Emergency Response

Safety cones lining a sinkhole that broke off a two-lane highway, and an aerial map showing the red routes caused by the obstruction

Public works professionals are called to duty in emergency management situations ranging from severe weather conditions to natural disasters and health crises. The best public works emergency response software informs plans and preparation, allows for real-time decision-making, optimizes resource allocation, includes damage assessment software, and provides a platform to keep the public informed. GIS is the foundational tool that allows public works staff members to operate on the front lines alongside their peers in public safety, with tools for data collection, coordination, and situational awareness.

Activate resources in inclement weather

Staff can address safety concerns during severe weather with a location-centric approach. GIS supports planning and response based on weather, traffic, and demographic data that informs which actions should take priority. From snow removal to flood mitigation, damage assessment, and the process of connecting the at-risk to cooling centers, GIS can help you protect lives.

A desktop computer showing a map with bright activate resource locations indicated on a dark background

Strengthen planning and mitigation

Public works staff play a major role in emergency response during snowstorms, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. Use data to mitigate impacts. Identify at-risk populations, create evacuation plans, and verify asset sustainability. Create resiliency plans for unplanned incidents such as vector-borne disease, pandemics, and climate-based impacts.

A desktop computer showing a map with highlighted areas that were affected by floods and other watershed

Support incident command

Geospatial data is the common denominator for emergency preparedness because location is essential to every part of planning, response, and recovery. With location-aware dashboards, incident command center leaders allocate teams and resources where they are most needed. With GIS, public works officials can coordinate with other agencies and stakeholders. 

A desktop computer showing an incident status dashboard that shows the area affected in purple, the number of open shelters, weather warnings, active incidents, road closures, and more

Improve public notification

An informed community is a safe community. Apps can push location-based notifications about road closures, shelter locations, storm warnings, and more. By using residents' location in relation to the threat, GIS allows you to notify just the residents affected. But emergency response is a two-way street. GIS allows residents to give feedback on outages, damage, and more. 

A desktop computer showing a map of hazard information with red lines indicated traffic areas, red dots showing collisions, and other locations marked for important destinations such as hospitals and shelter locations

ESRI BLOG

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Mitigation managers in Florida adhere to the Federal Emergency Management Agency mandate with interactive mapping technology.

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Products and ArcGIS Solutions

Explore ArcGIS Solutions and product offerings that enhance emergency response.

  • ArcGIS Dashboards

    Present data and analytics on an intuitive and interactive screen to visualize trends, monitor status in real time, and inform stakeholders.

    More on ArcGIS Dashboards

  • ArcGIS Hub

    Share critical information with the public quickly on evacuation routes, roadway conditions, road closures, and government services.

    More on ArcGIS Hub

  • Damage Assessment

    Conduct initial damage assessments after a natural disaster or catastrophic incident. 

    Go to Damage Assessment

  • Road Closures

    Maintain an inventory of road closures and communicate closures and detours to travelers.

    Explore this solution

  • Flood Impact Analysis

    Develop localized flooding scenarios and visualize the impact of flooding on infrastructure, critical facilities, and vulnerable populations.

    Flood Impact Analysis Solution

  • Emergency Debris Management

    The ArcGIS solution for emergency debris management supports key workflows to expedite debris clearance following FEMA program standards.

    Go to the solution
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