Although costs have been steadily decreasing, laptop computers, Global Positioning System units, and the like are frequently unaffordable. Also, costs include not only the purchase of systems but also other contributions to total cost of owner- ship, such as operational, training, and maintenance costs. Available emergency management resources may cover only basic elements of the emergency operations salaries, utilities, and insurance. Before they will allocate additional resources for information technology, its advantages must be clearly demonstrated to them. Obsolete technology base.
Many local governments have little infor- mation technology in place.
Offices may lack basic computer equipment and lack access to tools such as e-mail. Even where local governments have made some investment in information technology, it may be old and obsolete. Information technology investments that are focused on normal opera- tions, not crises. Morentz characterized this issue as one of the most critical ones confronting crisis management infor- mation managers. One suggestion made in response to this challenge by workshop participants was that one might initially focus investment in innovative systems for crises that are likely to recur with relatively predictable frequency, such as hurricanes in the Gulf States or California wildfires.