Public works professionals are called to duty in emergency management situations ranging from severe weather conditions to natural disasters and health crises. The best public works emergency response software informs plans and preparation, allows for real-time decision-making, optimizes resource allocation, includes damage assessment software, and provides a platform to keep the public informed. GIS is the foundational tool that allows public works staff members to operate on the front lines alongside their peers in public safety, with tools for data collection, coordination, and situational awareness.
Inclement weather response
Planning and mitigation
Incident command
Public notification
Activate resources in inclement weather
Staff can address safety concerns during severe weather with a location-centric approach. GIS supports planning and response based on weather, traffic, and demographic data that informs which actions should take priority. From snow removal to flood mitigation, damage assessment, and the process of connecting the at-risk to cooling centers, GIS can help you protect lives.
Strengthen planning and mitigation
Public works staff play a major role in emergency response during snowstorms, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. Use data to mitigate impacts. Identify at-risk populations, create evacuation plans, and verify asset sustainability. Create resiliency plans for unplanned incidents such as vector-borne disease, pandemics, and climate-based impacts.
Support incident command
Geospatial data is the common denominator for emergency preparedness because location is essential to every part of planning, response, and recovery. With location-aware dashboards, incident command center leaders allocate teams and resources where they are most needed. With GIS, public works officials can coordinate with other agencies and stakeholders.
Improve public notification
An informed community is a safe community. Apps can push location-based notifications about road closures, shelter locations, storm warnings, and more. By using residents' location in relation to the threat, GIS allows you to notify just the residents affected. But emergency response is a two-way street. GIS allows residents to give feedback on outages, damage, and more.
VIDEO
GIS keeps Pinellas County ready for hurricanes
Modern data collection and asset inspection tools allow the county to quickly respond, conduct damage assessments, and inform residents.
ARTICLE
Miami Beach uses GIS to mitigate sea-level rise
The city is using GIS to identify the biggest flooding concerns and determine how to consolidate public works projects.
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Products and ArcGIS Solutions
Explore ArcGIS Solutions and product offerings that enhance emergency response.