Accurate GIS data critical to PSAPs migrating to next-gen 911

For instance, while the average time for a GIS project is probably a year, the variance can be considerable—as short as a few months for smaller geographic jurisdiction that has maintained its GIS database diligently over the years, or as long as multiple years for a large, complex jurisdiction that has not worked to prepare its GIS data for the transition to NG911, Intrado officials said.

In addition, a growing trend is to conduct the GIS work on a regional or statewide basis, to help lower overall costs and establish more consistent GIS data throughout a larger geographic area than would be possible if each county or PSAP did the work separately, LeMaire said, citing the state of New York as an example.

“In the end, they have a highly accurate, statewide address-point layer that can be used for many different purposes,” LeMaire said. “That’s a trend that we’re seeing in the GIS world—handling these projects at a much grander scale than they would have in the past.”

And the GIS data established in this process is not only useful to public safety. If coordinated properly, the GIS project also can offer significant benefits to public-works departments and transportation entities, which can help fund the effort, LeMaire said.

“If they approach these projects in more of a coordinated manner, they can save a lot of time, minimize data discrepancies and so on,” he said. “There’s definitely huge efficiencies and cost savings for them to realize, if they approach it on a grander scale. In other words, public-safety or 911 data management is starting to trend toward being merged with other GIS data projects.

“It’s not a trivial effort. It’s going to take time; it’s going to take resources and expertise.”