Bringing order to chaos: How RFID can deliver business intelligence to hurricane evacuations and enhance public safety in the process

Authors

  • David C. Wyld, DBA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2009.0020

Keywords:

radio frequency identification, evacuation, emergency preparedness, information technology, business intelligence, planning

Abstract

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and subsequent major hurricanes, evacuation planning and execution have taken-on a heightened level of interest from both public officials and the general public. In this article, the authors examine how radio frequency identification (RFID) can be utilized to not just facilitate mass evacuations due to hurricanes, but yield far-better, real-time information to public officials, emergency managers, and concerned family members as well. The authors begin with an overview of RFID technology. Then, the authors explore how two leading areas—the State of Texas and the City of New Orleans—have worked with private sector partners to develop, test, and actually utilize RFID-based tracking systems to be used ondemand for hurricane evacuation events. The authors then analyze the benefits of such systems for use in hurricanes and other potential mass evacuations. The authors pinpoint the public safety, operational, and business intelligence advantages of employing this new identification technology in these crisis situations.

Author Biography

David C. Wyld, DBA

Robert Maurin Professor of Management and Director of the Strategic e-Commerce/e-Government Initiative, Department of Management, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.

References

Landry CE, Okmyung B, Hindsley P, et al.: Going home: Evacuation-migration decisions of Hurricane Katrina survivors. South Econ J. 2007; 74: 326-343.

Brinkley D: The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. New York:William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishers, 2006.

State of Louisiana, Department of Health and Hospitals: Press release: Hurricane Katrina—Deceased reports, 2006. Available at http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/page.asp?ID=192&Detail=5248. Accessed January 20, 2009.

Wells G: Tracking a mass evacuation: Lessons learned from Hurricane Rita. GeoPlace.Available at http://www.geoplace.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid_&nm_&type_Publishing&mod_Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid_8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier_4&id_6DA6148F866A459C9FA0ACA3EF222800. Accessed November 10, 2008.

Sauser B: A model for hurricane evacuation: Software developed at MIT could save lives and money by improving hurricane planning. Logistics Log. Available at http://logisticslog.blogspot.com/2008/09/model-for-hurricane-evacuation.html. Accessed November 25, 2008.

Wolshon B, Urbina E, Wilmot C, et al.: Review of policies and practices for hurricane evacuation II: Traffic operations, management, and control. Nat Hazards Rev. 2005; 6: 143-161.

Motorola, Inc.: Case study: State of Texas deploys special needs evacuation tracking system. Available at http://www.motorola.com/governmentandenterprise/contentdir/en_US/Files/CaseStudies/SNETSCaseStudy.pdf. Accessed November 28, 2009.

Litman T: Lessons from Katrina and Rita: What major disasters can teach transportation planners—A report from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute. Available at http://www.vtpi.org/katrina.pdf. Accessed January 2, 2009.

Quarantelli EL: Problematical aspects of the information/communication revolution for disaster planning and research: Ten nontechnical issues and questions. Disaster Prev Manage. 1997; 6: 94-106.

Larson RC: Service science: At the intersection of management, social, and engineering sciences. IBM Syst J. 2008; 47: 41-52.

d’Hont S: The cutting edge of RFID technology and applications for manufacturing and distribution: A white paper from Texas instruments. Available at http://www.ti.com/tiris/docs/manuals/whtPapers/manuf_dist.pdf. Accessed May 13, 2005.

Malone R: Reconsidering the role of RFID. Inbound Logistics. Available at http://www.inboundlogistics.com/articles/supplychain/sct0804.shtml. Accessed August 15, 2005.

Wyld DC: RFID: The right frequency for government: A research monograph from the IBM Center for the business of government. Available at: http://www.businessofgovernment.org/main/publications/grant_reports/details/index.asp?gid_232. Accessed September 5, 2005.

Singel R: American passports to get chipped.Wired. Available at http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,65412,00.html. Accessed April 3, 2005.

Wyld DC: Delivering at the ‘moment of truth’ in retail: How RFID can reduce out-of-stocks and improve supply chain performance to store shelves, benefiting both retailers and product manufacturers. Global Identif. 2005; (24): 50-53.

Wyld DC: The implant solution: Why RFID is the answer in the highly unique orthopedic supply chain, providing ROI for suppliers and assurance for patients and their surgeons. ID World. 2008; (12): 12-15.

Wyld DC: Playing a deadly game of match: How new efforts to use RFID in blood banking and transfusion can save patient lives and safeguard the blood supply chain. Global Identif. 2008; (37): 24-26.

