Cyclone Trina Simulation Background and Objective

The cyclone simulation was first devised at the UN-Spider meeting, Crowdsource Mapping for Preparedness and Emergency Response, in Vienna. At this meeting a collective of experts from around the world were present to discuss how space based data and crowdsourcing could be best utilised for disaster response. After the first day it became evident that discussing ideas was not enough. An exercise would be the best way to test out the ideas that were being passed around.

HEAL offered to explore the option of having an exercise in Samoa where it would provide an opportunity to trial it’s new crowdsourced Disaster Management platform and its components. This was seen as an excellent opportunity to road test the ideas under realistic conditions and demonstrate how crowdsourcing can benefit a resource poor nation. The exercise would be conducted with the assistance of the Samoan Disaster Responders and scrutiny from OCHA.

Once back in Samoa the concept was presented to the DMO who agreed and developed the scenario. The information was relayed to all interested parties and an additional meeting was organised in Geneva on November 16, 2011 to finalise the scenario and preparation plans.

The exercise was planned for November 30 along with an OCHA coordinated table top exercise The online version delayed a couple of days at the request of the international community volunteers who wanted maximum engagement.