Privacy Policy and Consent Form
Privacy Policy
Tool Name: Community Flood Mapper – PR Edition
Purpose: Your voluntary participation helps improve flood prediction and response. By sharing approximate location data, photos, and descriptions of local flooding, you contribute to more accurate flood models and community resilience.
Data We Collect:
- Approximate location of flooding (adjustable for privacy)
- Optional photos or videos
- Descriptions of the event, such as depth and duration
Use of Data:
- To validate and improve flood inundation models
- For research and community flood preparedness
Data Storage:
- Data is stored securely on ArcGIS servers
- No personally identifiable information (PII) is collected
- Only authorized members of the research team have access
Your Privacy:
- Avoid submitting content from private property
- We recommend sharing from safe, public locations
- Data will only be reported in aggregated and anonymous formats
Disclaimer:
By submitting media, you grant a non-exclusive, royalty-free license for scientific, outreach, and emergency response use. You retain ownership, and no personal info will be shared publicly without consent.
Digital Consent Form
Project Title: Community Flood Mapper: Community-Based Data Collection for Flood Model Validation
Principal Investigator: Luisa Feliciano, Postdoctoral Fellow, CUNY-CESSRST & UPRM
Research Sponsors: NOAA & NWS San Juan
Mentor: Dr. Jonathan Muñoz
NOAA Mentor: Ernesto Rodríguez (NWS SJ)
Collaborators: Dr. Reza Khanbilvardi, Dr. Mitchell Goldberg (CUNY-CESSRST), Dr. Legna Torres (USGS)
Purpose of the Study:
To enhance flood model accuracy in Puerto Rico using community-reported flood data (location, images, and descriptions). This supports flood preparedness through real-time data collection.
What Participation Involves:
- Submitting a short survey (5 min) through the Community Flood Mapper app
- You will provide:
- Date/time of observation
- Approximate map location
- Optional media (photos/videos)
- Description of flooding (depth, area, etc.)
Risks: Minimal. Please avoid unsafe conditions or entering flooded areas.
Benefits: Help improve local flood response and modeling. Support community resilience.
Voluntary Participation:
You may withdraw at any time. Each submission is voluntary and independent.
Contact Information:
For questions, email: luisa.feliciano@upr.edu
For IRB-related concerns: Contact UPRM IRB Office
Media Submission Terms
By uploading content:
- You affirm you own and have rights to share it
- You permit NOAA, USGS, UPRM, and collaborators to use it for scientific, educational, and response purposes
- No compensation will be provided
- No PII will be made public
Consent
By continuing to use the app and submitting the survey, you confirm:
- You have read and understood the privacy policy and consent form
- You voluntarily agree to participate under these terms