Outlines a project to build a tablet based Geodata assistant based on open source & open data methods. Base technology is from the OpenStreetMap project.

1. Geo Tools for
First Responders
R i c h a r d W e l t y
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2. Some Kinds of Geo
Data
Accurate GPS Maps
Hydrant locations and capacities
Building Footprints
Chemicals at potential HazMat sites
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3. How to Deliver
The data is often already in existence
Usually controlled by County GIS
departments
Often unwieldy in the field, or unavailable
One Capital District FD has used
rolodexes for hydrant data in the trucks
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4. Tablets Change
THings
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5. OpenStreetMap
Changes Things
Project to build a free digital map of the
world
Free in a difference sense than Google Maps
or other online maps
A “Wiki” project, crowdsourcing
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6. Hydrant Map
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7. Building Footprints
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8. Tablet Features
Good GPS Maps & Software
Lots of memory for data
Can preload data - don’t require Cell Service
Affordable commodities
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9. GPS Issues
First Responders don’t necessarily trust GPS
Anecdotes about bad addressing
Obvious problems with the street grid
Updates in commercial GPS not timely
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10. Tiger
TIGER is a Census Bureau map database
Public Domain
All digital maps of the US started with a copy
of TIGER (both online and GPS maps)
TIGER is erratic, better some places than
others
OpenStreetMap in the US started with a
copy of TIGER from 2005
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11. Typical Tiger Issues
Incorrect Road Names
Bad Topology - “Not Hooked Up Right”
Paper Streets
Missing one way & access restriction
information
Out of date, missing new developments
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12. Street Grids in Old
Cities
Cortland Street Not Cortland Street
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13. We can do better
GPS maps don’t have to suck
Enhanced 911 data for street addresses
OSM crowd sourcing for completeness,
currency, TIGER fix up
Give control to the users of the data
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14. Pilot Project
Proposed Pilot - City Department or group of
Volunteer Fire Departments
Enhanced 911 address data owner - County
GIS Department, other government agency
Potential for grants to help fund pilot
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15. Proposed Delivery
Android Tablet (e.g., Nexus 7 or Nexus 10)
WiFi only (no cell)
32G
OsmAnd GPS software
Data in OpenStreetMap
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16. Advantages of
Approach
Commodity Hardware (32G Nexus 7 is $250
locally)
OsmAnd is open source, already supports
most needs
OpenStreetMap provides Database
No major IT infrastructure requirements
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17. Department
Involvement
Need a desktop or laptop to build maps. Mac
vs PC not important
Need to train a few department staff in the
maintenance of the system
Figure out who the map geeks are and train
them
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18. Measure Success
Response times
How good is current response time data?
How much is enough to be valid
Perception of users - importance vs. statistical
measures
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19. Open Issues
Need to complete TIGER review in pilot area
Need to import Enhanced 911 data into OSM
Import Building footprints where available
Need to improve US address handling in
OsmAnd
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20. Addresses & Routes
Need to review a large enough group of
randomly selected addresses for accuracy
Before pilot deployment, spend time
rerunning prior calls to see what routes are
selected and whether the GPS really gets us
to the right place
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21. Policy, Vehicle
Classes
Policy on overriding One Way, Turn
Restrictions
Do we need different maps for different
classes of emergency vehicles?
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22. Hydrant
Enhancements
Include capacity (main diameter or AWWA
classification) in database
Display hydrants in different colors
depending on capacity, e.g. green for 12”
main, blue for AWWA class AA
Display will be visible in GPS software to
Firefighters as they travel to scene
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23. Data Integrity
Vandalism & mistakes (happens with wiki
projects)
Monitor changes to map (Changemonger)
Only extract new GPS maps after validating
changes
Not a burden if you just stay on top of things
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24. Indemnification
OSM and its volunteers do not have
resources to fight a lawsuit
How do we protect them in a modern, lawsuit
prone environment?
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