War rooms have been quintessential in locating missing victims in Israel after the attack by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group. Read more to find out the functions of a war room during a crisis.
Tech experts in Israel have set up makeshift command centres, also known as “war rooms”, to track missing Israelis after an attack by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, according to a recent Reuters report. The centre is based out of Tel Aviv and uses artificial intelligence and facial and voice recognition software to locate victims of the attack through recognizable aspects.
How do these ‘war rooms’ operate?
War rooms are typically fitted with state-of-the-art technology and tools designed to enhance real-time communication, analyze data, and facilitate the exchange of critical information. They serve as a vital component of crisis management, enabling organizations to respond efficiently to challenges and mitigate the potential adverse outcomes of positive/negative crises.
Most often, these war rooms are run by experts who volunteer to help during a crisis. They use videos or photographs posted on social media by families and friends of missing victims to find further information and try to map the details. Once the information matches the description, they pass on the data to government authorities for subsequent actions to be taken.
When is a ‘war room’ formed?
The origins of war room date back to the military operations of World War I and World War II. In these war rooms, military leaders and strategists convened to deliberate on wartime strategies and tactics aimed at achieving victory.
Similarly, in today’s definition, a war room is essentially set up during wars, natural disaster or public health crisis. In the corporate world too, war rooms are used by managers to discuss project management that require frequent interaction with team members.
Another recent example of an efficient war room usage was during the COVID-19 pandemic. Government bodies required assistance in monitoring, planning, and executing various aspects of the response effort. With technology and AI tools, these war rooms have been quintessential in locating hotspot areas through maps or keeping track of patients requiring oxygen cylinders through other data tools.