Global Disaster Alert System
Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS)
      

The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) was created by the United Nations and the European Commission in 2004 as an online platform for disaster managers worldwide, with the aim to address significant information gaps in the early phase of major sudden-onset disasters, and to facilitate initial coordination among international responders.

GDACS offers a) automatic disaster alerts; b) automatic impact estimates; c) a real-time coordination platform (Virtual OSOCC); d) maps and satellite images and e) a science portal for expert discussions.

GDACS is guided by an Advisory Group (currently chaired by Armenia), which organizes annual meetings to bring together disaster managers, scientists, GIS and web developers, as well as other experts to define standards and strategies to improve information exchange and coordination in the early phase of major sudden-onset disasters.

At the HNPW 2019, GDACS will organize or co-organize the following sessions:
1. The GDACS Advisory Group meeting on Tuesday, 5 Feb 2019 from 09:00 12:30, with the purpose review latest developments of GDACS and to discuss challenges and improvements related to information exchange, alerting, analysis and decision making in the preparedness and early phase after major sudden-onset disasters.
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2. An interactive demonstration of international dynamics in the first disaster phase after sudden-onset disasters and throughout the humanitarian programme cycle on Wednesday, 6 Feb from 11:00 to 15:30 (tbc). The session will include a presentation of the web-based STN Knowledge Base (prototype), an interactive tool to retrieve comprehensive information about mechanisms and actors in international disaster and humanitarian response.
3. A session on Thursday, 7 Feb from 14:00 to 17:30, to discuss the compilation of a standard product catalogue to support situation analysis and decision making among international responders in the first disaster phase.
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