INTRODUCING: HAZARD APP BY NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS Identify hazards, reduce risk and stay informed when you need it most

Universal Apps: A growing project An initiative that supports the Red Cross mission of caring for communities and building resilience to natural disasters. We have delivered mobile applications in over 80 Countries, in 29 different languages resulting in over 2 million downloads Worldwide.

What is the Hazard App? The Hazards platform is made up of 2 parts. Storm CMS is a CAP originator (creates alerts) The Hazards App is a distributor of CAP alerts CAP = Common Alerting Protocol

STORM CMS: Web portal to create alerts New Zealand Red Cross provides partner access to our platform to send geo- targeted alerts tagged with the name of the alerting authority.

New Zealand: Nationwide Alert In the event of a nationwide alert, the whole of New Zealand can be selected to receive a geo-targeted alert.

Christchurch: Local Alert In the event of a local alert, the platform allows for a wide area of a region to be selected quickly so that public messages can be sent in a prompt and efficient manner.

Receiving alerts: The Hazard App The App receives existing alerts from the CDEM groups. The App receives existing data feeds from alerting organisations such as, MetService, Geonet. Hazards are tagged with a ‘what now’ message and linked to further in app content.

Hazard App: Key features Users define the type, severity and location they wish to monitor. o Monitor current and up to 5 other locations o Monitor friends and family Monitor across New Zealand and across the globe

Detailed New Zealand specific in app content is available off line and includes; Advice for before, during and after disasters Checklists to help prepare for and respond to emergencies Simply touch connectivity to receive alerts e.g. wifi Hazard App: During a disaster

Hazards Hazards is a high-scale, high- availability system, which needs to handle from going from a very low base line to sending out alerts to 12 million users a day. During Hurricane Sandy, 25,000 users requests per second, the app was #2 in the US at the time with 500,000 downloads over that weekend. 100% uptime over a 24 month period. Background to Systems:Reliability

Red Cross is not an Alerting Agency

Collaborative ownership: The App is to be governed by the App Working Group made up of stakeholders, industry experts and academics. This group includes; 6 Representatives for the 16 CDEM Groups New Zealand MetService GNS Science Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management Ministry of Primary Industries Ministry of Health Massey University Joint Centre for Disaster Research New Zealand Red Cross

App working group: Activities Production of a materials to support alerting best practice. Standard message template SOPs (Standard operating procedures) What now messages Future App enhancements

Future developments: CAP API feed The Hazard platform provide the architecture for future alerting. This will see alerting authorities create more concise and targeted messages. Adoption of new data feeds (Global & Regional) Introduction of CAP API Widespread rebroadcasting of alerts over a range of technologies

Information flow: Community involvement Chained crowdsourced event reporting is a feature we are currently testing in NZ that will provide alerting agencies with real-time hazard crisis mapping – by geo-locating information onto a live map to gain a birds-eye view of the complex evolving environment and situation.

How’s it going: Update from CDEM Northland, Auckland, Waikato & Wellington have all launched. We are currently working with Hawkes Bay, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne & West Coast. Then Nelson, Taranaki, Southland & Canterbury We are currently picking up 5000 new users per week Red Cross and CEDEM have library of marketing material which groups can use. We also provide google AdWords and MetService have offered free advertising space.

Pacific wide ‘Hazard app’? Opportunity exists for NDMOs, Red Cross and other national response partners to use the platform; Potential for roll out depends on interests from potential users; Scoping to be done in 3 countries; Pacific wide app

The New Zealand Red Cross Mission: Is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilising the power of humanity and enhancing community resilience.