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» VISIT US ONLINE @ DSNEWS.COM 61 touch event for the customer, so there is no additional stress." Progressive companies are also utilizing data and technology to make better business decisions not when it comes to communicating with their customers but also in ensuring the safety of the property before and during such events. "is includes geo-location, mobile, and multimedia technology, in addition to data analytics to track trends," Greenbaum said. TECH TO THE RESCUE From social media and drones to satellite imagery and real-time modeling, technology is changing the landscape of disaster response. Trevor Nace, a Geologist and Founder of Science Trends recently wrote in Forbes that technology is not only helping those being impacted by a natural disaster to communicate the urgency of the situation but is also playing a key role in ensuring that emergency response managers are better prepared. "As weather models, seismic sensor arrays, and systems advance and with it the modeling of natural disasters, we know earlier and with better precision the next major disaster. ese systems provide local, state, and federal officials the ability to prepare for the next natural disaster better than ever before. e outcome of it all, more lives saved," Nace said. Servicers are increasingly using these tools not only to improve their disaster response but also to also help homeowners safeguard their properties during these events. At a recent DS News webinar, John ibaudeau, Director of Single-Family Real Estate for Fannie Mae, spoke about the tools and apps that are helping provide real-time information for properties that need an inspection. ey are also used to guide inspectors and users on what to look for once they reach the property, and to help servicers absorb all that appraisal data so they can prioritize their work. Looking at some of the best practices that the industry has learnt from past disasters, Nickalene Badalamenti-Kalas, President of Five Brothers Default Management Solutions, said that it's important for clients to upload location verification documents (plat maps, origination appraisals) when FEMA inspections are ordered, as oftentimes normal property indicators such as mailboxes, addresses on homes, and street signs are destroyed. According to Greenbaum, technology and data are key to effective disaster management before, during, and after the storms. "Mortgage servicers are looking to assess the damage to both their current and delinquent properties as quickly as possible to determine the impact. Mobile technology and smart scripting, one that is responsive based on the answers chosen, plays an important role in assessing property damage following a major disaster," he said. ese scripts can easily be adjusted to ensure inspectors gather the appropriate information, photos, and videos. In turn, the information collected goes into the property preservation company's automated workflow system to quickly assess and determine which properties require immediate attention, enabling servicers to take prompt action. For the vendors in the field, advancements in technology are allowing for better and faster responsiveness. "Vendors can create routes based on their work orders' addresses to increase efficiency and have faster turnaround times to better serve clients," Badalamenti-Kalas said. "Field operatives can also be notified and dispatched from surrounding areas to assist in pre and post-disaster efforts." Servicers are also looking at technology to help them evaluate disaster impacts and target response activities. "e use of aerial imagery (satellite, manned aircraft, drones, etc.) has provided data that can be built into image processing tools and provide heat maps that track damage at a property level," said Jason Chapman, Director of Property Preservation at Fannie Mae. "ese heat maps can quickly inform investors and property owners where the hardest hit areas are and determine potential portfolio impacts." In addition to aerial imagery, the use of microwave imagery can be leveraged to detect the impacts of flooding in neighborhoods as well as the depth of the flooding. ese tools can better define impacted zones and improve response times to the areas that need the most assistance. e use of data and analytics in communicat- ing with customers and helping servicers prepare for any eventualities related to disasters is also becoming an important element of borrower outreach. According to Caceres, using data and analytics to determine national trends and then us- ing those to work with the government and other third-party agencies to discover potential risk areas will be the wave of the future. However, to use these tools before, during, and even after a disaster, it is important for "e most significant lesson is that we are all in this together and that resilience in the face of disaster is a community effort." —Chris Terzich, SVP, Wells Fargo Enterprise Incident Management.

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