GIS: Shifting to a Regional Focus for 2008
Last month we mentioned that our GIS (geographic information systems) efforts would be taking a regional focus for 2008. This turn follows funding that has been provided by the South Central Homeland Security Regional Council in response to a proposal by The Kansas Collaborative. This South Central project is already getting some attention from other Homeland Security Councils as they begin to recognize the importance of GIS information to disaster planning, response and recovery.
This regional GIS project has five key goals and outcomes:
1) Inventory current GIS efforts (software, hardware and data layers) within each county in the region so policymakers and responders know what is available where.
With this web-based information, you would know what information is available not only in your county but in the neighboring counties as well. You can’t actually view or download data, you will be able to tell, for example, that “street centerlines” are in GIS format in a neighboring county and who to contact for more information.
2) Provide on-going education about the power of GIS as an information management system supporting responders.
Four sub-regional stakeholder meetings are being held within the region for responders, GIS personnel and other policymakers. One of the primary purposes is to identify the information (and thus, data layers) that are most important to have available to responders.
In addition, two “Introduction to GIS” courses (ArcView-based) are being provided (April 15 and 16 in Pratt and May 12 and 13 in Wichita). This training will be provided at no cost to participants, though travel costs will need to be covered by participating counties. Entities within the South Central region have enrollment priority but open seats will be given to counties outside the region. For more information contact Jessica Frye, Kansas Homeland Security GIS Coordinator, at 785-274-1426.
3) Identify gaps in critical data layers.
A project support team, facilitated by The Kansas Collaborative, will compare the region’s current GIS inventory results with that of “critical data layers” as identified through the sub-regional stakeholder meetings. A report on the “gaps” in data layers will be provided to the regional council along with recommendations of how to close the gaps.
4) Make recommendations on closing gaps in critical data layers.
Funding was provided by the South Central Homeland Security Regional Council to provide for the purchase of some software and hardware to help county governments close important data gaps. We anticipate GIS software and GPS units will be the primary items purchased.
5) Provide for the purchase of a regional server so GIS data that needs to be shared across the region can be easily accessible to Incident Management Teams and others when an emergency situation arises.
What can you do?
If this information peaks your interest as being important to your jurisdiction, take a minute and share this article with your county’s representative on your Regional Homeland Security Council. As Adjutant General Tod Bunting has noted, the goal is to have “critical data layers statewide backed up in multiple locations.”
Joining The Kansas Collaborative in this South Central regional GIS collaborative effort are the following state and federal partners: Kansas Adjutant General’s Department, State GIS Policy Board, Data Access and Support Center and the U.S. Geological Survey. Shelly Abbott-Becker, KAC Board member, was also instrumental in gaining local buy-in for this effort. Documents related to this project can be found here.
Until next month…
Kathleen and Joel
One additional note, The Kansas Collaborative: February 2008 Overview is available on the KAC website.
Archives
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Friday, February 01, 2008
GIS: What’s New To Help You
“GIS (geographic information system) is the next important information management system for government.” A bold statement and one that captures the conclusion we have reached in our roughly two year journey in facilitating state/local GIS efforts.
The power of this technology to “knit together the courthouse” was demonstrated at the KAC annual pre-conference workshop, “Maximizing Your Use of GIS.” Thanks to a collaborative effort between The Kansas Collaborative and Jefferson County, this workshop highlighted uses of GIS in planning and zoning, emergency services, road and bridge and beyond. In fact the real power was in seeing the connections between departments and the efficiencies gained when information was shared and paperwork eliminated. Four county commissioners also discussed their county’s journey and experience with GIS (Coffey County Commissioner Kimberly Skillman-Robrahn, Dickinson County Commissioner Joe Nold, Jefferson County Commissioner Dave Christy and Rooks County Commissioner Pat Hageman) with each concluding in their own way that this technology is important to an effective courthouse and is worth the investment.
An important and lasting resource came from this workshop, the Map Book as we all fondly refer to it. The Map Book again was the result of a collaborative effort with the Jefferson County GIS Department and is now available via download from our web site. Visit the Resource Center, GIS and click on the link called “Maximizing Your Use of GIS – Map Book.” You will then be linked with the Jefferson County GIS home page. At the bottom of their home page in a blue box is the file for the GIS Map Book. It is worth the time to download and worth the time to study.
There are a couple other new resources in the GIS portion of the Resource Center to assist you in your GIS efforts. Check out the Aerial Imagery Guidelines and the Digital Color Orthoimagery Scope of Work documents. The first document provides a good overview of aerial imagery and the second provides a document you can utilize as a contract with an aerial imagery vendor if you are acquiring 6 inch color imagery. Your resulting imagery will meet national map standards. The E-911 Board has been provided both documents.
In our March article we will talk more about our 2008 GIS efforts. Suffice it to say that the funding for our statewide GIS efforts has come to a conclusion. We have, however, secured some funding for a regional strategy in partnership with the South Central Homeland Security Regional Council. We think these efforts will prove to be an important pilot for other Homeland Security regions. Stay tuned next month for an update on what we are doing there.
Until next month…
Kathleen and Joel
“GIS (geographic information system) is the next important information management system for government.” A bold statement and one that captures the conclusion we have reached in our roughly two year journey in facilitating state/local GIS efforts.
The power of this technology to “knit together the courthouse” was demonstrated at the KAC annual pre-conference workshop, “Maximizing Your Use of GIS.” Thanks to a collaborative effort between The Kansas Collaborative and Jefferson County, this workshop highlighted uses of GIS in planning and zoning, emergency services, road and bridge and beyond. In fact the real power was in seeing the connections between departments and the efficiencies gained when information was shared and paperwork eliminated. Four county commissioners also discussed their county’s journey and experience with GIS (Coffey County Commissioner Kimberly Skillman-Robrahn, Dickinson County Commissioner Joe Nold, Jefferson County Commissioner Dave Christy and Rooks County Commissioner Pat Hageman) with each concluding in their own way that this technology is important to an effective courthouse and is worth the investment.
An important and lasting resource came from this workshop, the Map Book as we all fondly refer to it. The Map Book again was the result of a collaborative effort with the Jefferson County GIS Department and is now available via download from our web site. Visit the Resource Center, GIS and click on the link called “Maximizing Your Use of GIS – Map Book.” You will then be linked with the Jefferson County GIS home page. At the bottom of their home page in a blue box is the file for the GIS Map Book. It is worth the time to download and worth the time to study.
There are a couple other new resources in the GIS portion of the Resource Center to assist you in your GIS efforts. Check out the Aerial Imagery Guidelines and the Digital Color Orthoimagery Scope of Work documents. The first document provides a good overview of aerial imagery and the second provides a document you can utilize as a contract with an aerial imagery vendor if you are acquiring 6 inch color imagery. Your resulting imagery will meet national map standards. The E-911 Board has been provided both documents.
In our March article we will talk more about our 2008 GIS efforts. Suffice it to say that the funding for our statewide GIS efforts has come to a conclusion. We have, however, secured some funding for a regional strategy in partnership with the South Central Homeland Security Regional Council. We think these efforts will prove to be an important pilot for other Homeland Security regions. Stay tuned next month for an update on what we are doing there.
Until next month…
Kathleen and Joel