VOST

Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOST) as applied to emergency management and disaster recovery is an effort to make use of new communication technologies and social media tools so that a team of trusted agents can lend support via the internet to those on-site who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the volume of data generated during a disaster. Since its inception in 2011 in the U.S., the VOST concept has grown exponentially, supporting Emergency Managers, official agencies and other organizations involved in the official response to major emergencies. First, a generic logo was created for use on each public facing VOST website and social media profile, such as Twitter and Facebook. The design needed to be sufficiently unique and recognizable to engender public trust in the various teams operating the accounts, whilst maintaining its strong identity through various iterations. The generic logo was also used in many presentations both on and offline for educational purposes as the concept started to gain traction. The VOST logo is owned by and copyright of the Virtual Operations Support Group (VOSG). The VOSG was established to coordinate efforts worldwide and work collaboratively. As additional VOSTs are established, permission is sought to use the generic logo, adapt and customize unique team logos, many using local or regional graphic designers. The VOSG’s Branding Committee resolves any issue, maintaining an effective span of control over all VOST logos adapted from the original generic version. As of 2018, there are now some 40+ VOSTs worldwide, a map of which is included in the carousel above, together with a small selection of approved designs for individual teams.