Indonesia faces a serious risk from natural disasters. However, a growing body of research details how Information Communication Technology (ICT), social media, and mobile apps can all be important tools in reducing damage as well as decreasing morbidity and mortality from floods and other disasters. The goal of this study is to understand the potential benefits and drawbacks of using ICT system to communicate emergency reports and disaster risk reduction (DRR) information. We focus on a particular application, AtmaGo, which was launched in Indonesia in 2015. Developed with the concept of crowd-sourcing, AtmaGo enables their users to share real-time disaster-related information such as reports of fires and floods, as well as to spread DRR information such as how to prepare for and prevent disaster. Particularly in Jakarta area, AtmaGo also provides alerts from government sources directly to users via mobile app.
This research aims to better estimate the potential impact of AtmaGo in improving disaster preparedness and response in Indonesia. We surveyed users and non-users of AtmaGo in five neighborhoods in the Greater Jakarta area: Penjaringan, Halim, Bekasi, Bojong Gede and Kampung Melayu. Specifically, this research seeks to improve our understanding of: 1) how people get emergency warnings and DRR information, 2) whether AtmaGo can provide these warnings in an actionable way, and 3) the potential benefits of successful warning systems in terms of avoided damages as well as prevention of mortality and morbidity.
‘Can Mobile Phones Improve Disaster Preparedness?’ was independently conducted by the Centre for Innovation Policy and Governance (CIPG) in Indonesia and released in October 2018 at the Social Capital Markets (SOCAP) conference by Atma Connect. The AtmaGo App is the social networking tool that was evaluated in the study and is currently used by over 1 million people in Indonesia and soon to be introduced in Puerto Rico.
