Public Safety Enterprise

Including GIS in an enterprise solution for public safety [PDF] provides critical information access throughout the organization and to multiple agencies in local, state, and federal government. Virtually every public safety task has a geographic component and benefits from GIS technology. An enterprise solution integrates information such as

• Property/Parcel ownership
• Streets and highways
• Imagery
• Hazardous material locations
• Fire preplans
• Crime hazards
• Zoning information
• School district boundaries

The aggregation of this data in a service-oriented architecture enables public safety personnel at all levels to plan and respond more effectively. Enterprise GIS enables enhanced safety for first responders as well as the community. It permits an agency to leverage all available data company-wide to provide improved analysis, more informed decision making, and safer emergency response.

Enterprise GIS supports the integration of information and business processes through the use of a server-based GIS capability. Through the use of the GIS-based, service-oriented architecture, information and services can be shared as appropriate with other public safety agencies; government entities; and, when appropriate, the private sector, thus eliminating data silos that have long plagued emergency response, particularly in large-scale operations. It improves both the effectiveness and efficiency of daily responsibilities as well as large-scale disaster response.

A public safety enterprise [PDF] provides

• Access to spatial and tabular data when needed
• The ability for everyone to use the same accurate data
• Better analysis through comprehensive data access
• More informed, safer response

Case Studies on Public Safety.