Geographic IT for emergency management and event security
ESRI's Russ Johnson gives a comprehensive description of how geographic information technology benefits all aspects of emergency management and event security
The events of 9/11, and subsequent terror attacks, have transformed the role of government agencies throughout the world. Protecting the homeland is a paramount concern. Part of this brave new world of today involves providing security for large-scale events that can be a target of a terrorist attack or can pose a dramatic response challenge in the event of a natural disaster.
Geographic Information System (GIS) technology benefits all aspects of the emergency management and event security, including planning, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. It provides an integration platform that enables every agency involved to work in a coordinated, collaborative fashion. Indeed, the latest server-based technology advancements provide easy access to applications and data to every type of user imaginable, whether operating in an emergency operations center(EOC), an incident command center, or remotely in the field. In addition, specialized solutions provide tailor made functionality for emergency and security professionals.
Geography and Computer Mapping as the Information Framework
GIS has a key technology platform for modern emergency management planning. As GIS has become a fully scalable, enterprise-wide technology available on the desktop, via the web, on mobile devices, and through Web services, it can be used for all phases of event security.
Spatial technology allows emergency managers to plan prior to events. It allows them to perform risk assessments and to evaluate potential damage to the community before an incident occurs; this facilitates a proactive approach to placing assets and people in the field in advance of an event. Government officials can spatially examine the planned attendance and capacity. It can be used to determine how and where to stage public safety and law enforcement assets for rapid response.
For multi-day events, GIS can forecast where the majority of people might be within the venue at any given time. The analysis aids in managing security and assigning public safety resources based on time, movement, and accumulations of people.
From a command and control perspective, GIS is the primary foundation for creating the common operating picture. It allows users to import important data layers that physically represent the event layout, critical infrastructure, and other static elements important for security such as water sources for hydrants, first aid stations, fire extinguisher locations, hazardous materials, utility asset control panels, available parking for large vehicles, personnel and asset inspection areas, and more. Managers can also overlay street network data with data on hospitals, medical staff, police locations, and building footprints.
Visualization is an important aspect of communicating geospatially referenced information; GIS can also provide capabilities for data integration and analysis that generate specific, actionable information.
GIS uses static data as an information backdrop and imports vital dynamic, near real-time data for event monitoring. Field crews can use mobile devices to upload remotely sensed data. Staff can capture the location of an incident and log related tabular information that can be sent via a wireless network back to command and control. This can be for a medical emergency, a rules infraction or law violation, a violent altercation, a fire, a traffic accident, or other event.
For highly sensitive events, biochemical sensors in the field can be linked to GIS to provide an early warning if and when a chemical is detected. Sensors can be integrated with weather and wind vector data to model a toxic plume spread; this allows commanders to more precisely understand where and how to evacuate people and in what direction.
Along with mobile field collection, sensor data, weather data, and modeling capability, GIS can integrate video camera feeds throughout the venue. By clicking on a camera point, staff can view of what is actually occurring during an incident.
Command and control personal can also look hospital data to determine bed availability and emergency capacity. They can look at traffic flow data for looking at response times and routing. They can also visually look at street data for making street closures, securing route corridors, or sealing manhole covers as added protection.
GIS-generated computer models provide visualized results that provide a "direct line of sight" output. This can be used for events where a guest will be speaking before an audience. Event or Incident Commanders can use this processed data to determine where to place sentries or where to block areas off for security purposes.
The use of GIS technology for event management is nothing new. From the 2004 winter Olympics held in Utah, to recent Super Bowls, to political conventions such as the upcoming democratic national convention held in Denver, Colorado, GIS has helped the myriad of government and private agencies. It's helped organizations work together in an integrated, effective manner. What today's GIS landscape offers is even greater coordination and collaboration through fast, efficient information systems using a single, scalable platform. Spatial software delivers key information to the right people at the right time, regardless of their location. Personnel can observe, assess, and analyze data for both spontaneous and planned events to make accurate and timely decisions.
Specialized Applications
With fully integrated, complete information platforms uniting the enterprise, private and public agencies are providing specialized solutions that work in conjunction with these enterprise environments to provide commanders and responders with detailed data and functionality specific to their domain expertise.
A couple of solutions created by U.S. government agencies are freely available and have been successfully used for both event security and disaster response. Consequences Assessment Tool Set (CATS) is a PC-based system for powerful, cost-effective disaster analysis. Developed for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), CATS is available to federal, state, and local government emergency response organizations in the United States.
The software allows you to create realistic scenarios for training and planning, as well as create contingency plans with CATS comprehensive population and infrastructure data. You can assess the affected population quickly and accurately, assess damage from explosives, industrial agent release, or weapons of mass destruction; as well as determine how to reduce response timelines, and decide where to have roadblock locations and exclusion zones for safe routing of responders and victims. After a disaster, you can assess needs and locate resources for a sustained response; obtain information for reporting, damage assessment, and lessons learned; and obtain support for remediation and compensation. CATS works with desktop GIS software and a wide range of georeferenced background map, population distribution, and infrastructure databases.
For natural events, which can pose and equally difficult challenge to security professionals, HAZUS-MH is a nationally applicable standardized methodology and software program that contains models for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods, and hurricane winds. The program was developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under contract with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). Loss estimates produced by HAZUS-MH are based on current scientific and engineering knowledge of the effects of hurricane winds, floods, and earthquakes. Estimating losses is essential to decision-making at all levels of government, providing a basis for developing mitigation plans and policies, emergency preparedness, and response and recovery planning. HAZUS-MH uses GIS software to map and display hazard data and the results of damage and economic loss estimates for buildings and infrastructure. It also allows users to estimate the impacts of hurricane winds, floods, and earthquakes on built environment and populations. Federal, state, and local government agencies and the private sector can order HAZUS-MH free of charge from FEMA.
Future Event Management Innovation
With more computing power, an ever-growing number of agencies using GIS tools as part of their daily work, and continuous learning from previous best practices and successful event security, greater use of spatial technology and data is inevitable. The challenge is to be proactive and diligent well before an event occurs. Preparing security well in advance of an event gives homeland security professionals and others the best chance to provide optimized protection and response capability.
Russ Johnson
Public Safety/Homeland Security Industry Manager
ESRI
380 New York Street
Redlands, CA 92373
(909) 793 2853 xt. 1836
russ_johnson@esri.com
