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RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

Today I want to share with you another resource that I use frequently called the Hungarian National Association of Radio Distress-Signalling and Infocommunications Emergency and Disaster Information Service, or RSOE EDIS for short. The EDIS website is a great tool to get a high level overview of what’s going on around the world from an emergency/disaster standpoint.

What is the RSOE EDIS?

Essentially it’s a map-based website that reports on a database of emergencies from various sources. RSOE monitors and documents “all the events on the Earth which may cause disaster or emergency” which can then be viewed in near real-time on their website.

Official Description

From the RSOE EDIS Facebook page:

The Hungarian National Association of Radio Distress-Signalling and Infocommunications (RSOE) operates Emergency and Disaster Information Service (EDIS) within the frame of its own website which has the objective to monitor and document all the events on the Earth which may cause disaster or emergency. Our service is using the speed and the data spectrum of the internet to gather information. We are monitoring and processing several foreign organisation’s data to get quick and certified information.

The EDIS website operated together by the General-Directorate of National Disaster Management (OKF) and RSOE, in co-operation with the Crisis Management Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provides useful information regarding emergency situations and their prevention. Extraordinary events happening in Hungary, Europe and other areas of the World are being monitored in 24 hours per day. All events processed by RSOE EDIS are displayed near real time – for the sake of international compatibility – according to the CAP protocol on a secure website (https://hisz.rsoe.hu/). To ensure clear transparency all events are categorized separately in the RSS, XML, CAP directory (e.g. earthquake, fire, flood, landslide, nuclear event, tornado, vulcano). RSOE EDIS also contributes in dissemination of the CAP protocol in Hungary.

Beside the official information, with the help of special programs nearly 9-1000 internet press publications will be monitored and the publication containing predefined keywords will be processed. However, these “news” cannot be considered as official and reliable information, but many times we have learnt critical information from the internet press. We are screening the incoming information and storing in a central database sorted by category.

Zsolt Boszormenyi
Head of EDIS

Example

The most useful tool on the EDIS website is the Google map with plotted emergencies. The screenshot below shows the map as of today (September 3, 2013) filtered to show only North America. Click for a larger version.

RSOE EDIS

The menu across the top has several options including a continent filter, and of course you have all of the Google map tools you’re used to like zoom and pan, as well as changing the view. Plotted on the map are the various emergencies found in the EDIS database, with a different icon for each type of emergency. Clicking on the icon will provide some brief information on the event, with a details link that can be clicked for more information.

Scrolling down on this page (not shown in the screenshot above) shows several grids of information grouped into categories.

Wrapping Up

Overall this is a great free tool to keep up with emergencies going on around the world. The first time you look at the site it can be a bit of information overload, but once you get used to the map it’s not that bad. I try to check the map every day to get a high level overview of what’s going on in my immediate area.

Check it out and see if you find it as useful as I do.

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5 Responses to RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

  1. Montana Mike September 3, 2013 at 11:29 am #

    Very cool, thank you for sharing this!

  2. TK September 3, 2013 at 11:57 am #

    The EDIS website is awesome. It doesn’t have every single emergency on the planet, but it has a ton of information. I check it often. Best part? It’s free.

  3. lo7us September 3, 2013 at 12:06 pm #

    Since we are sharing disaster management tools I wanted everyone to consider the American Red Cross “apps” that you can have on your phone. We have been working to incorporate several disaster information and graphics information close to real-time/ A very valuable and qualified information source that included aid centers, shelter operations, weather advisories, safe & well posting etc. Here is the link: http://www.redcross.org/prepare/mobile-apps

    • Brandon September 3, 2013 at 12:08 pm #

      Thanks for sharing.

  4. hardfh8 September 3, 2013 at 11:08 pm #

    Now this is cool