UPDATE

This past week a Mayor Menino declared a public health emergency for the City of Boston due to the flu outbreak.  We see this as an opportunity to work on some of the health challenges that often come with other crises such as natural disasters.

For reference:

• Story on the Boston globe
• Twitter hashtag: #bostonflu
• Google Flu Trends

If you know of any subject matter experts who might be able to contribute relevant knowledge, experience, data, and/or opportunity to collaborate with an involved institution, please invite them to attend! (Drag them along if you have to!!)

Event Information

CrisisCamp brings together domain experts, developers, and first responders around improving technology and practice for humanitarian crisis management and disaster relief.

Each and every day, people across the world can find themselves in crisis. Whether it be for a day, a month or an area of social distress, we all have a common need to connect with loved ones, access information and offer assistance to others.

CrisisCamps are hosted in a barcamp style where great minds come together to share their knowledge and expertise for social good.

In response to Hurricane Sandy a group of netizens began to congregate online via etherpads, Google Docs, and IRC calling themselves Hurricane Hackers. In trying to find a fit between a predominant set of technological skills and Sandy needs, HurricaneHackers converged with SandyCrisisCamps and rebooted CrisisCamp Boston in conjunction with a globally coordinated hackathon held November 3rd.

It quickly became clear that effective crisis response is built upon preexisting disaster preparedness efforts which is why we are organizing a series of 2013 CrisisCamp Boston hackathons!

Come design, code, and learn with other people at the MIT Media Lab. Even if you aren't a software developer there will be plenty to do including sharing experiences and ideas, documenting activity, running social media communications, taking and editing video, organizing future events, etc!

This event is free and open to the public.

Come prepared:

• Visit our collaborative Google Doc for the most up to date information.
• Join us in our Internet Relay Chat (IRC) room #crisiscamp
• Make sure your programs are up to date.
• Learn how github works.
• Review projects and lessons learned from the last CrisisCamp Boston.
• Check out the CrisisCamp Boston page on the CrisisCommons wiki for more information.

Connect with other Boston CrisisCampers on

• Twitter
• Google Groups
• Facebook

There will also be local Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) on hand to discuss how technology can be used (and not) in crisis situations.

About CrisisCommons - http://crisiscommons.org/

CrisisCommons seeks to advance and support the use of open data and volunteer technology communities to catalyze innovation in crisis management and global development.

CrisisCommons is a global community of volunteers from technology, crisis response organizations, government agencies, and citizens that are working together to build and use technology tools to help respond to disasters and improve resiliency and response before a crisis.