Gary Black, Eduardo Lamas, County of Los Angeles Fire Department
Frank Starkey, Catalina Conservancy
Santa Catalina Island offers unique challenges to agencies responding to emergency situations. Depending on the size and type of emergency, multiple on and off-island agencies respond via vehicle, airplane, helicopter, boat, barge, and when necessary, US Navy Landing Craft. Basic on-island navigation for responders is an enormous challenge, often hindered by fog, darkness and road conditions. The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Catalina Island Conservancy partnered to utilize GIS, combined with local knowledge and historical research, to produce detailed up-to-date emergency response maps, map books and GPS integration to provide the common knowledge base required for an effective coordinated emergency response that protects life, property and conservation needs.