Frequently when natural disasters strike, people can have a feeling of helplessness – watching from afar, wanting to do something, but not really sure what would make a difference.
This week, a group of Vermonters have marshaled those feelings for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, and applied their computer skills to the task of helping them.
Their work is focused on provided digital maps of the affected region to the aid workers who are on the ground. Bill Morris is a volunteer with the international organization Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and is one of the volunteers who’s been coordinating some of this effort in Burlington. He spoke with Vermont Edition about the online mapping effort.
