What is GIS

Mobile GIS and
Wireless
Communications
Tom Patterson
ESRI Wildland Fire
Specialist
Deputy Chief (Ret)
CA Desert District
Overview
•What is GIS? (Tactical Mapping)
•Past
•How it all started
•What was “state of the art” then?
•Present
Where are we now?
•Future
•Where are we going?
What is GIS (Tactical Mapping)?
Habitat
Resources
Population
Developments
Vegetation
Elevations
A way to visualize,
manipulate,
analyze and
display spatial data
“Smart Maps”
linking a database
to the map
Database – Not Easy to Interpret
Geographic Information System
GIS Creates “Spatial Relationships” Between Otherwise
Unrelated Data
Citizens
Demographics
Incident
Types
Visualizing information
Together
What is GIS?
The capability to
“layer” graphical
information
The ability to
link other data
and information
to locations on
the map
What is GIS?
The capability to
“layer” graphical
information
The ability to
link other data
and information
to locations on
the map
What is GIS?
The capability to
“layer” graphical
information
The ability to
link other data
and information
to locations on
the map
What is GIS?
The capability to
“layer” graphical
information
The ability to
link other data
and information
to locations on
the map
Assessment
Hazard
VERY
VERY HIGH
HIGH
HIGH
HIGH
MEDIUM
MEDIUM
LOW
LOW
Assessment
Values
Risk
Values
Potential
Ignitions
Example of home construction on San Jacinto District
Esperanza Fire Final Burn Area
GIS is a Visual Language
ArcGlobe Animation
Past
• In the beginning….
In the mid-90’s we discovered that if you
connect a GPS receiver to a laptop computer,
you could track yourself in a vehicle using some
mapping software. We’ll never get lost again! A
moving icon displays your position once a
second and a “snail trail” follows showing where
you’ve been. This GPS track log could then be
converted into a shapefile as a polyline or
polygon. Wow… wouldn’t it be cool to use this
tool to map wildfires?
Digital Mapping from the Air - City Creek Fire 1997
Trimble ScoutMaster
3 Channel GPS
Pentium
120 MHz
processor
1.26 GB HDD
32 MB RAM
Present
During the summer of 2005, CDD obtained waivers
to purchase Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 ruggedized
laptops. This model has a swappable HDD which
complies with the intent of the DOI IT security
policy. Authorization was also obtained to use
wireless modem pc cards to transmit and receive
critical information about on-going wildfire status
while on the fireline. Engines and command
vehicles were equipped with the notebooks which
are removable and a secure, BLM-approved HDD
can be inserted to connect to DOI net in the office.
Handheld GPS receivers and GPS enabled digital
cameras were also purchased.
Do You Have All the Tools You Need?
Required Equipment
• LAPTOP COMPUTER
• WIRELESS PC CARD
MODEM
• GPS/GPS CF CARD
• SPATIAL DATA/ArcGIS
• NG TOPO/STREET
MAPS
• SKILL (TALK WITH
YOUR GIS PEOPLE)
Additional Equipment
•
•
•
•
DIGITAL CAMERA
PORTABLE PRINTER
POWER INVERTER
CABLES
Vehicle Mounting Systems
•
•
•
•
COMMAND VEHICLES
PREVENTION RIGS
FIRE ENGINES
USES PORT
REPLICATOR AND
MOUNTING BRACKET
What It Does
• REAL TIME LOCATION WHEN CONNECTED TO THE GPS
RECIEVER
• SHOWS LAND STATUS
• SHOWS PROTECTION AREAS SUCH AS DPA/SRA/LRA
• OVERLAY GPS TRACK LOGS ONTO LAND
OWNERSHIP/DIRECT PROTECTION AREAS
• HAS TOPO MAPS OF THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
• ALSO HAS MAP OF THE USA FOR FREEWAYS, HIGHWAYS
AND LOCAL ROADS
• LETS YOU SEE THE DISPATCH RUN CARDS
What Else?
• WIRELESS INTERNET ALLOWS YOU TO OBTAIN
REAL TIME CURRENT WEATHER AND SITUATION
REPORTS
• LETS YOU UPLOAD MAPS TO FIRE MAPPING WEB
SITES
• YOU CAN COMPLETE AN IAP IN THE FIELD
• IT WILL LEAD YOU TO THE FIRE AND THEN ALLOWS
YOU TO GIVE ACCURATE DIRECTIONS TO OTHERS
• PRINT TOPOGRAPHIC AND ROAD MAPS ON SCENE
What Else?
• THE CAMERA ALLOWS GPS PHOTO
DOCUMENTATION
• LETS YOU CHECK EQUIPMENT STATUS IN THE
FIELD THROUGH GACC’S
• ALLOWS YOU TO SUBMIT 209 FORMS
WIRELESSLY
• IT’S PORTABLE SO YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH
YOU !
Present
Training sessions were conducted at the CA
Desert District Office and the Barstow College
computer lab covering the Department IT
security policy, Introduction to GIS (tactical
mapping), digital photography, hyperlinking
georeferenced images on a map, wireless
communications and GPS for Emergency
Management. Informal, hands-on training was
also given at the Firehouse World Exposition in
San Diego and the Heart ICP during the 2006
Sawtooth Complex.
Mobile GIS Training
Mobile GIS Training
Mobile GIS Training
Mobile GIS Training
Georeferenced Photos
Uploading Shapefiles to the Internet
Future
To infinity and beyond….
A GPS-equipped PDA
collects fire perimeter
data and displays the
tracklog in ArcPad. A
digital radio connects to
the PDA serial port and
transmits locational
information (NEMA GGA
sentence) and unique
identifier every 3
seconds. A simple GPS
receiver connected to
the radio will also
transmit your location.
A receive radio, connected to a PC,
displays incoming data in ArcMap
A GPS-equipped Tablet
PC can use ArcMap to
display and transmit data
through a digital radio
Long distance transmissions may be
relayed through a digital repeater
Digital radio repeater
with external battery
power supply
Tablet PC, GPS card and SatPhone
Paradise Fire
Blaisedell Fire
Look Ma, no GPS Technical Specialist!
Hero-Nerd Creed
Provide the
emergency
management
community the best
available information
efficiently and
effectively, using
appropriate
technologies
Hero-Nerd Creed
“I never saw a
computer put out a
fire” – Paul Bannister
2005
Paul, when push
comes to shove… a
Panasonic Toughbook
makes a hellova
scraping tool!
Mobile Fire Mapper
Applet for Arcpad