myHAZ-VCT

Citizen science app for observing multihazards in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

myHAZ-VCT is a citizen science app for sharing your observations of natural hazards and environmental phenomena in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A collaboration between The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (SRC) in Trinidad and Tobago, the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the British Geological Survey (BGS), myHAZ-VCT is designed to provide scientists (SRC), emergency managers (NEMO) and citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with first-hand information about a range of natural hazards and environmental phenomena that occur in the country.

Through the myHAZ-VCT app you can upload photos, videos and free-text descriptions on a range of natural hazards including flooding, storms, landslides, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and other environmental phenomena such as drought, ground subsidence and changes in water levels. In addition, there are more detailed, optional questions to answer to help scientists, emergency managers and your fellow citizens know what is going on across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

When a new observation is submitted, it is initially reviewed by myHAZ-VCT managers at SRC and NEMO, and then published in the app for other myHAZ-VCT users to view. A commenting facility within myHAZ-VCT lets users, SRC scientists and NEMO staff respond to observations, whilst SRC and NEMO can also send direct notifications to myHAZ-VCT users, such as further information and advice about ongoing hazards.

myHAZ-VCT uses a citizen science approach for gathering valuable data on various natural hazards occurring in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Citizen science is the active involvement of the non-scientific public in scientific research. Since scientists and emergency managers cannot be everywhere, enlisting members of the public like you, in sharing observations on multihazards can provide a broader understanding of the impact and behaviour of these in your community. This information can be used by NEMO to respond more effectively to impacted communities as well as to develop robust hazard mitigation systems.