RFID for Saving Lives after an Earthquake
RFID or Radio Frequency Identification is able to change lives and industries more than other inventions. During recent research published within the International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, it was pointed out that RFID could be shown to become extremely useful during the time after an earthquake for the rescue operation to recover lives. Two universities in Taiwan, including National Sun Yat-Sen University and National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology were the sites of the completion of the studies. Both indicated that the perfect rescue time is in the initial seventy-two hours of an earthquake. The professionalism of the urgent operations during this time could determine whether many lives will be saved as well as how many souls can be rescued from the bottom of the rubble. Rapid response is necessary to keep in mind any chance of aftershocks and of additional buildings falling, fires spreading and explosion. The greatest of all remains the rescue of civilians in populated areas such as hospitals, schools and offices. The researchers maintain that the consistent improving of data on casualties as well as the losses sustained can be quickly transferred to leaders in the disaster response group. This will help them in taking action to help provisions and assistance to get to them in the most optimal way possible in the shortest time frame. RFID is helpful in putting in real time data for quick relief measures as well as more complete search teams for casualties. The model utilized by the study is the Sichuan quake from May 2008 that scored a Richter scale number 8.0. Immediately following the earthquake, one hundred aftershocks were sensed that scored 4.0. Using RFID for such a scenario, or any one like this, would have assisted in various ways.
The researchers were able to utilize RFID for the application which could lessen various after disaster challenges. These could involve monitoring for evacuation processes as well as maintaining count of evacuees, monitoring relief and first aid supplies, as well as improved implementation of emergency systems.
The idea of utilizing RFID seems appealing however there exist a few practical issues. The researchers are cognizant of the shortcomings involved. For example, each building is not able to maintain count of all activities prior to an earthquake occurring or put in security systems that are able to handle disasters. However, large public areas where people congregate may be equipped with RFID systems so that the amount of persons stuck in them could be determined. This could include hospitals, schools and theaters. This could happen through issuing ID cards to employees and temporary ID containing radio tags to guests. RFID systems that have been put in identity tags within hospitals could give the necessary identification. The moral and ethical challenge to tagging the public as well as students must be considered.
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