GIS Tool Helping USDA Improve Emergency Communications
An initiative spearheaded by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employee Dirk Fillpot is changing the way the government conducts emergency communications.
A key way agencies communicate with the public during emergencies is through local broadcast stations and newspapers. Under the old tool, identifying outlets served by target areas (such as those in the path of a hurricane) was time-consuming and inefficient, as users could only search one city at a time.
To transform the process, Fillpot partnered with ESRI to build a web-based application using ArcGIS. Users trace their desired geographic area on a map and receive contact information for media outlets serving that area. The tool also incorporates GIS layers that can be tailored to each agency. This results in improved public safety and awareness during emergency situations, as agencies are able to pull together distribution information faster.
Agencies interested in this tool should consider costs for training and maintenance, as well as broader considerations about how they communicate with stakeholders. How does this investment stack up as streaming services like Netflix or Sling (which often don’t include local stations) become more popular? Nevertheless, it’s encouraging to see agencies examining their processes critically and embracing new technical solutions.
Source: T. Chappellet-Lanier (September 13, 2018). As Hurricane Florence hits, USDA is leveraging GIS for better emergency communications. Retrieved from https://www.fedscoop.com/hurrican-florence-usda-gis-for-better-emergency-communications/
Source: D. Fillpot (September 11, 2018). USA Targeted External Communications Query (USA-TECQ). Retrieved from https://www.fgdc.gov/organization/coordination-group/meeting-minutes/2018/september/usa-tecq-presentation-to-fgdc-cg-20180911.pdf
