GPS and Emergency Disaster Management

Global Positioning System (GPS) is an integral part of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The GPS information can be used to perform various functions from predictive disaster management to disaster mitigation. The data from GPS is used to provide emergency managers with the information they need to make decisions by integrating the data into a database that can be graphically represented. GIS programs, such as ESRI, can be used to disseminate and filter data for emergency managers so they can efficiently and effectively utilize resources. ESRI has used their GIS program to assist agencies such as FEMA, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Weather Service to manage emergencies such as hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes. The following web sites show some of the data that has been supported in calendar year 2008:

http://www.esri.com/disaster_response/hurricane_cyclone_support2008.html
http://www.esri.com/disaster_response/wildlandfire_support2008.html
http://www.esri.com/disaster_response/tornado_support2008.html

Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS)

One particular application of interest using GPS is the tracking of wildfires. The Fire Information for Resource Management System provides worldwide tracking of fires through a tool called Web Fire Mapper. With the Web Fire Mapper and the integration of GPS information, the identification and tracking of fires can be monitored on a near real-time basis. By having the ability to monitor fires, wildfire emergency managers can make decisions based on empirical information to utilize potentially limited resources in the most efficient manner possible.

The map at the top of this blog shows wildfires that have started and have been identified in North America during the past 24 hours (the map data was retrieved August 30, 2008 at 11:00 p.m. Arizona time from http://maps.geog.umd.edu/website/Activefire_HTML/viewer.htm?MAP=US-ArcIMSparam&DATALIST=,wc,wco,cus,mafd24,mafd7d,ER,&BANNER=US_banner&ele_fire=fireAims&requiredMap=USA).

Additional fire tracking information can be obtained from the FIRMS website.

http://maps.geog.umd.edu/firms/

Globalstar Satellite Phones
Several Emergency Preparedness programs in Arizona, such as county and tribal organziations, purchased Globalstar satellite phones a couple of years ago to aid in communications coverage. This was especially critical for remote areas where cell phone coverage was minimal or non-existant.

Globalstar decided to improve coverage by launching additional satellites, however doing so would reduce signal strength making sat phones inoperable at times. At this time, they are experiencing difficulty and hope to become fully operational by late 2009. According to the constellation update, theTwo-Way Voice and Duplex Data Services have been affected.

The Two-Way Voice is basically the cellular and satellite phone service. The Duplex Data Service delivers digital data communications using CDMA technology and the Globalstar constellation made up of Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellites. The Globalstar GSP-1620 SDM (Satellite Digital Modem) provides two-way Internet communications with land or marine based equipment via Direct Dial-Up or Direct Internet access. This capability can be found in mobile tactical packages allowing internet connectivity through satellite phones, which is quite useful in the field. This capability allows for effiency and productivity while out in the field using communications equipment such as mobile tactical packages.

Globalstar has offered discounts on service to agencies who have made formal requests. In addition, Globalstar is offering a tool located on its website to show when satellites will be overhead for a specific geographic location to have phone coverage. The tool is called the Optimum Satellite Availability T-tool (OSAT). Please visit Globalstar at http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/index.php and click on Optimum Satellite Availibility Tool

Globalstar also provides a Simplex Modem, which mainly transmits and can be programmed to send data to an end location, via a website or to an email address. This capability is fully operational at this time working off the upgraded satellite network system (Globalstar 2nd Generation Constellation) functioning with GPS capability. This capability would be especially useful in tracking critical supplies, such as SNS assets, or tracking armed escorts.

For more information on Globalstar visit the above-mentioned link or call customer service for more information on previously mentioned discounts.

Sources include Globalstar 2008.

Picture from Microsoft Clips

GPS Protecting Endangered Species

According to Endangered Species International, "many species vanished in five cataclysmic mass extinctions and today, 99.9 percent of all species that have existed on Earth are extinct." When species die, along with it goes the ecological roles it played in the ecosystem, such as pollination, air purification, or soil preservation. We also lose possible medicinal elements for future research, the services of the natural environment that through a homeostatic process replaces what it lost, like clean air and water, which we need to survive.

What the GPS allows is for us to observe and protect all kinds of animals, animals that swim or run faster than us or will maul us if we get too close. Ah yes, the burdening potential to be stalked by ex-lovers or your over-protective father, well animals, such as brown bears, penguins, Hawaiian monk seals, and sperm whales, have been stalked around the clock using tracking devices, such as the GPS, and something even cooler, the National Geographic's Critter Cam.

