Pokey Harris Director of Emergency Management Washington County COVITS 2011 Monday, September 26, 2011

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1 Pokey Harris Director of Emergency Management Washington County COVITS 2011 Monday, September 26, 2011

2 What is MERG? Near Real Time GIS Technology Equipment Tool Project Concept Innovation Partnership

3 Who is MERG? Six Charter Partner Localities Future Partner Localities Fire EMS Emergency Management Law Enforcement PSAPs/9-1-1 Local Governments Commonwealth Citizens of Southwest Virginia

Scott County 911. Where s your emergency? The Call Yeah, we re here on Moccasin. Are we on Moccasin, Perry? We've got rescue and everybody coming to hunt you. Can you tell me where you're at?

I don't. Do you think they'll be able to see you from the road? I don't know. OK. Can you see anything around you anywhere? Trees. Just trees. OK. No houses, nothing. No. OK. If you see a vehicle come by or anything flash your lights or blow your horn, whatever you can do.

4 Scott County 911. Where s your emergency? The Call Yeah, we re here on Moccasin. Are we on Moccasin, Perry? We've got rescue and everybody coming to hunt you. Can you tell me where you're at? All I know is we're down over the hill. Ok. Are you hurt? I am, yeah. OK. You came out of Russell County, right? Yes, ma'am. OK. Do you have any idea how far you traveled into Scott County when you had your accident? I don't. Do you think they'll be able to see you from the road? I don't know. OK. Can you see anything around you anywhere? Trees. Just trees. OK. No houses, nothing. No. OK. If you see a vehicle come by or anything flash your lights or blow your horn, whatever you can do. OK? OK. You can't tell me anything else that would help find you? I don't know, honey, I'm down over the hill. OK. Into a tree. We're doing the best we can to find you. OK? OK. Just hang in there. Alright. OK Bye bye.

0608 - Virginia State Police, Division 4-Wytheville 0613 - VSP contacts Russell County

dispatched fire, EMS, and deputy Scott County dispatched fire, EMS, and deputy Verizon

5 Virginia State Police, Division 4-Wytheville VSP contacts Russell County Communications 0614 VSP contacts Scott County Communications Russell County dispatched fire, EMS, and deputy Scott County dispatched fire, EMS, and deputy Verizon Wireless contacted for location assistance 0714 Determine phone is hitting North Side of tower on Clark Rd, Bristol TN 10.5 miles away in a huge arc (potential service area) Call maps outside of the county, but where???? PSAP receives a call with longitude and latitude but is outside of mapping Med-Flight II requested and provides coordinates Scott County receives a transfer call from Sullivan County TN MVA is located

Russell County Incident Response - 14 Agencies and 2 Hours 4 Communications Officers Lebanon Lifesaving Crew Copper Creek Fire Department Russell County Sheriffs Department Scott County 4

6 Russell County Incident Response - 14 Agencies and 2 Hours 4 Communications Officers Lebanon Lifesaving Crew Copper Creek Fire Department Russell County Sheriffs Department Scott County 4 Communications Officers Nickelsville Fire Department Nickelsville Rescue Squad Scott County Sheriffs Department Sullivan County, TN 2 Communications Officers Virginia State Police VSP- 3 Communications Officers 3 Troopers (Russell, Scott, Washington) Med-Flight II Washington County Goodson-Kinderhook Fire Department

7 What Best Defines MERG? COLLABORATION Lee County Russell County Scott County Smyth County Washington County City of Bristol E-911 WSB VGIN WorldView Solutions King-Moore, Inc. Government-to- Government

8 Largest regional geographic data repository project in the Commonwealth. Outstanding example of local, regional and state cooperation, fueled by innovation. Example of most prudent use of the Virginia E-911 Wireless Services Board PSAP Grant Program.

9 Six Localities 2,505 square miles of mountainous and rural areas with sparse population and difficult access 5,440 miles of roads 97,066 addressed structures 182,975 citizens Variety of public safety needs and events that often do not adhere to county lines Dependence on paper maps, hampering/delaying public safety response Need to share and maintain current data across jurisdictional boundaries Desire to enhance emergency response and provide critical backup capabilities.

10 Mapping without Borders and More Shares near real time GIS mapping with responders Allows for updated roads, centerlines, E9-1-1 addressing, and parcels Leverages the simple yet advanced technologies of ESRI v10 software Updates data nightly without needed intervention Supports the vision and the practice of VGIN s statewide geospatial clearinghouse Negates the need to reach out to individual MERG partners for data Streamlines the process of data flow into the statewide RCL data for collaboration with commercial data providers Delivers of the most accurate and current data for BOTH citizens and government Implements a come as you are GIS approach Simple or very sophisticated GIS program can participate Flexible and scalable platform development Secure and firewalled network eliminates previous barriers to service improvement

11 Greatest challenges to interoperable communications Lack of local funding Lack of jurisdictional information systems support Lack of governance Removing challenges Building a regional team to qualify for a regional project grant Agreeing on regional need versus individual locality need Heightening the sense of accountability Fostering attitudes of innovation, collaboration, and success Capitalizing on the grant investment Leveraging every dollar for best ROI for all constituents

12 Outcomes and results Improve emergency response to calls Infrastructure supporting the project and many other value adds/by products Web-based information portal Data back up and recovery of other data systems for each jurisdiction Assist participants without adding requirements for increased staff or budget critical in the current economic environment Data repository is designed to not be limited to GIS-based data Service oriented architecture Growth into new forms of data is enabled Positively exemplifies local-state partnerships Regional cooperation is a model for other government entities

17 This project shows how localities and the state can work collaboratively to share resources and reduce redundancy. They ve proven it can be done, and done well. The MERG Project will also provide a model for other jurisdictions statewide and in Tennessee. Karen Jackson, Deputy Secretary for Technology The MERG Project represents a new way of life for how local governments will implement technology in the future. All our decisions for capital investments from here on out will be made with regional applications and collaboration in mind. Nadine Culberson, Deputy County Administrator Washington County I am extremely proud of what these Southwest Virginia localities have done. This project is the result of persistence and tenacity. The MERG Partners have built a strong foundation of cooperation which will allow them to continue sharing resources in the future. Sharing Resources and saving lives, it s a win-win for everyone! Delegate Terry Kilgore, Scott County

18 MERG!!! The full vision of the project is to create the foundation of data sharing, services, transferring, backups, etc. for the continued improvement of the region s public safety and overall planning endeavors. Plans for MERG II already are underway.

MERG: Mountain Empire Regional Geographic Information System Project

MERG: Mountain Empire Regional Geographic Information System Project Washington County, VA 2011 VACO Achievement Awards Page 1 of 8 2011 VACO ACHIEVEMENT AWARD MERG: Mountain Empire Regional Geographic