Agency’s GIS Tool Improved Collaboration and Helped Speed Wildfire Response
REDLANDS, Calif.—October 20, 2023—The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has announced the winners of its 2023 Recognition Awards. Among the 31 finalists across 10 categories, the California Health and Human Services’ (CalHHS) Center for Data Insights and Innovation won in the Data Management, Analytics & Visualization category. The agency developed the All-Hazards Dashboard, a cloud tool that visualizes facilities, identifies priorities during emergencies, and helps handle the logistics of moving people and equipment to better keep residents safe. Using Esri’s ArcGIS Online software, CalHHS was able to build a decision-making tool combining the agency’s data into a single, integrated system.
With the largest population of any US state, varied geography, and hazards unlike any other, from flooding and wildfires to earthquakes, California decision-makers needed a comprehensive picture of community impacts to provide faster emergency response. Until recently, CalHHS used manual processes to identify facilities in the path of hazards and safely move residents to alternate sites.
The All-Hazard Dashboard enabled the agency to deliver improved response during the 2020-2022 fire seasons and 2022-23 floods. This included visualizations of assets and resources like shelters and equipment, as well as facilitating more efficient communication.
Over 80 NASCIO members served as volunteer judges to review the nearly 100 submissions for the awards, narrowing nominees down to three finalists in each category (with exceptions for ties). From these finalists, one recipient was awarded from each category. The award nominations showcase how municipal organizations use information technology to address critical business problems, improve processes, and create new opportunities that improve the lives of citizens and connect them to their governments.
To learn more about how Esri technology is used by government agencies for emergency response during disasters, visit https://www.esri.com/en-us/disaster-response/overview.
About Esri
Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world’s most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location. Visit us at esri.com.
Copyright © 2023 Esri. All rights reserved. Esri, the Esri globe logo, The Science of Where, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners.