Marine biologist, Greg Marshall, revolutionized the way scientists and animal conservationists can study and protect all kinds of "hard-to-get-to" animals, particularly sea creatures using the Critter Cam. www.nationalgeographic.com/crittercam/ This camera is attached to animals in the most convenient location possible, and they are set off into the wild. Note, scientists attach the camera as securely as possible and pray the animal does not smash it off since one can cost up to $13,000 US dollars and all data is lost.

The coolest aspect about Critter Cam is not only does it video record the animals daily routine, but it also tracks the animals to exactly where scientists have always pondered about. The research found using the camera on Hawaiian monk seals is a great example of a how endangered species can be protected. The Critter Cam led scientists to a remote feeding location in the deep sea, which is now protected by the federal government.


http://www.endangeredspeciesinternational.org/overview.html?gclid=CMT_9fyCt5UCFRsRagodEwd7QA
http://www.wildlifenews.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlife_news.view_article&articles_id=45&issue_id=7
http://www.gps.gov/applications/environment/index.html

Picture: Accessed http://www.uas.alaska.edu/infocus/archives/media/seal/seal.jpg on August 31 2008

USGS Uses GPS to Help Analyze Levee Failure in New Orleans

As the ominous, and literal, dark cloud of Hurricane Gustav threatens the city of New Orleans, preparation and preparedness remain great issues of concern for the vulnerable city. With 75% of the city flooded and over 1800 deaths resulting from the 2005 natural disaster and the failure of the city's engineered levee system as well, questions lingered on how such a failure could occur and how to prevent it in the future.

According to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) articles published in the agency's online newsletters, shortly after the devastating storm ran ashore on August 29, 2005, scientists collected high-resolution scans of several levee breaches along various canals, which resulted in severe flooding and damage. The scans, collected at the request of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, used a "ground-based terrestrial laser-mapping system" to survey the breaches and examine how both structural and soil degradation contributed to the monumental failure. After analysis by a number of agencies was complete, the finding were presented to the US senate. Several months later, a USGS team returned to the city to collect and ultimately attach Global Positioning System (GPS) data to the scans. GPS uses 24 satellites that circle the globe every 12 hours at 12,000 miles above earth, continually collecting and transmitting the satellites exact time and location in space (Pine, 83). When the satellites' radio signal is transmitted to receivers, a variety of precise information can be collected, tracked, mapped and categorized.

The USGS team visited the same area where the scans were originally collected used GPS to assign geographic coordinates to the scans. Because the original scans were often collected in the path of emergency responders and thus at a rapid pace, accurate "registration points", or actual geographic coordinates, were not included at that time. In order to revisit the sites, the team examined the scans for potential location points that might still be available as many of the areas had been under repair and altered since original collection. After determining 3-dimensional structures that would hopefully still be available, the USGS team headed out to collect the points. With the use of GPS points, data was assigned to within centimeter accuracy of the registration point.

Upon completion of the registration process, the information was provided to numerous agencies in order to aid in the repair process of the levee system. Specifically, the data was used in conjunction with geographic information system (GIS) to depict the conditions in areas where the levees failed as well as with geotechnical drilling information to examine how the terrain and geology impacted the levee failure. The registered points will also be used to help with current concerns of inaccurate floodwall elevation data. Due to soil variance causing the current, "fixed" benchmarks to sink sometimes more than a foot, the newly collected GPS points will provide a more accurate measurement of the floodwall elevation.
Although too late for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, hopefully science and government still have time for future generations of the gulf coast region.


Sources: soundwaves.usgs.gov/2006/05/>
soundwaves.usgs.gov/2005/01/ >
Pine GIS and GPS, 2007
Photo from cmurray - breach at 17th street canal, 2005

GPS and Drinking Water Wells

Many people depend on wells for their drinking water wells. Location, location, location, it is important the wells are installed according to certain criteria to avoid contamination.

Need water

Refugees left Sudan due to the violents in Darfur to Chad. Chad lacked drinking water so scientist used GPS to find to right place to install drinking water wells. GPS has the ability to pin point with accuracy and avoid the costly expense of drilling in the wrong place.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2004-09-19-waterseek_x.htm

Natural Disaster

GPS is used in Land Planning to avoid installation of drinking water wells in certain areas that could directly and indirectly cause contamination. Flood is probably the most destructive because it is usually wide spread and frequent natural hazard that happen around the world. Using GPS to map flood plains allows developers to choose land that is better suited. These flood prone areas could be avoided and land that is on higher ground would be a better option.
http://www.gisdevelopment.net/application/natural_hazards/floods/ma03138pf.htm

The 2008 Midwest Floods was a huge example of how drinking water wells can be contaminated from flooding water. People learn that it isn’t that easy to run to store to get bottled water, especially when you can’t exactly get to the store.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25020185/

Photo retrieved August 29, 2008 from http://www.kvnews.com/