Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
This name or number becomes a key field for linking related tables in the
geodatabase. Segmentation and survey of the shoreline by trained personnel before
an incident allows SCAT data collected during an incident to be quickly and
accurately integrated into a response database whether the data is collected on
paper forms or using a GPS enabled handheld computer. That data can then be
displayed on maps available to response managers or used for further analysis of
threats to resources, for example.
11.6 Discussion
Geospatial technology is commonly used to create printed maps for various
purposes. Producing printed maps is certainly an appropriate use of geospatial
technology, but misses the real potential for analysis of data when used in emer-
gency management applications. The map layouts produced for this paper are
useful output from an ArcMap, however the analytical capability of geospatial
technology is where it can provide significantly improved situational awareness
when compared to printed maps. When an incident is of sufficient size to warrant
the presence of a GIS specialist as part of the response effort, the possibilities for
output include both pre-planned products such as display of results from model runs
predicting the trajectory of a spill or chemical plume or print out pre-planned
response documents to ad-hoc responses to requests for information from emer-
gency planners and managers.
Up to this point, the uses of geospatial technology in this project have been for
planning rather than as a decision support tool. The use of GIS for planning is
certainly an appropriate use of the tool but it does not take advantage of the analysis
capabilities of the technology. The US Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit (MSU)
Toledo and US Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with the Ottawa
County (Ohio) Emergency Management Agency held a joint oil spill response
exercise at the Ottawa County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Port Clinton,
OH June 10, 2009. The exercise scenario had two ships (one a steamship) colliding in
US waters at 41
40
0
N83
00
0
W. The collision resulted in the release of approxi-
mately 15,000 gal of Bunker C fuel oil into the lake. Winds were assumed to be from
the northwest, which would move the oil toward the Lake Erie Islands. An ArcReader
project was created and bookmarks for printed maps at scales of approximately
1:150,000 for reference maps and 1:24,000 for each of the Lake Erie islands in US
waters (South Bass, Middle Bass and North Bass) were created. These maps contain
data of potential interest to managers on a spill but are generally less useful for
responders as there are no response strategies illustrated on them.
To illustrate the potentially useful data that can be quickly extracted from an
Arc Map project and used for decision-making, the area around the Lake Erie
islands projected to be affected by the spill in the Mistake on the Lake scenario was
selected and attribute data from the selected layers was displayed in tables. The area
affected was determined by output from the oil spill model run by NOAA at the
