Issue link: https://resources.esri.ca/i/734448
Challenge Kingston's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) was estab- lished ten years ago and is based at the city's fire and rescue headquarters. Traditionally, the centre relied on paper maps, updated twice yearly, to assess incidents and plan emergency response. Compiling data quickly to make decisions was chal- lenging, as information would be gathered from numerous people and agencies by phone, email and online. Emergency situations can unfold very quickly, often making paper maps outdated and obsolete the minute they're pro- duced. To effectively manage and respond to a public safety threat, officials must have access to maps that are dynamic, interactive and convey data in real-time: maps that provide actionable intelligence. To increase efficiency, Kingston's EOC turned to the city's In- formation Technology (IT) department to create a solution that would improve their ability to access and share data. The IT department uses GIS to manage all municipal location-based data, and produces maps to support planning, engineering, utility management and community services. To get up and running quickly with limited resources, the department would need to leverage a ready-to-use geographic platform that could integrate their vast stores of data. Growing municipality creates a shared view of operations for coordinated emergency preparedness and response When responding to a public safety threat, even the smallest delay in communication can cost lives. Threats to public safety whether it be a natural disaster or man-made event, requires speedy, coordinated, informed response. As such, emergency operation centres are recognizing the value of Web mapping technology to enable real-time situational awareness, disseminate intelligence, and improve their ability to protect the public. To create a shared view of operational activities, the City of Kingston leveraged Esri Canada's Emergency Management Common Operating Picture (EM-COP). 1 Esri Canada | City of Kingston achieves real-time situational awareness "When it comes to emergency situations, paper maps are essentially outdated the moment they're produced. Threats to public safety call for maps that are dynamic, interactive and convey data in real-time." Phil Healey Manager, Enterprise GIS Services City of Kingston