Webinar: Discovering GIS Information that Supports Public Safety

"The National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation and the National States Geographic Information Council, with support from the US Department of Homeland Security, are co-hosting a webcast training to provide  public safety and emergency services personnel and GIS & IT professionals with training on how to use the GIS Inventory to advance the use of geospatial information in daily public safety operations."


To learn more and sign up for the event, go here. 


Comment: As we recently discovered with the shut down of government in Minnesota, knowing how and where to look for data outside "normal" channels can be important.  The GIS Inventory is an ongoing effort to catalog available data sources for the nation in one place - as such it could become a very important tool for the emergency services sector in the years going forward.  Additionally, individuals interested in using this type of approach should be aware of a similar effort developed by the Naval Research Lab Stennis Spaceport Center's Digital Mapping, Charting and Geodesy Analysis Program (DMAP) team in the 2005-2006 time frame.  Go here, to learn more.     

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Anger Builds Over Radiation Forecast Maps Withheld From Japanese Public

Click on the link below to read the article from the New York Times:

WORLD   | August 09, 2011
Japan Held Nuclear Data, Leaving Evacuees in Peril
By NORIMITSU ONISHI and MARTIN FACKLER
Residents of a town in the nuclear disaster zone expressed fury that unpublished radiation forecasts could have prevented them from harm.

Comment: Much to its credit, no main stream paper has tuned into the Geospatial Revolution like the New York Times.  Unfortunately, from this sad story that it ran yesterday, comes a lesson for us all about the immense damage that can happen to society when geospatial technology is not handled with care and respect.

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Gatewing UAV Video

A wave of the future - small portable UAV's for aerial mapping and emergency response.  Hip video takes 3:55 to walk you through the sequence of set-up, launch, data collection and platform recovery.  Go here.

Comment: The flip side of this capability is deconfliction with piloted aircraft.  Given a couple of geese were enough to bring down USAir 1549 onto the Hudson River on January 15, 2009 (Miracle on the Hudson), the FAA is rightful concerned about the uncontrolled proliferation of these platforms.  As such, on December 1, 2010, it issued FAA Fact Sheet - Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that relates the extent of the issues and how the agency is working to resolve them.

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Gatewing UAV Video

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High-tech Mapping System Keeps Track of Cleanup Efforts in Joplin

Reported July 18, 2011 at 6:10 PM CST by Zach Fletcher
(KOAM-TV - Pittsburg, Kan.) 


Agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers and the Missouri National Guard are using technology called Geographical Information Systems to plot out which Joplin properties have been cleaned and the progress of the debris removal efforts.  This approach has greatly sped up the recovery efforts in the area.  To view the video and read more, go here.

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High-tech Mapping System Keeps Track of Cleanup Efforts in Joplin

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DHS Launchs OneView - Prepares to Pull Plug on iCAV

On Wednesday, July 20th, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Geospatial Management Office (GMO), announced the official release of its next generation geospatial viewing platform, OneView.  According to the news release:

"OneView is now available to the Homeland Security community from the following URL: https://gii.dhs.gov/oneview. Users will still have access to iCAV for a limited period of time to allow them to transition to the new OneView capabil­ity, but in the near future, iCAV will be discontinued. The GMO will apprise the user community of final cutover dates for iCAV users."

In addition, the release noted that, "users will access OneView through the same HSIN credentials they use for iCAV."

Specifics of the platform were related as follows:

"OneView will continue to provide end users access to the same capabilities as iCAV with a richer inter­face for viewing maps of critical infrastructure, natural hazards data, and other user defined data sources as well as enhanced imagery, geocoding, and routing features."

Comment: Homeland Security Information System (HSIN) credentials are granted on an as needed basis through a variety of Communities of Interest, or COI's.  In most cases, state and local applications for access in Minnesota should be directed to the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM).  Alternately, it may be possible to gain access by contacting the HSIN help desk directly, at 1-866-430-0162 or HSIN-Helpdesk@dhs.gov and requesting access to a HSIN community of interest (Geospatial).

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NSGIC Geospatial Preparedness Committee Releases Recorded Webinar

The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) Geospatial Preparedness Committee recently produced a webinar about how geospatial data and technologies were used during several natural disasters that occurred this past spring.  The recorded version of that webinar is now available.  Here are the details:


"On June 28^th, we held a special WebEx from the Geospatial Preparedness Committee.  Discussion focused on the unusual number of natural disasters that have occurred this year have and continue to plague federal, state and local resources.  In addition a National Level Exercise (NLE) was conducted, an earthquake scenario surrounding the New Madrid Fault. 


Geospatial data and related technologies has played a valuable role in supporting these events and exercises.  A panel of presenters discussed the challenges, the role of geospatial data and technologies as well as lessons learned. They included:
·         DHS NLE After Action – Noah Goodman and David Alexander 
·         Kentucky NLE – Kenny Ratliff 
·         Arkansas Flooding – Learon Dalby
·         Tuscaloosa Tornado – Mike Vanhook
·         Joplin Tornado – Tony Spicci
·         Q and A



The recording of that WebEx is now available at https://nsgic.webex.com/nsgic/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=TC&rID=21360782&rKey=0dbd65d5ce2cc26f&act=pb "

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Quick Action Helps Google Win Friends in Japan

Click on the link below to read this article from the New York Times:

TECHNOLOGY   | July 11, 2011
Quick Action Helps Google Win Friends in Japan
By HIROKO TABUCHI
Through efforts like a Person Finder site and Street View recordings after the earthquake and tsunami, Google is finally winning over new friends in Japan.

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Quick Action Helps Google Win Friends in Japan

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Minnesota Geospatial Services During State Shutdown - Updates

As related in previous posts, a website that provides links to geospatial services, data, maps, and other related information available during the state shutdown can be accessed by using the link immediately above the Emergency Preparedness Committtee symbol in the right-most column.  Look for the link entitled: "Available GIS During MN Gov't Shutdown", or click here.

In addition, from Mike Dolbow at Minnesota Department of Agriculture: "If anyone needs an update of a shapefile formerly hosted on the Data Deli, chances are I can get you a version during the shutdown. Just send me a note at mike.dolbow@state.mn.us and let me know the layer name (metadata) and the last time you downloaded it."

And from Brad Neuhauser, GIS Specialist, Elections Division, Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State:
"Hi, noticed the link to the EPC blog and Available GIS in the MN GIS/LIS announcement today.  As sole GIS-related staff at Secretary of State, I generally fly under the radar, but since our office is open (due to it being under a constitutional officer) while so many others are closed, I thought I'd pass that news along in case it might be of use.
Regards,
Brad Neuhauser
GIS Specialist
Elections Division
Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State
651-556-0648
brad.neuhauser@state.mn.us"

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Satellite Images to Combat Avian Flu

GeoConnexion Online
20 June 2011, 5:17pm
"It is not only domestic poultry but also wild waterbirds that play a significant role in the spread of the avian influenza variant H5N1. With the aid of satellite data, it is possible to create risk maps for the spread of the virus by wild waterbirds. This has been shown in research by Yali Si, who obtained her doctoral degree from the ITC faculty of the University of Twente on 16 June."  Read more.
Comment: In the early part of 2005, Professor A. Townsend Peterson, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, Kansas University, released some ground breaking work along these same lines for the North American continent.  Those efforts focused on using historic migratory flyways to determine the likelihood of an avian flu outbreak at any specific location inside the United States, as sequenced across time.

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Satellite Images to Combat Avian Flu

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Minnesota Geospatial Services Links

All,
A temporary site showing active geospatial links that may be of value to you during the Minnesota State government shutdown has just been activated.  To access it, use the link directly above the EPC symbol to the right.  Additions and corrections can be sent to mngeoepc01@gmail.com.
Steve

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July 6 is the Deadline for Anoka and Hennepin Counties to Request Federal Public Assistance

FEMA
Release Date: June 29, 2011
Release Number: 1990-002
» More Information on Minnesota Severe Storms And Tornadoes

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- State agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofits in Anoka and Hennepin counties have just a few days remaining to file their official requests for federal public assistance to help recover from severe storms and tornadoes on May 21-22, 2011.

The deadline to file a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) is Wednesday, July 6.  Read more.

Comment: Geospatial technologies have much to offer when it comes to documenting extent of damage following a major disaster.  In turn, those documentation efforts are central to FEMA's reimbursement process.  Thus, the degree to which a community can use geospatial technologies to help develop extent of loss after a major disaster can directly impact the amount of funds available from FEMA for recovery efforts.  Furthermore, as this notice indicates, there are limits on the time in which those requests for assistance can be made - so geospatial response efforts must be timely to be effective in this realm.

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Interstate Chemical Threats Workgroup (ICTW) July Newsletter

Formed in early 2002, the ICTW is a national network of local, state, and federal health agencies which allows for sharing of knowledge, materials, and resources to define the role of state and local health agencies in a chemical terrorism event.  For the past several years, they have published a monthly newletter that is an absolutely invaluable information resource concerning this area of response.  To view the July newletter, click here. 

At the bottom of the newsletter, please note the link to the free online lecture, "Mapping and Tracking Vulnerable Populations Using Geospatial Technologies", sponsored by the Pacific Emergency Management, Preparedness, and Response Information Network and Training Services (Pacific-EMPRINTS).   Hawaii based Pacific-EMPRINTS hosts many excellent online training modules - several of which discuss the use of geospatial technologies in the emergency services sector.

ICTW is planning to discontinue the newsletter in early fall and replace it with a comprehensive website.  When that development takes place, the new EPC web site (which is currently under construction) will host a link to that site.

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Interstate Chemical Threats Workgroup (ICTW) July Newsletter

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Minnesota HAZUS-MH Users Group is Forming

In an effort to help develop better statewide understanding of FEMA's HAZUS-MH program, the EPC is sponsoring the startup of a Minnesota HAZUS User Group.  If you have interest in learning how you can use HAZUS-MH to help your community or place of business effectively plan for, and potentially respond to, several types of major disasters, please contact Kitty Hurley, GIS Specialist at Katherine.Hurley@brooklynpark.org, (763) 493-8196, or Joella Givens at joella.givens@state.mn.us (as long as the state is in business), (651) 234-7365.  For more information, see also Kitty's HAZUS presentation from the June 9th, 2011, EPC quarterly meeting.

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Free Presentation on International Applications of Hazus-MH - July 5th, 1:30 CDT

From Kevin Mickey, GISP, CTT+, Director, Professional Education and Outreach, The Polis Center, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis:


The Central Hazus Users Group is sponsoring a virtual presentation by Giedrius Kaveckis on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm CDT.   The dial-in for the audio portion of the presentation is 1-570-720-0113   Passcode: 1351813.  You can watch the video portion of the presentation by opening a web browser to http://breeze.iu.edu/hazusaustria/. 


Giedrius Kaveckis is a graduate student from Carinthia University of Applied Sciences in Austria. He is the recipient of a Marshall Plan Scholarship and is currently working on his Master’s thesis at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis at The Polis Center. The title of his thesis is “Potential Contributions of Hazus-MH to Flood Risk Assessment in the Context of the European Flood Directive.” His research focuses on the ability to integrate non-US datasets into the Hazus-MH Flood Model for the purpose of performing flood damage assessments and contributing to flood risk and hazard mapping in Europe.


In the presentation Giedrius will describe the implementation strategy that he has developed which enables the Hazus user to assess flood related losses anywhere in the world.  He will introduce the audience to the European Flood Directive and how Hazus-MH can support the goals of that directive.  He will also discuss the requirements for the inventory and hazard data as well as how those requirements can be met with free open source tools.  Giedrius will conclude with a discussion of the steps and challenges associated with fully implementing Hazus-MH in an international context.   He will also present opportunities for potential future research that can inform those working to address these issues.

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Program That Includes Simple Mapping is the Challenge.gov Winner

As related by FEMA Director Craig Fugate:

"It [the Map Your Neighborhood program] involves meeting with a small group of your neighbors to set up a plan for evacuation, rescue, etc. in the event of a disaster. You physically draw a diagram of your neighbor's homes to include gas shut-offs, water shut-offs, etc. You also inquire and make a list of who has a ladder, chain-saw, rope, muscular strength, or who can provide childcare so others can go to the aid of surrounding neighbors and so on. It is a very easy program to understand and does not rely on a large group to participate, just you and your immediate neighbors. It teaches basic preparedness and give some insight as to what may be needed and who, in your own neighborhood, is able to provide it."

Read more about the program and the rest of Director Fugates comments at the FEMA Blog: http://blog.fema.gov/2011/06/and-challengegov-winner-is.html

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Farms Get Individualized Maps to Avert Emergencies

Efforts underway in Illinois, Michigan and other states to make emergency response maps readily available for first responders.  Go here: http://www.twincities.com/national/ci_17922424?nclick_check=1.

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International Charter Efforts in Japan

This web page features a large number of overhead images produced by the International Charter for the Japan Earthquake Disaster of March 11, 2011.  Also look for the red link along the bottom of the top box for access to the USAR MGRS 1KM map books.

Go here: 
http://www.disasterscharter.org/web/charter/activation_details?p_r_p_1415474252_assetId=ACT-359

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GeoMOOSE Accepted for Three Hour Workshop at FOSS4G

It was announced today that Bob Basques, member of the EPC, has been selected to conduct a three hour workshop on the Minnesota developed GeoMOOSE program at the prestigious international Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial (FOSS4G) Conference, organized by OSGeo.  The conference will be held in Denver, CO, September 12-16.

Learn more: http://2011.foss4g.org/

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ESRI US National Grid (USNG) Map Service Now Available

The ESRI Public Safety Blog, recently announced ESRI had incorporated a US National Grid (USNG) map service into ArcGIS Online.  Go here to read the article.

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