According to the World Health Organization, emergencies resulting from natural disasters kill approximately 90,000 people and affect around 160 million people annually. Emergencies are complex situations that have a high level of uncertainty and many moving parts. The traditional approach of using manual systems, individual processing and tracking, and alignment of plans from various stakeholders uses more time to evaluate the situation and respond to the needs of the victims. These traditional systems can often be slow and fragmented, leading to delays in communication, resource allocation, and overall decision-making, which can be critical in life-threatening situations.

Cloud-based systems using artificial intelligence (AI) are an integrated approach, providing many solutions to the issues that the traditional approach encounters. By allowing for the seamless integration and analysis of large datasets, these systems help emergency responders act faster, smarter, and more efficiently by extracting the information they need in a more time efficient manner. In this article, we will discuss the benefits that cloud-based systems help with faster first aid response for large-scale emergencies.

What is a Cloud-Based System?

Cloud-based systems are virtual platforms on the internet that can store and retrieve files, contracts, software, and other digital resources. Unlike physical devices, there are no physical hardware and memory size limitations. This flexibility allows cloud-based platforms to handle massive amounts of data without the constraints that come with physical storage. 

How Can Cloud-Based Systems Help with Faster First Aid Response?

The goal of cloud-based systems is to provide users with efficient, secure, easy-to-access shared resources. It provides flexibility for central management and the ability to adjust resources as needed, making it cost-effective. This adaptability is essential in large-scale emergencies where situations can change rapidly, and immediate access to current information can mean the difference between life and death.

Time is of the essence, especially when it comes to emergencies. Large-scale emergencies can result from natural disasters, extreme weather, or disease outbreaks. These types of crises can escalate quickly, requiring a coordinated and immediate response. In these situations, processing and distributing accurate information to stakeholders in a timely manner is important in making major decisions, saving lives, and reducing impacts to victims.

Cloud-based systems using AI allow users to conveniently access the platform remotely. Cloud and AI computing is able to sift through large amounts of data, detect data patterns, and integrate data insights using the most up-to-date information available on the platform, therefore greatly enhancing efficiency in any stage of a large-scale project, as well as making better informed decisions with the most current reported data. For example, during a natural disaster, these systems can predict areas that are likely to be affected next, allowing emergency teams to preemptively allocate resources and personnel to those areas.

Four Stages of the Emergency Cycle

To understand the role that cloud-based systems can play in first aid response during large-scale emergencies, we must first familiarize ourselves with the four stages of the emergency cycle and activities associated in each stage.

1. Prevent: This stage includes eliminating risks, reducing the percentage of risk exposure, and reducing the impacts of unavoidable disasters. For example, when preventing disease outbreaks, some activities include risk identification and analysis, risk assessment and elimination, sharing information on emergency preparedness, and launching educational programs to prepare communities for emergency situations. 
2. Prepare: Having health emergency preparedness in place before any emergency incident arises ensures that these communities are capable of navigating through disastrous times. Some activities in this stage include planning, training and educating community leaders, evaluating risks, and proper communication. 
3. Respond: Once an emergency incident arises, an effective emergency response aims to address the immediate effects of the situation in a timely manner. In this stage, the goal is to reduce the number of casualties and damage. Activities during this stage include damage assessment, implementing an optimal search and rescue plan, and communication. 
4. Recover: This stage looks at rehabilitation priorities and construction priorities. Activities include restoring systems like essential services, businesses, and buildings. 

How Cloud-Based Systems Can Help During Large-Scale Emergencies

Even though there are different technologies that can help during large-scale emergencies, cloud-based systems have many benefits that align with the needs of planning and implementing complex multivariate projects, such as first aid response carried out during large-scale emergencies. Here is a list of benefits offered by cloud-based systems:

• Increases Effective Collaboration Among Multiple Stakeholders: During emergency incidents, the involvement of multiple stakeholders, while necessary, often poses many challenges. Stakeholders can include government entities (federal and local governments, police, emergency support services, etc.) and non-government organizations (NGOs like the Red Cross). When using cloud-based systems, each stakeholder can update the data they are in charge of as well as easily pull information that they need in order to make decisions and execute quickly. The system ensures that everyone is on the same page, reducing misunderstandings and ensuring a unified response. Without the limitation of physical hardware being used, users can log their data from anywhere in the world and then sync their updated data once they are able to connect to Wi-Fi.
• Extracts Up-to-Date Information: Cloud-based systems can help keep up-to-date on data assessments and risk analysis, thereby enabling faster and effective decision-making, leading to more lives saved. This is especially critical in rapidly changing situations where decisions can change immediately based on the most recent information received. Cloud platforms provide a single source of truth that all stakeholders can rely on.
• Cost-Effective: Cloud-based systems can be accessed on a pay-per-use basis, making it affordable for both small and large businesses. The centralized management of IT also contributes to the cost-effectiveness of the system. With no individual physical hardware being used, IT updates and management can be done through a centralized area or department on the server. This not only reduces costs but also minimizes the risk of outdated or malfunctioning equipment, ensuring that the system is always ready for use when needed.

Conclusion

Integration of cloud-based systems in emergency management offers a transformative approach to dealing with large-scale emergencies. By providing real-time data access, enhancing collaboration, and offering scalable, cost-effective solutions, cloud-based systems enable faster and more efficient responses to emergencies. As we continue to face increasing challenges from natural and man-made disasters, the adoption of these technologies will become more critical in safeguarding lives and reducing the impact of such events.