Wyld DC: The importance of pedigree: Why instituting RFID-based tracking of pharmaceuticals is essential to counteracting counterfeiting and maintaining both the health of the public and the potency of the American Drug Industry. Compet Forum. 2006; 4: 261-266.

Wyld DC: Sports 2.0: A look at the future of sports in the context of RFID’s “Weird New Media Revolution.” Sport J [serial online]. 2006; 9.Available at www.thesportjournal.org/article/sports-20-lookfuture- sports-context-rfid-s-weird-new-media-revolution. Accessed June 16, 2009.

Wyld DC: DaVinci uncoded: RFID is enhancing the management and experience of art galleries and museums . . . and even becoming a part of the artists’ palettes for creating works of art. Global Identif. 2006; 26: 36-40.

Wyld DC: Radio frequency identification: Advanced intelligence for table games in Casinos. Cornell Hospit Quart. 2008; 49: 134-144.

Wyld DC: Playing with the house’s money: Casinos are betting big on RFID to improve their abilities to track table play and deliver better customer service. Global Identif. 2005; (20): 20-27.

AT&T Inc.: Press release: AT&T to deliver country’s first statewide citizen-evacuation management system—Texas governor’s division of emergency management to implement rfid and mobile technologies, providing real-time information during crises. Available at http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid_4800&cdvn_news&newsarticleid_24841. Accessed November 2, 2008.

Rice H: Ike’s changing course delayed galveston’s evacuation call, City Says. The Houston Chronicle. Available at http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5996000.html. Accessed January 20, 2009.

O’Connor MC: RFID-based system tracked victims of Hurricanes Gustav, Ike: The State of Texas employed EPC Gen 2 tags, GPS and bar-coding to monitor the process of evacuating individuals— particular the elderly, sick or disabled—who lacked access to transportation during the storms. RFID J. Available at http://www.rfidjournal.com/ article/articleprint/4443/-1/1/. Accessed December 15, 2008.

Anonymous: New Orleans Unveils 2006 emergency preparedness plan. Insurance Journal. Available at http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2006/05/03/67876.htm?print_1. Accessed October 4, 2006.

Minyard E: The use of RFID in emergency management planning. Disaster Recovery Journal. Summer 2007, Available at http://www.drj.com/articles/sum07/2003-03.pdf. Accessed January 2, 2009.

Bytheway B: The evacuation of older people: The case of Hurricane Katrina. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society and Institute of British Geographers, London. Available at http://understandingkatrina.ssrc.org/Bytheway/. Accessed December 28, 2008.

McNichol E, Lav IJ: State budget troubles worsen—A report from the center on budget and policy priorities. Available at http://www.cbpp.org/9-8-08sfp.pdf. Accessed January 21, 2009.

Groen JA, Polivka AE: Hurricane katrina evacuees: Who they are, where they are, and how they are faring. Month Labor Rev. 2008; 131: 32-51.

Albrecht K, McIntyre L: SPYCHIPS: How Major Corporations and Government Plan to Track Your Every Purchase and Watch Your Every Move. New York: Penguin, 2006.

Renegar BD, Michael K: The privacy-value-control harmonization for RFID adoption in retail. IBM J Res Dev. 2009; 53: 1-16.

Getz L: Is RFID technology too nosy? Record. 2009; 21: 20-21.

Banks J: Understanding RFID Part 9: RFID privacy and security. RFID News. Available at http://www.rfidnews.org/2008/05/30/understanding-rfid-part-9-rfid-privacy-and-security. Accessed May 6, 2009.

Swedberg C:Washington state adopts second RFID privacy law: The bill, newly signed by the governor, prohibits scanning rfid tags unless they were provided by the business or agency itself. RFID Journal. Available at http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/print/4802. Accessed May 5, 2009.

Kosta E, Dumortier J: Searching the man behind the tag: Privacy implications of RFID technology. Int J Intellect Prop Manage. 2008; 2: 276-288.

Wolshon B, Urbina E, Wilmot C, et al.: Review of policies and practices for hurricane evacuation I: Transportation planning, preparedness, and response. Nat Hazards Rev. 2005; 6: 129-142.

Published

09/01/2009

How to Cite

Wyld, DBA, D. C. “Bringing Order to Chaos: How RFID Can Deliver Business Intelligence to Hurricane Evacuations and Enhance Public Safety in the Process”. Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 7, no. 5, Sept. 2009, pp. 39-47, doi:10.5055/jem.2009.0020.