InSPIRE 2023: Agenda at-a-glance

Day 1 – Thursday, November 16

U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Priorities in Research & Development for Public Safety – Dr. David Alexander, Senior Science Advisor for Resilience, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology (DHS S&T) Directorate, discusses the importance of research and development for public safety, current priorities and ongoing projects within DHS S&T, and how geospatial capabilities are critical to improved situational awareness.

North Carolina GIS – A Roadmap for State Coordination – Tim Johnson, Geospatial Information Officer, North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (CGIA), discusses initiatives within North Carolina to ensure interoperability across local jurisdictions. From the NC OneMap, address data for NG911, building footprints, parcels, imagery, and the inclusion of emerging technology, attendees will see how one state addresses complex geospatial problems and delivers value to citizens and supports state-level programs.

Pulling Back the SARCOP Curtain – Behind the scenes of the Search and Rescue Common Operating Platform – The Search and Rescue Common Operating Platform (SARCOP) built by NAPSG Foundation and FEMA is a complex system for managing search and rescue data during disasters of all sizes. In this session, Adam Fackler from NAPSG Foundation will “pull back the curtain” to show how the system was built, how it intakes and manages data, and how you can use components from this platform in your own projects.

GIS For Public and Environmental Health – Frank Winters, Geographic Information Officer (ret.) will discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic on data management, privacy, and organization. Also covered will be the importance of data principles (anonymization, aggregration, etc.) and Byron Lobsinger, Georgia Department of Public Health shows how that data can be utilized by different agencies.

Local GIS for Communications – Effective and interoperable communications are critical components in public safety operations. Charles Laird, NC FirstTech, and Peter Hanna, Montgomery County Police Department, will demonstrate how GIS can help improve communications.

Taxonomies, Ontologies, and Schema’s, Oh My! – How do taxonomies, ontologies, and data schemas make or break GIS? The Infrastructure Data Taxonomy (IDT), SARCOP v9 Data Schema, and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Standards will provide examples of best practices in data organization, naming, and interoperability to help agencies better utilize the data they create and ingest.

Navigating the Flames: Unlocking the Power of GIS for the Local Fire Service – Fire GIS extends beyond mapping hydrants. It also includes evacuation planning, recruitment, neighborhood risk assessments, and analyzing methodologies to drive continuous improvement programs. This session highlights how Charlotte FD, Charlottesville FD, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) have used GIS to enhance their operations.

The Carolina’s Session – South Carolina agencies face a diverse geographic and hazard environment, from flooding in Charleston to complex search and rescue operations in the upstate region. See how SC-TF1 utilizes GIS for operations, and how SCDEM uses GIS for preparedness activities and outreach.

Local GIS for Law Enforcement – GIS for Law Enforcement has traditionally only been used for crime analysis. However, agencies are starting to utilize GIS in new and innovative ways. Learn how the Cornelius Police Department is using GIS in their Maritime Division, and how the Montgomery County Police Department uses GIS across their entire agency.

Day 2 – Friday, November 17

Emergency Management – GIS, Technology, & More – Emergency managers have been some of the earliest adopters of GIS. Justin Kates, IAEM First Vice President, will discuss how GIS, AI/ML, and other emerging technologies can help the emergency management workforce better organize the wealth of information available to improve decision-making.

The Importance of Community – Building a geospatial community and providing remote geospatial support have proven to be a force multiplier on recent disasters. Jeff Baranyi, Esri Disaster Response Program Operations Manager, and Jared Doke, Program Manager at NAPSG Foundation, will lead an interactive workshop to dive into the NAPSG Community, how it supports local agencies, and how you can build your own network.

Research in Public Safety – What research is being conducted in GIS and technology for public safety? MIT Lincoln Labs, Indiana University, and the University of NC at Charlotte will showcase some of their current research within public safety, and host a panel discussion with the audience on future research needs and priorities.

Shaping and Sizing Esri and Microsoft Collaboration Tools – Esri and Microsoft have a variety of collaboration tools that work separately and can be integrated. The low/no code interface for these tools allows users to rapidly create powerful collaboration solutions that support more informed decision-making. This presentation will display actual implementations and practical considerations for leveraging these tools.

Using AI Technology for Extreme Weather Events – In a follow-up to the InSPIRE 2022 session, Dataminr and Esri show how AI impacts emergency preparedness and response. Case studies from the use of imagery, social media, and other data at the local level will allow attendees to see how similar agencies are already mitigating threats and hazards.

GIS Solutions Pageant – Have you built a sweet application to solve a real-world public safety problem? Then come show off what you have done during the “GIS Solutions Pageant,” which will provide 3-5 minute highlights of local GIS solutions, including dashboards, maps, apps, and other geospatial tools. Prizes will be given out to the most innovative!