This weekend I participated in the Google GovDev Challenge. This was a civic hackathon sponsored by Google, the state of Colorado, and the state of Wyoming. Our team built GovSafe.org, and took home first place for Challenge #1!
Challenge #1 required hackers to improve the frustrating and tedious paperwork process survivors must go through when they arrive at a disaster assistance center (DAC). Survivors may have to fill out up to 30 different forms, much of which is redundant information (name, phone, etc). The thing that really got me was when Brandon Williams with the CO Govenor’s Office of IT mentioned the emotional impact of writing your address 30 times… for a home you just lost. Ugh. So sad.