Thanks to today's 24-hour media cycle, we can witness even the most shocking disasters as they unfold all over the nation and the globe. Recently, the world watched as the media reported Hurricanes Gustav and Ike ravage through the gulf coast. This past spring, news reports broadcasted around the clock giving updates about the devastating hurricane in China and the cyclone in Myanmar.

Technology, such as mobile devices and online maps, coupled with citizen journalism has transformed the ...