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Abstract


Paper
The Role of GIS in Response to WTC: The First 30 Days
Track: Homeland Security
Author(s): Ron Langhelm

The emphasis of the talk is a factual chronology covering the initial 30 days of GIS support for WTC. The presentation will include input from Columbia University, FEMA, FEMA Urban Search & Rescue, FDNY, Hunter College, NASA, NIMA, NYC, NY State, USACE, and others involved in the response operations. We will present the actual chain of events in our work there, personal accounts, and display sample products. Following the attacks of September 11th, the nation has discussed Homeland Security and its relationship to everything else. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the lead federal agency for natural disasters and the lead for consequences on man-made disasters. While we cannot identify exactly how GIS would be used to support a specific future event, we can pass on the things that were done in New York City and lessons learned there. GIS technology has become a mainstay in emergency response on the Federal level. I will identify the contacts and partnerships between FEMA and State and Local governments. We hope that our chronology will help to clarify the role of GIS in support of large-scale disasters.

Ron Langhelm
FEMA -Region X
ron.langhelm@fema.gov
130 228th St SW
Bothell , WA 98021
USA
Phone: 425.487.4642
E-mail: ron.langhelm@fema.gov