Free Disaster Recovery App Available for Those Recovering from Hurricane Irene
A smartphone app developed by North Dakota State University Extension Service and Myriad Devices could help people who need to document damages from this weekend’s Hurricane Irene for their insurance claims. The Disaster Recovery Log app helps you record information about damages to your home and property using text, images and audio.
The Disaster Recovery Log (DRL) app will help you record damage caused by flooding or other disasters. It is available free through the Android market.
DRL uses the smartphone’s camera feature to capture photos to illustrate the flood damage. Users can key in descriptions of damaged items or use their smartphone’s voice recorder to record an audio description of the damage. Such details and photos are essential for possible insurance and/or government disaster claims.
Each damaged item is entered as a "Detail" organized under a "Disaster." You start by adding a "Disaster." Then you add "Details" to that "Disaster" to document your losses.
You can enter text, add photos using your camera or gallery, and add audio using your sound recorder of choosing from saved audio files.
DRL also provides NDSU Extension Service information on how to clean or deal with flood-damaged appliances and electronics; carpets and floors; clothing and fabrics; food; furniture; gardens and landscapes; home structures; household items; mold; papers, books and photos; and water.
The app was developed by NDSU Extension Service and Myriad Devices, and funded with USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Smith-Lever Special Needs grants.
The latest updated version of the Disaster Recovery Log (DRL) from Myriad Devices available soon will include the ability to export data. Myriad Devices is a start-up mobile software company founded by two NDSU electrical and computer engineering professors, Chao You and Mark Schroeder, and Jake Joraanstad (computer Engineering). The company is located in the NDSU Research and Technology Park.
You can download the app from the Android Market: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/extension/apps/disaster-recovery-journal.