Emergency Shelter Mapping and Status Tracking System

A web-based application designed to help people locate and track the status of emergency shelters during natural disasters and crisis situations. Built for the EMP Hackathon "CrisisHack" (September 6-7, 2025).

• Real-time Shelter Locations: Displays FEMA emergency shelters across the United States
• GPS Integration: Find your current location and locate the nearest shelter
• Visual Status Indicators:
  • 🔵 Blue markers: Available shelters
  • 🔴 Red markers: Nearest shelter to your location
  • 🟡 Yellow markers: Your current location
• Interactive Popups: Click on any shelter marker to view detailed information

• Real-time Status Updates: Update shelter status with various conditions:
  • Open, Full, Closed
  • Flooded, Destroyed, Damaged
  • Under Maintenance, Evacuation in Progress
  • Power Outage, Medical Emergency
• Status Tracking Table: View all shelters and their current status in an organized table
• User-friendly Interface: Simple dropdown selections for easy status updates

• Comprehensive Disaster Guide: Built-in information for various natural disasters:
  • Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornadoes
  • Hurricanes, Wildfires, Floods
  • Blizzards, House Fires, Chemical Spills
• Safety Instructions: Step-by-step guidance for each disaster type

• Python 3.7 or higher
• Modern web browser with JavaScript enabled
• Internet connection (for initial data fetch)

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd ResQMap

2. Install Python dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Start the server

   python server.py

4. Open your browser Navigate to http://localhost:5000

The application is designed to work offline after the initial data load:

• All map tiles and shelter data are cached locally
• Leaflet library files are included locally
• Last known location is stored in browser localStorage

• HTML5: Semantic structure with responsive design
• CSS3: Modern styling with dropdown animations and mobile-friendly layout
• JavaScript: Interactive map functionality and status management
• Leaflet.js: Open-source mapping library for interactive maps

• Flask: Lightweight Python web framework
• CORS: Cross-origin resource sharing enabled
• FEMA API Integration: Real-time shelter data from FEMA's OpenShelters service

• FEMA OpenShelters API: Official emergency shelter data
• OpenStreetMap: Map tiles and geographic data
• Local GeoJSON: Backup shelter data for offline functionality

ResQMap/
├── index.html              # Main application page
├── map.js                  # Interactive map and status logic
├── style.css               # Application styling
├── server.py               # Flask backend server
├── requirements.txt        # Python dependencies
├── Open_Shelters.geojson   # Local shelter data backup
├── leaflet.css            # Leaflet map styling
├── leaflet.js             # Leaflet map library
├── icons/                 # Custom map markers
│   ├── blue-dot.png       # Available shelter marker
│   ├── red-dot.png        # Nearest shelter marker
│   └── yellow-dot.png     # User location marker
└── README.md              # This file

1. Open the Map: The application loads with shelters marked as blue dots
2. Find Nearest Shelter: Click "Find Nearest Shelter" to use GPS and locate the closest shelter
3. View Details: Click any shelter marker to see detailed information

1. Select Shelter: Choose a shelter from the dropdown menu
2. Select Status: Choose the appropriate status from the status dropdown
3. Update: Click "Update Status" to apply changes
4. View Changes: See updated status in the table and on map popups

• Map Usage: Instructions for navigating the interactive map
• Natural Disasters: Comprehensive safety guides for various emergency situations

1. Server Startup: Flask server fetches latest shelter data from FEMA API
2. Data Caching: Shelter data is cached locally in GeoJSON format
3. Client Loading: Browser loads cached data and displays on map
4. Real-time Updates: Status changes are reflected immediately in the UI

• Chrome 60+
• Firefox 55+
• Safari 12+
• Edge 79+

• Offline Support: Works without internet after initial load
• Responsive Design: Optimized for desktop and mobile devices
• Efficient Rendering: Only renders visible map markers
• Local Storage: Caches user location and preferences

This project was developed for the EMP Hackathon "CrisisHack". Contributions are welcome for:

• Additional disaster preparedness information
• Enhanced mapping features
• Mobile app development
• Accessibility improvements
• Performance optimizations

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Important: This application is for informational purposes only. In case of emergency:

• Call 911 for immediate assistance
• Follow official evacuation orders
• Monitor local emergency services and weather alerts
• Use official FEMA resources: fema.gov

For technical issues or questions about this application, please refer to the project documentation or contact the development team.

Built with ❤️ for emergency preparedness and community safety