DHS/FEMA/PIA-030, FEMA Smartphone Application with Disaster Reporter Feature

FEMA’s Office of External Affairs, Public Affairs Division sponsors the Smartphone Application with the Disaster Reporter feature, which provides users the ability to upload and transmit photos and text descriptions from the scene of a disaster via any smartphone to FEMA. FEMA then displays the user provided information on a public-facing map which allows FEMA, its stakeholders, and members of the public to view the compiled crowd source information for situational awareness, and to help inform decision making. The Disaster Reporter Application does not collect, use, or transmit personally identifiable information from users; however, it does collect geospatial information (location data) pertaining to where the photos were taken. FEMA conducted this Privacy Impact Assessment to address the privacy impact of FEMA’s use of the smartphone geospatial functions with mobile media for delivering information to the public.  July 29, 2013