Abstract
A Shining Star in the Katrina Disaster: LIDAR Track: Disaster Mangagement and Emergency Response Author(s): Rob Cunningham A FEMA official declared the Louisiana LIDAR dataset the most accessible and valuable geospatial dataset ever encountered in responding to a regional disaster. Completed in 2003, the LOSCO/FEMA LIDAR Project provided the backdrop and data tools for initial emergency response including rescues, daily flood depth determinations, dewatering calculations, insurance settlements and hurricane surge model hind casting. In the rescue phase the LIDAR DEMs were used to determine water depths for military vehicles, boats and helicopters responding to distress calls. Daily estimates of water volumes derived from the DEMs were used to estimate pumping requirements and time estimates for the dewatering phase. The LIDAR dataset is currently being used by FEMA and the insurance industry to determine flooded depths of individual structures, eliminating the need for expensive field investigations and surveys. Esri staff volunteers and software products were used extensively by emergency response, disaster investigation and recovery organizations. Rob Cunningham Louisiana State University School of the Coast and Environment 5712 Oxford Place New Orleans , LA 70131 US Phone: 504.391.1693 Fax: 225.578.6400 E-mail: rcunnin@lsu.edu |
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