This document describes a proposed collaborative flood alert system that allows citizens to send and receive warnings about flooding in their area. Key points: - Users can register locations they want alerts for and will receive notifications when flooding is reported in those zones. - To report flooding, a user uploads a photo with location data to the system along with a comment on alert level. - Other registered users in the affected zone then receive emails or texts with a link to view the alert and photo on a map. - The system is designed to prevent misuse by requiring users to verify their identity and implement a strict policy for any abusive behavior.

1. Collaborative FloodAlert System Martin Kenny 0663603 Demo Days - 6-7 April 2011

2. Scenario In previous years people have been affected by flooding. A survey undertaken inIreland in Nov 2010 (distributed via Facebook) showed that people would be interested in received a warning (results are on next slide) I developed a concept for a Collaborative Flood Alert Systems, that would allow citizens to send out and to receive warnings for their area(s)

3. Survey results

4. Survey results

5. The designed system Registration Zones and subscribing to zones Sending alerts Receiving alerts

7. Which area they want to be notified for A,B,C,D,E ,F or allA B C D E F

8. Registration Create a gmail.com account and sign up for Panoramio. You register for the ULFloodAlert.ie system You have to specify: email, mobile phone number, Panoramio account URL Zones you want to subscribe to for alerts A confirmation email gives you a link where you can look at the zone(s) you have registered for

9. Subscribers database *Note information is covered to block users information for privacy reasons

10. Sending an alert

12. A B C D E F

13. Contents of the picture the picture you send includes: -Geo tagged location giving the Longitude and Latitude of the location of the picture -A comment referring to the alert level of the area saying how bad the flooding is: Level 1 = Above normal Level 2 =High Level 3 = Very High You send an email/text to the system to announce an alert

14. Receiving alerts The alert is then sent out to which ever person(s) are registered for that area In this case it would be sent out to User 2’s Email account or Phone No. Saying: “A flood alert has been registered in your area, Please check you system to see if you are affected”

15. Following the steps you received when first registered you take out your smart phone and open up Google maps You go to my maps and select “Collaborative Flood Alert System” Here you can see that there are: Green Blue and Red markers on the map. You go to the most serious one Red (level 3) and check this one as it is close to where you live. Upon clicking on it you can see that the river is very flooded and very high

16. With this information you can look a all the warnings in your area and also you can go into more detail and look at the pictures upload by other users

19. 4. Each user who is effected receives either a Email, Text alert or RSS 1. Picture is taken and sent to database Level 1 3. The Data base is searched for users who are tagged in affected zone 2. Location is tagged on Map. In Summery