Code 3 Consulting
Blog
Blog
Blog
Public safety technology, the invisible responder
During our last video we explored the technical aspects of street centerline geocoding and took a deep dive into ArcGIS to see exactly how it works. We also took a look at some supplemental data layers that can be added to your map to speed up the process of getting the right resource to the right incident. Today we are going to put it all together and see what that looks like in a real CAD system.
Tune in to the first episode of Code 3 TV to find out why your units always seem to have trouble locating addresses, even with GPS.
It doesn't take a cartographer to know a bad map when you see one. Maybe the lines make no sense, it never has the addresses you're looking for or you really wish it would show you ______________ <--Insert the 100s of missing data elements you wish you had there.
Regardless of your CAD vendor, chances are good there are both visual improvements and data elements that could be added to improve your CAD map. Some of these additions can save seconds to minutes in locating a caller who isn't familiar with an area or giving a responder exact directions to locate a caller. Below are a few examples of both:
Regardless of your CAD vendor, chances are good there are both visual improvements and data elements that could be added to improve your CAD map. Some of these additions can save seconds to minutes in locating a caller who isn't familiar with an area or giving a responder exact directions to locate a caller. Below are a few examples of both:
If you asked me 7 years ago if I ever saw myself opening a business the answer would have been a vehement no! Having worked my entire career in the public safety field I have never felt the drive to push into the business world.
So what am I doing here?
In the last 7 years I've seen a some major paradigm shifts in my professional life. I have transitioned from end-user to vendor back to end-user and finally back to a hybrid vendor / administrator in my current role as a resident systems engineer.
It was the transition from vendor to end-user that was the most eye-opening for me. When doing implementations I would always inform the customer that the management, maintenance and backup of their database was now their responsibility. They signed a document agreeing to the same and I naively assumed they would all immediately go out and find themselves a database administrator (DBA) if they didn't already have one. Out of the over 100 agencies I visited, less than 15 had a DBA on staff before or during implementation.
When I transitioned into the role of an end-user, I quickly discovered that not only did those agencies not go out and find themselves a DBA, the overwhelming majority never gave their database another thought until their CAD stopped working and they placed a frantic call to customer support. They were instructed to simply truncate their log files and all would be well again. No mention of the incredible potential for data loss involved! If they were lucky enough that they hadn't yet run out of space for their log files, they would invariable experience slowdowns with time. It is never acceptable to wait 7 - 10 seconds for an emergency call taking screen to load, but that was a reality for some long-time customers.
If the customer purchased mapping data along with their CAD system, I simply informed them that, depending on the package they purchased, it included either no updates or updates every quarter to every year. We didn't offer customization or reformatting of data that may have already been available to them.
The single most important service an emergency communications center provides is getting first responders to those who need them as quickly as possible and without error. The largest hurdle of getting responders en route quickly is the ability to locate an address. If your map data is outdated, or doesn't include necessary levels of detail this can introduce delays ranging from seconds to minutes. Sadly, the best offering from the majority of CAD vendors is the resell of commercial map data, usually updated quarterly or yearly if at all. A lot can change in 3 months, especially in areas of the country experiencing growth booms within their communities.
It's this service vacuum that led me to start C3C. No public safety agency or the communities they serve should have to rely on outdated mapping data or place their faith entirely in a database with no hope of recovery in the event of a disaster. We aren't trying to offer a one-stop IT shop. Most agencies have their own IT professionals working night and day to support their operation. It is our goal to augment those resources in a way that ensures the safety of the agency's most precious data while ensuring the agency is able to leverage their technological tools to provide the safest, most efficient service to their communities.
So what am I doing here?
In the last 7 years I've seen a some major paradigm shifts in my professional life. I have transitioned from end-user to vendor back to end-user and finally back to a hybrid vendor / administrator in my current role as a resident systems engineer.
It was the transition from vendor to end-user that was the most eye-opening for me. When doing implementations I would always inform the customer that the management, maintenance and backup of their database was now their responsibility. They signed a document agreeing to the same and I naively assumed they would all immediately go out and find themselves a database administrator (DBA) if they didn't already have one. Out of the over 100 agencies I visited, less than 15 had a DBA on staff before or during implementation.
When I transitioned into the role of an end-user, I quickly discovered that not only did those agencies not go out and find themselves a DBA, the overwhelming majority never gave their database another thought until their CAD stopped working and they placed a frantic call to customer support. They were instructed to simply truncate their log files and all would be well again. No mention of the incredible potential for data loss involved! If they were lucky enough that they hadn't yet run out of space for their log files, they would invariable experience slowdowns with time. It is never acceptable to wait 7 - 10 seconds for an emergency call taking screen to load, but that was a reality for some long-time customers.
If the customer purchased mapping data along with their CAD system, I simply informed them that, depending on the package they purchased, it included either no updates or updates every quarter to every year. We didn't offer customization or reformatting of data that may have already been available to them.
The single most important service an emergency communications center provides is getting first responders to those who need them as quickly as possible and without error. The largest hurdle of getting responders en route quickly is the ability to locate an address. If your map data is outdated, or doesn't include necessary levels of detail this can introduce delays ranging from seconds to minutes. Sadly, the best offering from the majority of CAD vendors is the resell of commercial map data, usually updated quarterly or yearly if at all. A lot can change in 3 months, especially in areas of the country experiencing growth booms within their communities.
It's this service vacuum that led me to start C3C. No public safety agency or the communities they serve should have to rely on outdated mapping data or place their faith entirely in a database with no hope of recovery in the event of a disaster. We aren't trying to offer a one-stop IT shop. Most agencies have their own IT professionals working night and day to support their operation. It is our goal to augment those resources in a way that ensures the safety of the agency's most precious data while ensuring the agency is able to leverage their technological tools to provide the safest, most efficient service to their communities.