Local authorities could use the data to coordinate evacuations. Relief agencies like the Red Cross might rely on it to target their services to the neighborhoods that need them most. Speed is one advantage of a high-tech world. But its highest promise is information. In the National Flood Insurance Program of the 21 st Century, information is empowerment.
Information is the cornerstone of preparedness.
And the Internet allows us to share information that enables people to assess their risks, and address them. Often, the tallest hurdle in flood preparedness is simply getting people to recognize the magnitude of the risk. Here's one fact we should spread far and wide. Just about everybody insures their car. Most people buy policies to protect their homes against theft.