Case Studies

Solution The City of Kingston selected Esri Canada's EM-COP. The ready-to-use solution supplies a standard geographic platform to integrate existing map datasets, dynamic data feeds and GIS analytic tools. A Web-based map viewer then allows this data to be accessed, viewed and shared among a wide range of stakeholders, providing a single, standard overview of an incident. The EM-COP pulls data from the city's GIS, including fire and police services, roads, buildings, utility network and population demographics. Datasets are updated on a regular basis by designated data custodians. Using tools within the EM-COP, emergency managers can leverage this data to identify risks and hazards, and calculate their probability. An intuitive dashboard allows the COP to be leveraged by many user groups including the City's Mayor, chief administrative officer, fire chief, police chief and other senior officials. In addition to pulling information from the city's GIS, the EM-COP application can integrate various data feeds from other agencies including the national Multi-Agency Situational Awareness System (MASAS). This allows for increased collabo- ration with other emergency management organizations and a more coordinated response during large-scale emergencies. The application can also be accessed by mobile command units to support rapid decision-making in the field. Dynamic feeds from social media channels including YouTube are integrated to further improve situational awareness. City of Kingston achieves real-time situational awareness | Esri Canada 2 Dynamic feeds from social media can be integrated into the EM-COP to enhance situational awareness of an emergency. Users can query numerous types of data, including municipal floor plans and orthoimagery. "We've unlocked access to all of our data layers across the organization, allowing users to quickly zero in on the layers they require during an emergency incident. This allows us to not only better manage events as they unfold, but also, analyze major risks and hazards for detailed operational planning." John Cross Manager, Office of Emergency Management City of Kingston Benefits Implementing a Common Operating Picture has reduced costly communication delays, allowing many different types of users to access specific data layers required during an emergency event. For example, in the event of a chemical spill, police may require information on transportation routes to block off affected areas. City engineers may need to locate underground infrastructure to shut off valves or pipes to ensure the safety of the water network. Customized dashboards allow each user to instantly zero in on the data they need. Access to the city's data layers allows staff to model tactical op- erations and event management for more strategic emergency preparedness. Drawing from a central hub of real-time data also improves collaboration so that emergency response can be seamlessly coordinated across the City. Informed decisions are made quickly, and the outcomes shared broadly to all those involved. Users can leverage the EM-COP to work together as a team or refer to it individually to analyze, track and manage their own assigned action tasks. In a future iteration, the EOC plans to add a resource tracking component to the application so that the team can better man- age logistics during emergency events.

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