Sensors integration in a grid-based architecture for emergency management systems

The right information at the right time is a critical aspect in any emergency or disaster management activity. Decision making and efficiency are improved when based on complete information about the conditions of the affected area. Sensors integration in a grid-based infrastructure, through a service-oriented architecture and via the World Wide Web, allows for real-time access to information. In this paper, we survey and classify the types of sensors useful in emergency management systems (EMS), present a strategy to organize the sensory infrastructure, and propose a multi-organizational service based architecture that when exploiting the Web 2.0 technologies will support emergency management activities. Lastly, we discuss a scenario where this system is employed.