Social media, mobile devices, apps and drones are finding new roles helping stakeholders—such as construction companies and their personnel and jobsites—who have assets at risk when they confront shifting disasters, such as hurricanes and wildfires.
One app developer, Sam Lanier, CEO of FireWhat Inc., has just released a platform, called Incident Dashboard, that mashes up data feeds about advancing wildfires onto a map display. It is designed to keep first-responders and the public informed about evolving firefighting events. He says “tons of contractors” typically spring into action for wildfires to supply equipment in support of firefighting teams on the front lines.