ity for displaying combinations of data, presenting spatial rela- tionships, and integrating useful data and data from multiple
emergency management systems on the basis of location have offered significant improvements to emergency management
operations. The growth in the availability of geospatial data and increasing inclusion of a location key in data of all types have
greatly increased the use and value of GIS to emergency re- sponse. An important aspect of the development is the availabil-
ity of numerous easily used applications for direct GIS opera- tion by all emergency personnel.
5.2 Topic: Interoperability WTC Experienceissues:
The need to deliver information and maps to managers and re- sponders from multiple sources exposed many issues such as
authorization, transfer mechanisms and, most notably, incom- patibility among source data and systems. The EMDC expended
large amounts of time and resources on acquiring data and overcoming incompatibilities between sources and not all po-
tentially useful data could be integrated due to incompatibility. GIS Developments Since 91101:
Interoperability and data sharing and exchange became a partic- ularly high priority target for GIS development and improve-
ment. Various approaches and solutions have been explored, among them are establishment of data exchange hubs through
which data can be routed for transformation and standardiza- tion, Enterprise Service Bus ESB software-based implementa-
tion of the Service Oriented Architecture SOA concept in which a messaging system routes data through a series of trans-
formations, security validations, and other processes from source to consumer and deployment of web server and web ser-
vices for publishing and consuming data. The emergence of standards such as xml, GML, KML, HTML and others has fa-
cilitated interoperability as well. Business processes for manag- ing and controlling the sharing of data also play an essential
role in successful interoperability. 5.3 Topic: Access to GIS Data Functions in the Field
WTC Experienceissues: Since field access to GIS was extremely limited in the WTC re-
sponse, it was necessary to plot paper maps and establish re- source-consuming, inefficient logistics for delivery or pick up
from field. These constraints led to limited availability of ap- propriate maps, delays in delivery, vulnerability of mapper
maps for use in the field, and products that not always met the needs of each customer.
The need for mobile hardened, compact, light, devices capable of GIS applications operating on wireless communication de-
vices was recognized and tests using available early mobile de- vices were conducted and evaluated. Such devices were not
widely available in the field but envisioned in EMDC. GIS Developments Since 91101:
In NYC and many other jurisdictions handheld, wireless devic- es, some equipped with GPS receivers and portions of the citys
basemap, are being provided to field workers. Daily use of these technologies will increase the productivity of city employees by
25 percent or more, and it guarantees their effective use during an emergency.
Another development is the provision of GIS capabilities in mobile command post vehicles in many jurisdictions. As an ex-
ample NYC OEM has a mobile data center MDC--a bus-sized vehicle with GIS workstations, plotters and telecommunica-
tions--that can be rapidly deployed to a disaster site. The MDC makes it possible for field data to be collected, assimilated and
analyzed on the spot. MDC data products, maps and assess- ments then can be immediately provided to first responders
without delay. 5.4 Topic: Collaboration
WTC Experienceissues: The EMDC generated maps to facilitate discussion and decision
making at collaboration meetings during the response. EMDC personnel participated in, observed and learned about the fre-
quent, urgent collaboration that takes place during an emergen- cy. These meetings involved a varying mix of people from mul-
tiple organizations requiring information support from a wide range of data. Through those experiences roles for GIS support
for collaboration were identified and the improvements to capa- bilities needed were noted.
GIS Developments Since 91101: The lessons thus learned encouraged the GIS industry to find
ways to support emergency collaboration with geospatial in- formation and capabilities. That led to the definition of collabo-
ration requirements and development of tools and processes that now support collaboration such as interoperability capabilities
and the Common Operating Picture COP. Procedures and tools now allow flexible definition of communi-
ties of interest for collaboration to accommodate support for EOC wide, Emergency Support Function, organizational unit
and other configurations of collaboration support. 5.5 Topic: Common Operating Picture COP
WTC Experienceissues: As noted, collaboration is an essential activity in emergency re-
sponse. Also observed in the WTC response was the fact that maps can play a vital role in collaboration. The EMDC gener-
ated maps to facilitate discussion and decision making at col- laboration meetings during the response. However the use of
paper maps in that response suffered from serious constraints. The production of numerous specially defined paper maps was
time and resource consuming and at times not available when needed. It was recognized that the flexibility, interactive nature
and easy distribution to all necessary workstations and large- screen EOC displays of digital maps could overcome the limita-
tions and improve the value of GIS information, maps and pro- cessing for collaboration. A common set of information can be
displayed simultaneously to all participants in a collaboration session regardless of their location.
GIS Developments Since 91101 With the GIS and communications capabilities now available,
the COP has become a widespread tool for emergency collabo- ration and decision making. DHS has sponsored. and commer-
cial and governmental GIS developers have created COP capa- bilities at various levels of sophistication. Typically the COP
draws on the capabilities of interoperability to access and inte- grate data from multiple sources and provides easily operated
28th Urban Data Management Symposium UDMS 2011, September 28-30, 2011, Delft, The Netherlands 140
applications to generate displays as needed by emergency per- sons directly. The COP enables collaboration among partici-
pants in an emergency response by providing situation aware- ness and the ability to interactively modify the information to
address issues under discussion. 5.6 Topic: Underground Conditions Engineering Draw-
ings WTC Experienceissues:
Below the WTC there were 5 levels of underground structure for vehicle parking, utility machinery, storage and other purpos-
es. Below ground also were a critical rail tunnel arriving from below the Hudson River, a complex commuter rail and subway
station and a shopping plaza. Very critical and dangerous activi- ties were conducted during the response and recovery in these
areas. Information sources for the below-ground structures were almost entirely plans and as-built drawings in hard copy.
To support the underground activities, a major effort was re- quired to convert at least some of the drawings into digital for-
mat and register them to the GIS maps of ground level. Again, GIS was recognized as a flexible and valuable information pro-
cessing and display tool for this activity. While not a typical GIS application at that time, the GIS was employed as a data
repository and manager for engineering, as-built and other inte- rior drawings and a process was established to record and man-
age information and photography being captured by those work- ing in those areas.
GIS Developments Since 91101: Since 91101 most engineering drawings and as-builts are pro-
duced and stored digitally in CADD systems. Building Infor- mation Modeling BIM is becoming more widely used in the
AEC industry. And, more recently dramatic advances have been made with its integration with GIS. Research is ongoing on the
development of additional capabilities and uses for integrated GIS and BIM in emergency planning and response, including
internal structure evacuation planning. Recent research in the field demonstrated that BIM can be used as the information
source when transferring building information into the geospa- tial environment. Isikdig Zlatanova, 2008
5.7 Topic: 3D WTC Experienceissues:
