What if you have a family or friends at an island resort with an inbound tropical storm or hurricane? Do you have an interest regarding exactly where they may be? What if that location changes over time for priority reasons such as evacuation from the coast? Is there a method to transmit and receive location information succinctly and accurately? Well, there sure is. Better to have a method set up and not need it that to need it and not have it set up.

Here is a simple process to obtain easy-to-use location language from someone that is another country…

This article was published by FASNY’s, ‘The Volunteer Firefighter’ Magazine in the Nov/Dec 2018 edition.

Main article is linked here << open link<<

Links mentioned within the article are here:

USNGAPP.org smart phone web app

FindMeSAR.com smart phone web app

bit.ly/MM-NYS NYS Mission Manager map for general use

bit.ly/MM-9438-6745 Mission Manager link to the example downed hiker

bit.ly/2015-FFCA-USNG Recommended position statement of Florida Fire Chief’s Association

Much thanks to FASNY

For more information about US National Grid (USNG) or its implementation in the US, see this link: more info

There is a new web tool that can display USNG and thus be used to make hasty maps. It is the USNG Situational Awareness Viewer.

It can be found here: https://www.napsgfoundation.org/carat/planning/situational-awareness/

But it needs some configuration set up by new users. So, follow along for some USNG related information and a new short link to save on your desktop or portable device;

Select the USNG option.

Just a simple list of resources…….

Main website: http://usngflorida.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/usngflorida {real-time information is here}

Medium: https://medium.com/@USNGFlorida {multiple articles}

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USNG-Florida-107618149257256/timeline/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi1qd3IYvj--vPf0Kd_K8jw

Email: USNG08..at..gmail..dot..com . {issues auto-reply full of information}

===============

Other good stuff:

THE STANDARD: https://www.fgdc.gov/usng/

Video that explains it all in 8 minutes: http://bit.ly/IA-TF1-USNG {watch this!!!}

This will list will be updated occasionally.

Rev 0, 08–11–2018

Three USNG videos provide for some explanation and training on the nation’s grid coordinate system and land search & rescue standard.

Special thanks to Orlando’s Chief Walt Lewis for his leadership on the issue of USNG implementation. All videos are in Season 21 & linked below;

Video #1: What is USNG? (5:55)

Video #2: USNG: Reading the Map (7:30)

Video #3: Geolocation with USNG (5:36)

Approximately 19 minutes of training on the easiest coordinate system to learn, use and teach, if you need to use one. When street address fails, is burned over, blown away or is not applicable in the wilderness, what is your Plan B?

Ans. US National Grid !!

For more information, send email to: USNG08… at….. gmail….. dot…. com or see other articles on Medium or @USNGFlorida on Twitter.

Rev 1, 11–14–20 links updated

{Rev 1, 01–20–2019}

New link to USNG web tool GISsurfer = bit.ly/USNG-GISsurfer

Thanks to developer Joseph Elfelt in WA, GISsurfer is up & running. Upgrades occur from time to time and the most recent large one was the addition of grid lines. At this point, GISsurfer caught up to most functions that existed with former GMap4. Many thanks to Joseph, always!!

If users desire a short link to a specific location, send email to USNG08..at…gmail…dot….com

Note: multiple other USNGFlorida Medium articles will be revised over time to re-include GISsurfer links to select content locations.

Remember…A map without a grid is…

{Rev 2, 9/14/19}

Trails are historically marked with mile markers in the US to provide the hiker with some reference of how far they have come and how far they need to go. Mile markers are unfortunately near worthless to emergency responders approaching from any direction that does not include being ON the trail. The paradigm mile marker system can easily be augmented by placing geolocation ELMs on existing mile marker posts and at other locations.

The ELM system described <link<

A source for ELMs <link<

Where should ELMs be installed? Well, here are the six(6) recommended locations;

1. Trailheads
2. Where…

Groveland Township, Michigan, February, 2018

A three-day GPS-USNG course was conducted at the new Michigan Task Force 1 Headquarters facility at the end of February.

Here is a summary of what occurred;

Day 1 was a GPS class and field exercise specific to Garmin GPS receiver Model GPSMAP64st. It included all the basics of GPS operation and the details regarding map datums, coordinate systems, tracks and waypoints. A special set of icons was loaded onto each receiver so students could classify their waypoints during the field exercises. Note: photos below.

Day 2 was a US National Grid (USNG) presentation followed…