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>> ANCHOR: Scientists from RIT are capturing unique images of the Haiti disaster in an
effort to aid in crisis management and the eventual reconstruction of the country.
Funded by the World Bank, in collaboration with ImageCat Incorporated, RIT scientists
are on a five day flight over the island nation. While in the air they're meticulously mapping
the disaster zone. Sheeba Clark joins us from the newsroom with more.
>>> REPORTER: About 25 staff, student and faculty are working around the clock, using
state of the art technology created by RIT scientists and engineers. They're using it
to help field crews with recovery and relief efforts in Haiti.
RIT researcher David Messinger and several other professors are helping Haiti from a
lab at the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science at RIT.
>> HARVEY RHODY: This lab has been working on this emergency response technology for
a long time. We're so grateful to contribute to some way in a small way to the relief effort."
>> REPORTER: This group is part of RITs Haiti Response Team.
>> DAVID MESSINGER: It is very different from what we usually do, but it is exciting.
>> REPORTER: Team members are using the imaging system to map disaster zones through aerial
pictures that are taken daily from a flight crew based out of Ohio.
>> DON McKEOWN: I can easily say that in my entire career I have never been involved in
anything as meaningful as this.
>> REPORTER: Team members process the images of areas where relief, recovery and reconstruction
are needed.
>> HARVEY RHODY: There seems to be a lot of confusion in Haiti as far as how to get supplies
out, where people are and so on and we think we can really help get some things there a
little sooner.
>> DAVID MESSINGER: We're actually not sure who is in the field using this, but the United
Nations, FEMA, the US Geological Survey, all these people will be recipients of this data.
>> REPORTER: With the help of a few donuts and coffee, this team has been working 24-hours
a day to get this information out as quickly as they can.
>> DON McKEOWN: I think it really highlights to us working here, when we're working overnight
hours and we're dead tired, this is what it's really about.
>> REPORTER: RITÕs Haiti Response Team hopes to process 10,000 to 15,000 images over the
course of five days. The images will also be sent to the University of Buffalo for further
review. In the newsroom, Sheeba Clark, YNN.