It’s all About the Dashboard

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A lot of data shared digitally by the public is used by public safety and emergency management agencies. During an emergency response, critical supplies and materials can all be tracked and monitored. 

Nearly every person and every device has the potential to share location-based data in near-real time with a global audience, from location-tagged images sent via smartphones to  real-time events posted on Twitter. People contribute data to crowdsourcing applications such as the traffic and navigation app, Waze; and post information about their location from internet-enabled fitness bands and smartwatches.

The movement of buses, trains, aircraft, and first responder vehicles can be tracked, and traffic incidents and road conditions monitored. People needing rescue in disaster incidents can request help using smartphones, and rescue personnel can continuously update their location and status to Emergency Operations Centers. 

One solution that is aiding emergency managers is the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) operational dashboards. GIS technologies have become essential elements in modern emergency management practice.

The information is displayed on a wide range of operational dashboards. The vast majority of them are created using Esri ArcGIS software and extensions.

According to inpublicsafety.com, operational dashboards allow emergency managers and other parties to better comprehend data from complex, near-real-time data feeds. This visualized presentation of information allows emergency managers to create insights from data that helps them make more informed decisions, take precise actions, and create more comprehensive strategies during a crisis.

• The web-based model dashboard is hosted by Esri ArcGIS Online. Users can interact with the map and data in a mock “live” resource-management dashboard environment. It provides locational and tabular data on rescue requests, rescues completed, the status of rescue workers, and the status of hospitals and shelters. Also, the map view can be navigated. When the user clicks on each map symbol, associated data appears in a text box.

• The Wildfire Status Dashboard provided by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). The continuously updated live dashboard provides current information on wildfires in the U.S. organized by state, acres burned, and cause. The information can be used by local and regional emergency management offices to monitor the status of wildfires and plan for contingencies.