Abstract

FEMA-ERT-N Geospatial Intelligence Unit: GIS and Disaster Response
Track: Disaster Management and Emergency Response
Author(s): Joseph Toland, Dane Wilson

The dynamic world of Disaster Response requires a unique type of GIS to meet the needs for tracking changing situations, and helping decision-makers tackle critical issues in Response and Recovery.

With nearly every part of Disaster Response and Recovery tied to geospatial information, GIS enables vastly different interdisciplinary groups across all levels of government to communicate in a common language; the language of space and geospatial information.

The key to the future of Disaster Response and Emergency Management lies with geospatial information and its ability to consistently provide a framework for decision making and situation awareness across all the varied sectors impacted by a disaster.

The Emergency Response Team - National (ERT-N) Geospatial Intelligence Unit is an interagency group coordinated through the National Response Framework (NRF) by FEMA to support the full range of Federal Response and Recovery operations in large, complex events, WMD/terrorist events, or incidents of national significance.

Joseph Toland
DHS-FEMA-RX
7929 Greenlake Dr N
Seattle , Washington 98103
United States
Phone: 206-790-3201
E-mail: joseph.toland@dhs.gov

Dane Wilson
FEMA RVI
800 N. Loop 288
Denton , Texas 76209
United States
Phone: 512-908-8886
E-mail: philip.wilson@dhs.gov