Virtual HQ: Using Web networks to organize disaster response

http://www.homeland1.com/homeland-security-products/communications-interoperability/articles/756609-virtual-hq-using-web-networks-to-organize-disaster-response/

"With mounting environmental catastrophes, it is essential that we begin to think many steps ahead," said Todd Khozein, a consultant at Second Muse, a strategic think tank.

For instance, if the Internet infrastructure goes down during a disaster, local wireless hardware may still be useful. One RHoK proposal would allow wireless laptops, routers and mobile devices to dynamically create a mesh network so that critical information can still be shared.

Each node in a mesh network acts as an independent router, regardless of whether it is connected to another network. This allows continuous connections and reconfiguration around broken or blocked paths by hopping from node to node until the destination is reached. Such a network could host applications such as Sahana, an open-source disaster management system.