Tornado Readiness and Resources

On May 28th, 2020, the FEMA Response Geospatial Office (RGO) and NAPSG Foundation hosted an Emergency Management (EM) Geo Forum about building a geospatial game plan for tornado readiness, response, and recovery.

Seminar Objectives

In this EM Geo Forum, participants:

  • Learned about core information needs for tornado readiness and response.
  • Gained an understanding of available tornado predictive products and their timelines.
  • Learned about resources for determining and validating the scope and extent of tornado damage.
  • Gained insight into how states and locals are using technology to rapidly assess impacts to inform a disaster declaration.
  • Learned how to develop a Geospatial Game Plan to implement across all hazards.
Speakers

This forum featured federal staff specializing in tornado prediction and modeling and emergency management practitioners at the state / local level who are using advanced resources to aid in tornado readiness, response, and recovery.

  • Paul Doherty, PhD – NAPSG Foundation
  • Dr. Somer Erickson – FEMA
  • Madeline Jones – New Light Technologies
  • Chad Beam – State of South Carolina
  • Richard Butgereit – Geospatial Intelligence Center
  • Bob Buseck – Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
Seminar Resources

Louisiana Disaster Risk and Recovery Assessment Dashboard
Imagery from 2020 Easter Weekend Tornado in Mississippi

Background Information

The Emergency Management (EM) Geo Forum is part of a virtual seminar series featuring best practices and resources to advance emergency management through geospatial capabilities. These seminars promote the integration of innovative technology and solutions in day-to-day operations.