Is Special Data Driving Finding, understanding, maintaining, and mapping special public safety data By Mike price, Entrada/San Juan, Inc. Every jurisdiction needs not only framework datasets, such as transportation and cadastral layers, but also highly localized datasets on facilities, infrastructure, and other assets. These resources, typically used on a daily basis, must often be captured or derived by local government. Having a strategy for acquiring, organizing, and maintaining this data is every bit as important as framework datasets. This article builds on a previous article, "Is Data Driving Your Fire Engine? Finding, understanding, maintaining, and mapping spatial data for public safety," in the summer 2010 issue of ArcUser. It presented Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) framework datasets that are often used by public safety service providers. In this article, the processes of Kent Fire Department in southern King County, Washington, were used to illustrate how these datasets are acquired and used. The six framework types discussed in the previous article and descriptions of typical data types and sources of the Kent Fire Department are listed in Table 1 on page 41. For more detailed information, please read that article at ArcUser Online (www.esri.com/arcuser). Introduction to Special Datasets There are datasets necessary for public safety activities that do not fit into framework categories discussed in the previous article. These are extensive datasets that responders use daily for mapping station locations, recent incidents, coverage areas, and protected values. Many nonframework or loosely connected datasets have also been included in this second group, which we will call special data. 40 ArcUser Fall 2010 The scope, content, and sources of special data vary considerably. Many special datasets are generated and maintained by local jurisdictions using locally defined formats, styles, and standards. While framework data is closely aligned with FGDC standards for accuracy, scale, and completeness, special datasets are much more free form. These datasets typically meet the needs and answer concerns of one or several agencies. Their structure is typically defined by commercial software and data providers. Computer-aided dispatch (CAD) and fire service record management systems (RMS) are two closely aligned datasets that often vary considerably between jurisdictions, so sharing special data is not always easy. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recognized the need for guidelines and standards for special data. NFPA recently formed a committee to evaluate domestic and international public safety data sharing needs. The Committee on Data Exchange for the Fire Service is now reviewing and preparing recommendations, 7 Categories of  Facilities guidelines, and standards for Special Data  Infrastructure public safety data. In this article, special data has been divided into  Location and description seven categories that will each be  Demographics discussed separately. To provide a  Hazards real-world example, the strategies  Historic risk and program and sources used by Kent Fire  Modeled and derivative will be described. www.esri.com