Futurity reimagines the disaster response for vulnerable populations through efficient data collection.
Mass Care requires a multi-faceted approach because of the complexity and scope of disasters. Vulnerable populations are severely affected and need resources to survive and thrive. A reactive approach yields results that compound the negative impact on survivors.
Who comprises vulnerable populations?
Vulnerability is determined by historical, political, cultural, institutional, and natural resource processes that shape conditions of people’s lives.
Driving factors for vulnerability include poor housing, ill-health, age, education, and political tensions. Vulnerability is a key component of disaster health risk for communities. Disaster risk facets involve the severity of the hazard, the number of people affected, and potential susceptibility during an emergency.
Identifying potential hazards and preparing to aid vulnerable populations is a key for success in Mass Care.
Two tragic events propelled Futurity to develop a better system for vulnerable populations:
1. Oregon Turning Point: 2020 Oregon Wildfires
• The Oregon wildfires burned more than 1.2 million acres and destroyed over 5,000 homes.
• The Oregon Department of Human Services created the Office of Resilience an Emergency Management because of the unprecedented number of displaced survivors.
2. Hawaii Turning Point: 2023 Lahaina Fire
• The Lahaina fired destroyed or damaged nearly 4,000 properties, with estimated damages up to $6 billion. Over 100 people lost their lives.
• Over 7,000 people needed shelter.
The Futurity Solution
The fires and response to vulnerable populations in Oregon and Hawaii highlighted a weakness in the standard disaster management response.
Futurity reworked disaster management technology to account for the impact on the public..
We created an online intake form for survivors, centralizing the needed information. Centralization provides access to the entire team working to aid the vulnerable populations. It’s critical for access to data to operate with and without internet connectivity. Data must stay up-to-date as a disaster progresses
How did Futurity change disaster management technology?
• Developed key questions to determine level of care needed
• Needs assessment records the survivor’s immediate needs, a description of the experience, basic information of pre-disaster condition versus post-disaster situation, and the process to follow through on recovery.
• All data in a single, shareable system.
• Provide a system for better organization and understanding of survivor eligibility for state and federal relief programs.
• Efficiently report incident scope to government agencies to request reimbursement.
Mass Care focuses on vulnerable populations. To complete the global picture of a disaster, we must understand the impact on built structures and the human environment. The recovery process works efficiently with systemized damage assessment, centralized location for access, quickly triaging for immediate needs, and planning for long-term care when needed.
Futurity’s goal is to care for both the built and the human environment during a disaster.
