutting-edge social media capabilities to deploy immediate, actionable information in the heart of any disaster. The idea was initially developed and successfully deployed during the record 2009 flooding of the Red River in Fargo.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Chris
Last Name
Brooks
Website
Organization
MiCAST - Mobile Information Crisis Action Support Team
Country
United States
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
MiCAST - Mobile Information Crisis Action Support Team
Organization Website
http://coming soon
Organization Phone
609-477-0982
Organization Address
Washington, DC
Organization Country
United States
Your idea
Name Your Project
MiCAST - Mobile Information Crisis Action Support Team
What is your idea? What makes it innovative? Why is it important?
An instant disaster response strategy that combines the immediacy of radio, flexibility of the Internet and cutting-edge social media capabilities to deploy immediate, actionable information in the heart of any disaster. The idea was initially developed and successfully deployed during the record 2009 flooding of the Red River in Fargo.
Will you launch your idea as a business or non-profit?
Business
Country your work focuses on
United States Minor Outlying Islands
What will be the impact of your idea?
During and right after disasters, accurate information is critical to saving lives and accelerating recovery. MiCAST moves beyond simple news sources to provide actionable information to people in the epicenter of destruction or ahead of potential crisis.
As was proven in Fargo, ND, MiCAST is a unique and innovative approach to providing critical and timely information to people affected by disasters. The MiCAST team formulates an instant disaster response strategy to report the impact through a forum for discussion, emergency information, news-you-can-use, numbers, places to go, what’s happening.
MiCAST partners with existing resources in the affected area - specifically colleges, radio stations and area citizens - and enables them to provide first-hand, on-the-ground information through a spectrum of social media, video and mobile communications through an integrated, aggregated structure. The integrated strategy that combines old media, new media and first-hand reporting creates instant, actionable information to save lives.
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Who will help you develop your idea? Why are you the one to make this happen?
The team below is comprised of media, government, non-profit, and disaster relief experts:
-Mark Pfeifle: VP at S4, Inc who served as deputy national security advisor for communication and global outreach at the White House
Jonathan Thompson: Executive VP, S4, Inc and former FEMA External Affairs Director.
-Paul Morrell, who served as NASA’s chief of staff, a National Security Council communications specialist and chief of staff to former House Majority Leader Dick Armey
-James Davis: Manager of Digital Communications at Gibralter Associates, who previously served in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense Public Affairs where he set up a proactive communications outreach structure among many other high-profile communication positions.
-Matt Burns: Director, Media Relations at UnitedHealth Group in MN, formally served as the Director of Communications at 2008 Republican National Convention.
-Chris Brooks: Online communications specialist with experience in several political, non-profit and corporate ventures.
How much will it cost to launch your idea? (This can be an estimate)
Below is a rough estimate of critical start up costs to launch the first MiCAST teams.
Supplies: (video equipment, laptops, mobile Internet cards) -- $12,000
Travel: (transportation to mobilize teams to crisis area) -- $5,000
Staffing: (compensation for teams of 3-5 people) -- $15,000
This Entry is about (Issues)
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Comments
Please explain why your idea/project, is suited/perfect to using... 'media' ...to bring about A BETTER "WORLD"...the entire planet...? Thank you! a.
The fundamental idea behind MiCAST is that media has an important role in our world and a heightened importance during times of crisis and disaster.
If used correctly, media can save lives and minimize damage. MiCAST seeks to change the idea of media and increase the prominence and use of media during crisis situations by involving more people and producing actionable information: this road is flooding so you should avoid it, this levy is about to break so we need more people to help build a sandbag wall, etc.
Through ventures like "iReport," CNN and other news outlets have started to utilize citizen journalists to produce news, but on a very limited scale and often to add color and commentary to their news stories. MiCAST equips citizens in the middle of the crisis with the ability to connect and converse with the entire community through old and new media. The conversations produce and broadcast facts, information, tips and resources to make a positive difference and potentially save lives in times of peril.
Communications and response methods used to respond to disasters have shifted dramatically over time. At one time, the local populace was roused to respond to emergencies by word of mouth, bells, signal fires and other means to gather the resources necessary to deal with the emergency. As radio and television came on line, public emergency broadcasting services became available, however they were used less for response than for warning and information. Response actions and response communications shifted toward professional use - response actions were left to the "professionals". This contribution deals with two important issues - the shift of large parts of the population from using radio and TV as their main use of communication, and the lack of public involvement in handling their own disasters. This idea allows you to not only rapidly communicte within the new, changing communication environment, but allows you to organize and utilize the local population to help with their own emergencies in a more efficient and useful manner. This is a great idea that hits on two important issues and makes the world a better place by reengaging and assisting the local population to help themselves. It breaks you away from being a bystander watching professionals to a place where you can participate and help at your own level - no longer tied to a radio or TV, but using new mobile communication technology!.
As president/CEO of S4 Inc. where the group is based, I have seen this complete effrot from the planning to execution and feedback. I recommend and endorse this idea.
I was a broadcaster during Hurricane Agnes in '72 and I think this is a GREAT idea!
I spent a lot of years in radio covering natural disasters -floods, hurricanes, tonadoes, forest fires and so forth. This makes the best use of new and emerging technology to share information in ways I could not imagine back in the day. I think it's invaluable not only for media and citizen journalists but relief agencies, disaster victims and familes concerned about loved ones.
I'd like to support his idea. Having deployed medical teams to combat in OIF and OEF, the ability to react quickly and to apply resources at the decisive point on the"battlefield" hinges on a system of communicating resources available and needs. This system serves as a centerpiece for managing and recruiting both traditional and nontraditional relief resources exactly where they are needed. It eliminates waste of time and equipment and thus better serves the people in crisis. Way to go guys this is a great idea.
Mark
Wonderful idea. This experienced team of professionals did a nice job of tying together new media with traditional means of communicating in the midst of a natural disaster. Having personally served in disaster relief operations in the wake of an earthquake in El Salvador, floods in Haiti, a landslide in Italy, and hurricanes in Central America and the Caribbean over a 20-year career in the military, this initiative has clearly taken real-time communications disaster relief to the next level.
A key component to this idea is the integration of "new" media with traditional "old" media. A discussion of actionable information on the web will have not have a significant impact if people aren't in the room. MiCAST focuses on aggregating the information online and pushing the information out in a variety of ways including online, mobile and collaborations with local radio and tv to ensure a wide audience can act upon the real-time information.
A key component to this idea is the integration of "new" media with traditional "old" media. A discussion of actionable information on the web will have not have a significant impact if people aren't in the room. MiCAST focuses on aggregating the information online and pushing the information out in a variety of ways including online, mobile and collaborations with local radio and tv to ensure a wide audience can act upon the real-time information.
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