Sensor-Driven Situational Awareness for Disaster Responders

Abstract

Disaster responders frequently operate in environments where information is incomplete, delayed, or inaccessible. This work presents an engineering framework for a distributed sensor system designed to enhance situational awareness for emergency personnel. Drawing on field experience with the American Red Cross and FEMA, as well as ongoing research at Logic Gate Engineering LLC, the system integrates embedded sensing modules, calibration workflows, and resilient communication interfaces optimized for chaotic, infrastructure-limited environments. The paper highlights the scientific rationale, engineering design, and community benefits of sensor-driven disaster response.