In Downeast Maine, we’re introducing students to the rapidly changing technology involved in emergency management. This technology includes developing apps and sensors for assessing the medical status of a victim in the field, figuring out how to use heat mapping to find lost people, and using GIS to plan evacuation routes in the event of a flood. Many jobs in this field need only a 2 year degree, and high school kids seem quite interested.
Are any of you doing this kind of work? If so, how are you working with your communities, with community colleges, and with technology companies? We’d be interested in some collaborations here, especially given NSF’s interest in Smart and Connected Communities.