Cloud-based location intelligence is transforming disaster relief
When Cyclone Debbie slammed into the Australian coast in March 2017, Queensland State disaster recovery teams were better prepared than ever before to document, catalog and respond to the extensive damage it caused. In the past, response efforts were hampered by a lack of consistency in the way data was collected and organized, and it could take months after the event to complete all necessary reports. For state agencies making repairs, this interrupted important day-to-day business and caused potentially long delays for reimbursement from state and federal relief funds.
But things changed with Cyclone Debbie. Disaster recovery workers used the Gruntify mobile app, a cloud-based app developed by Microsoft CityNext partner GIS People, to easily and quickly document storm damage. Using a mobile device, they only needed to snap a picture, fill out a text form, and submit the report with the tap of a button. The app transmitted the data to the Gruntify web platform, which was accessed by the state’s disaster center in a standard format, with geotagging information to precisely locate each incident. Gruntify systematically organized the data and kept information flowing smoothly to all relevant stakeholders, optimizing disaster response processes both during and after the storm.
We initially created the cloud-based mobile app Gruntify to help city workers document incidents of vandalism and graffiti, but we soon realized that it would be beneficial in many data collection scenarios where location intelligence is important. By harnessing the power of geospatial data, businesses and governments can understand and respond in real time to what is going on within their communities. With better information, they can make better decisions.
Building Gruntify required a reliable and scalable cloud platform, and we looked closely at Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. After a detailed analysis, we chose Azure because of its compatibility with our Microsoft .NET skills and the many useful services it provides. For example, in just a couple of days we adopted Azure Notification Hubs and enhanced Gruntify with real-time messaging and push notifications. Working with Azure also gives us access to other exciting tools, like the Microsoft Cognitive Services APIs. With them, we can easily build sophisticated machine learning into our product without the need to hire our own team of data scientists.
In addition to expanding the functionality of Gruntify, we’re also exploring ways that government agencies can use it to increase citizen engagement. We’re currently planning a trial project with a Queensland agency to gather reports from the public in the most efficient possible way. Right now, when people contact the agency’s call center, identifying the exact location of the issue accounts for 80 percent of the call time. With Gruntify, citizens can easily submit geotagged reports with a mobile app, and the agency can organize, analyze and visualize its data in transformative new ways.
Disaster recovery and civic engagement are two potential uses for our technology, but there are many others out there. We consider Gruntify a product that will never be finished—we will always be looking for ways to make it more useful. We’re proud to be a Microsoft CityNext partner, because we see Microsoft as a prime example of an organization that constantly strives to deliver better products and better service, and that’s what we aspire to as well.
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