Crisis mapping dialogue previews GIO capability

  • Published
  • By Rachel Zaney
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --  In the emergency management community, it's said the first casualty in any disaster is the plan. While it's no secret emergency responders must be agile and ready for anything, those planning for disasters prefer to have every detail accounted for. That's where preparation, partnerships and geospatial data can help.

Beginning Oct. 1, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center will assume responsibility for the Air Force GeoBase program. By bridging the gap between installation geospatial information and services, and planning for and executing emergency management operations, Air Force installations will be better poised to address emergencies, including man-made and natural disasters, around the globe, said Scott Ensign, AFCEC's geo integration officer in the planning and integration directorate.

Air Force civil engineers play a significant role in Air Force installations emergency management operations, including the management of GeoBase programs that support "One Installation, One Map."

Installation and major command geo integration offices integrate existing digital infrastructure maps of their installations which support the development of a holistic installation picture. By accounting for multiple layers such as infrastructure, hazardous materials, weather and security related data, emergency responders are able to pinpoint the exact area affected by an emergency and identify the safest and quickest route to respond.

"Our goal is to align all installation infrastructure data and business processes using the same set of criteria to more effectively manage Air Force installations and environment investments as a whole," said Ensign. "Enabling location-based data supports first responders and allows them to react quicker and smarter in an emergency situation."

To discuss best practices pertaining to emergency preparedness and why it's so essential, AFCEC's GIO hosted a crisis mapping dialogue in San Antonio July 23 that focused on how planning for any emergency is greatly enhanced by having solid, reputable data before a disaster happens.

Dr. Jen Ziemke, co-founder and co-director of the International Network of Crisis Mappers, provided a keynote address that spoke of the impact crowd-sourcing technology and processes have had on international disaster responses, in particular during catastrophic events such as the Haitian earthquake in 2010.

"The crowd can help provide a picture of what's going on in real time during a disaster, especially in the first few hours after a disaster hits," Ziemke said. "The crowd can actually be on the spot, taking pictures, taking video and providing that first look for damage assessment."

Following the keynote address, Ziemke was joined by military and city experts for a panel discussion on the importance of shared responsibility during an emergency.

"We try to balance open awareness and training together as a group through partnerships, and we feel that if we're being forthcoming with information to the regulating entities that they will do the same with us," said Lynn Lindsay, emergency manager for Comal County, Texas.

Dr. Jen Ziemke leads discussion on how quickly online rumors can spread as a result of social media. Dependence on crowd sourcing and mitigating rumor control is increasingly important in addressing disaster relief.

Panel members address audience questions during the crisis mappers dialogue July 23. Attendees included emergency managers from city, state and Department of Defense fields.