IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The state's new GIS data website offers an easier and more attractive entry point to geographical information, and a mix of visualization tools and service information.

The state of Colorado, which launched its own open data portal nearly five years ago, is expanding its range of available GIS data with the March 6 debut of its new GIS website and data explorer.

Large-scale applications, meanwhile, typically have remained as off-the-shelf products bought from vendors. Since open source is written by a vast community of developers collaborating online — most of whom contribute for free — most agencies have feared being without the IT support they would need if functions underpinned by open source failed. But in places like the Pacific Northwest, that assumption is changing in a large way.

Philadelphia’s process for managing damaged fire hydrants was brought into the digital age late last year with a new reporting app. The city’s Fire Department now transfers data about the condition of hydrants from the new app through mobile data terminals (MDTs), cutting down on processing time and saving money.

"VCGI is excited to offer citizens the convenience of online registration for events, workshops, and trainings throughout the state," said Executive Director David Brotzman. “With just a few quick clicks from our website, citizens can select among a variety of events, register online, and pay securely over the web.”

ProPublica talked with David R. Maidment, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin who has advised FEMA on flood mapping, about why the data behind modern maps is 10 times as accurate as the older data and why half of Texas still doesn't have up-to-date maps.

Beverly Hills also has needs that sometimes transcend the ordinary. Celebrities, politicians and dignitaries from around the globe demand that the city performs above and beyond when it comes to public safety. In addition, the city is nestled near Southern California mountains that are infamous for bursting into infernos. Add to that the fact of life that besets all of Southern California — the potential for catastrophic earthquakes — and it becomes clear that the goings-on behind the scenes in Beverly Hills can be anything but glamorous.

The faster, more efficient www.geodata.gov is an online tool for combining thousands of geospatial resources from federal, state, local, tribal and private sources. The portal enables decision-makers to access geospatial resources and respond more quickly during an emergency to protect lives, property and basic services. Geospatial One-Stop provides access to more than 72,000 federal, state and local government geospatial resources.

The site allows government officials at all levels to get quick access to maps and other data that can be used to aid in making on-the-spot emergency response decisions, for example.

The federal government's Geospatial One-Stop portal, slated to be unveiled next month, won't significantly address data-integration problems related to geographic information systems the government has struggled with for more than a decade, a General Accounting Office official told a House subcommittee on Tuesday. The One-Stop portal is unified national network of geospatial data and systems that will available to federal, state, and local governments and the public.

Some of the surveyed users demanded better integration of Global Positioning System measurements with their existing ESRI ArcGIS software.

The public review period will begin in July 2004 and will last 90 days. These standards establish common requirements to facilitate data exchange for seven themes of geospatial data fundamental to many different Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications.

The site currently offers access to an extensive array of national and local mapping data. The new version will perform more like a portal and incorporate a number of new tools and enhancements — including the introduction of Google search technology — to find specialized data more quickly and easily.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior Scott Cameron will unveil a demonstration of the new portal's potential during the plenary session of the ESRI User Conference tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 2:30 p.m. The session is being held on Level 2, hall E of the Washington Convention Center.

GIS technology should benefit public safety and result in more efficient sewer design, according to city officials.

The technology can be used for scientific investigations, resource management, and development planning. For example, GIS might allow emergency planners to easily calculate emergency response times in the event of a natural disaster, or it might be used to find wetlands that need protection from pollution.

Interior Department and ESRI officials announced the e-government deal yesterday at the 7th annual federal geographic information system conference in Washington sponsored by the Redlands, Calif., company.

The network uses a Web portal for linking local resources with state and federal agencies in the event of a disaster, ESRI officials said. The GIS-based system will offer a two-way stream of information flow, vital to disaster response, the company said.

State and federal agencies continue to extend the boundaries of geospatial applications and databases, and Virtual Alabama is one of the most recent examples.

Launched in November 2007 by the Alabama Department of Homeland Security, the project uses Google Earth as its visualization engine and delivers data and query tools to more than 1,200 state and local officials, from county sheriffs and assessors to firefighters and health care providers.