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Technology shows its limits with earthquake

By Gaveliers, The Gavel Media Team, on January 15, 2010 2:49 PM

By Benjamin Mayer, Editorial Assistant -

Technological resources have enabled a humanitarian response of an unprecedented nature, since a 7.0 earthquake struck Port Au Prince on Jan. 12. Live Internet feeds, satellite uplinks, and even texting are being utilized by news agencies, relief organizations, and family members of those in Haiti, to give aid to Haitians who are still in urgent need. Although the event has demonstrated the incredible utility of technology, this tragedy has also shown the current limit of its abilities.

Technology has provided a novel resource for nations, organizations, and individuals who wish to aid Haiti, but it has been unable to effectively organize the effort as a whole. Information about the situation on the ground is overflowing, but unorganized. Technological resources have helped the effort of individual groups, but have been wholly unable to coordinate the larger relief effort.

The most apparent presence of technology is in the coverage of events occurring in the Port Au Prince. People around the world are able to know exactly what is going on in the city. As can be seen in the live coverage of events, reporters are able to broadcast live efforts to free people trapped under buildings.

This may not seem particularly significant, as live feeds are currently a normal part of news coverage, but consider the situation in Port Au Prince. It is a city with no electricity and no Internet. Live feeds are broadcasted using battery or generator powered cameras and satellite uplinks. Despite the obliterated infrastructure of the city, people stuck in the city are able to communicate with their families and give insight into the dire situation. Using generators and satellite technology, foreign diplomats have been able to e-mail and even Skype the outside world. Unlike other recent tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina, the use of technology has allowed people from the outside world to view the exact nature of the situation on the ground.

Another resource that has demonstrated new uses of technology is CNN.com. CNN has a feature on its Web site called iReport. This service allows laypeople to post their unedited and unscreened stories online, and the utility of this service has been demonstrated in the days since the earthquake. People have used it to search for family members in Port Au Prince at the time of the earthquake. There are posts such as “Have u seen daphney,” “Looking for Siegfried Francisco,” and “missing with 4 young kids.” The stories under these headlines are usually e-mail addresses or phone numbers, which will allow people to contact family members of those who are lost.

CNN.com has fully integrated itself with this unintended resource. It has adapted iReport specifically to help family members of those in Haiti, by adding a search by name feature on the site and by putting it on the centerpiece of their website dedicated to covering the earthquake.

Another unexpected resource that has been utilized for humanitarian aid is texting. Many aid organizations, most prominently the American Red Cross, have developed a way to donate to Haiti through texting. By texting “Haiti” to 90999, cell phone owners can donate $10 to the Red Cross’s effort in Haiti. This money is transferred to the Red Cross through their service provider and is eventually charged to their monthly bill. After a person sends the initial text, he or she will get a text asking for confirmation of the donation. Subsequently, the person will be asked if he or she wants to be updated on the organizations efforts in the region via text.

Despite the new resources available the general relief effort, in the words of UN humanitarian spokeswoman Elizabeth Byrs, Haiti remains a “logistical nightmare.” Although technology provides an incredible communication infrastructure, Governments still are unable to coordinate with relief organizations and individuals. Deliveries are arriving, in Haiti without notice and the United States and Haitian governments are unable to effectively mobilize them. Relief supplies are available, but residents of Port Au Prince are still using only their hands to free people from the rubble. One part of this events’ tragedy is that people around the world are attempting to help victims through technological resources, but these resources are still not completely effective.