How NYC OEM uses GIScience in Support of Emergency Management

SPEAKER:
Josh Friedman
Director, Geographic Information Systems
NYC Office of Emergency Management

Wednesday, March 1, 2017
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Room: 1004 HN

All are invited to attend!

Abstract: The mission of the NYC Emergency Management GIS division is to support the agency and its partners by producing reliable, location-based information through the integration, analysis, and visualization of essential data distributed in the form of maps, datasets, summary metrics, and associated applications. Originally consisting of one part-time staff member, the division now consists of 12 full-time professionals who maintain a catalog of over 1000 datasets. Through the years this catalog of foundational data was developed along with metadata requirements, QA/QC standards, map templates, and operational procedures to ensure the division’s ability to support responses to hurricanes, blizzards, building collapses and other incidents. Moving forward the division is expanding its focus to incorporate programming, application development, field data collection and the use of various GIS platforms to help manage, analyze, and display incident data. The seminar presentation will review the current state of GIS at Emergency Management, discuss the role the division has played in prior incidents and planning efforts, and look at the road ahead.