Background

The Technology

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The term Geographic Information System (GIS) originally came into existence in the late 1960's with the invention of computer systems which could electronically create what man had hand drawn since the start of time - a map. However, with the acceleration of the Geospatial Revolution over the past 50 years, GIS has come to be used as an umbrella term for the display and analysis of a wide range of data collected by other electronic systems and sensors. When some, or all of these data sources are brought together in a GIS, it gives us a much better understanding of location and an incredible ability to visualize the world around us. Some of these other systems include:

  • Aerial Imagery
  • Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) Systems
  • Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
  • LiDAR (Light Detecting And Ranging)
  • Satellite Remote Sensing Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
  • Web Cameras
  • Web Viewers (e.g. Google maps)

For the benefit of all, the Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC) works to bring better understanding of these and related systems to the state's Emergency Services Sector (ESS), as well as works to bring a better understanding of the processes and approaches of the ESS to the state's geospatial community.

The Committee

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Shortly after 9/11, individuals in the state's emergency management and geospatial communities began discussions about how to better use the increasing power of geospatial technologies to enhance emergency preparedness and response activities across the state. From those discussions, the EPC came into existence in 2003 as a committee of the Minnesota Governor's Council on Geographic Information. Between 2003 and 2007, the EPC took initial steps to commence outreach and deliver educational presentations to a wide variety of individuals, institutions and agencies who had a role in either the delivery of geospatial information or emergency services. During this time, committee membership remained about 20, and was composed primarily of individuals from the state's geospatial community.

In an effort to increase the effectiveness of the EPC, in 2007, David Arbeit, the Director of the Land Management Information Center (LMIC), recruited two individuals with strong emergency services sector experience to lead and shape efforts going forward: Kris Eide, Director of the Minnesota Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and Steve Swazee, a retired Navy Captain who had served as a Department of Defense Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer at both the state (MN) and national level. Since that time, EPC efforts have focused on vertically and horizontally expanding committee membership as the way to increase engagement and cross community collaboration. Today, membership stands at over 100, and includes individuals from across the GIS and Emergency Services Sector (ESS).

In 2009, the Minnesota Legislature recognized the growing importance of geospatial information as part of the state's every day business practices by enacting legislation which sunset LMIC as a business function of Minnesota government and in its place created the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo).  Through this legislation, MnGeo was assigned responsibility for management of geospatial information across all parts of state government.  In addition, the Minnesota Governor's Council on Geographic Information was disbanded and the Minnesota Geospatial Advisory Council (MGAC) was legally created.  The EPC became a sanctioned committee of the MGAC at this time.

Some Accomplishments

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In the years since the EPC first came into existence in 2003, it has worked hard to further the use of geospatial technologies in the state's ESS. Some of its achievements to date include:

  • Release of the 2008 report, "Review of Geographic Information Systems Capabilities - Minnesota Emergency Management Community" which led to the state's division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) hiring its first individuals with substantial geospatial training,
  • A first in the nation manning of a United States Secret Service Multi Agency Communication Center (MACC) by a team of local geospatial professionals during the 2008 Republican National Convention,
  • Development and delivery of remotely created map products to support the Red River Valley flooding response efforts during spring 2009,
  • The 2010 release of the Geospatial Emergency Management Specialist (GEMS) training program as the way to quantify a GIS professional's understanding of the world of emergency management,
  • Creation of one of the nation's most comprehensive programs supporting introduction of the FEMA, Federal Geographic Data Committee and National Search and Rescue Committee endorsed U.S. National Grid, and
  • The ongoing development of nation's first "state sponsored" method for collecting, validating and distributing critical infrastructure data for emergency response purposes.