PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 6, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- The City of Philadelphia has been awarded a $50,000 grant from ESRI, the world leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, to outfit the Managing Director's Office, Office of Emergency Management's Mobile Command Post 1 and Emergency Operation Center with GIS capability.
"This generous ESRI grant will help to improve Philadelphia's homeland security plans, and our response to the daily public safety emergencies," said Mayor John F. Street. "The safety and security of all Philadelphians is a priority, and this project will build a critical link by giving emergency responders instant access to key geographic information."
The grant, one of 10 recently given for homeland security by ESRI, will provide the necessary software and personnel training to enable the Mobile Command Post 1 and the Emergency Operations Center to access the city's GIS digital maps. The Emergency Operation Center vehicle coordinates police, fire, ambulance, health and human services, streets, water and public works personnel, among others, during city emergencies.
The city's GIS Services Group has assembled one of the nation's foremost local government GIS capabilities, providing more than 100 layers of geospatial (map) data, digital orthophotography and land records to city agencies, business and community groups from centralized and remote departmental facilities on the Internet and city Intranet.
ESRI Grant, Add One
The grant will be administered by an interdepartmental team, including Managing Director's Office, Office of Emergency Management, Department of Public Property, Mayor's Office of Information Services (MOIS) and GIS Services Group.
For more than 30 years, ESRI has been the leading developer of GIS software with more than 300,000 clients worldwide. ESRI software is used in all 200 of the largest cities in the United States and in more than 60 percent of counties and municipalities nationwide. Headquartered in California, ESRI has regional offices throughout the United States, international distributors in more than 90 countries, and more than 1,500 business partners. ESRI's goal is to develop comprehensive tools that enable users to efficiently manage, use, and serve geographic information to make a difference in the world around them. ESRI also provides consulting, implementation, and technical support services. ESRI can be found on the Web at www.esri.com.
ESRI, the ESRI globe logo, GIS by ESRI, GIS Day, ArcIMS, Geography Network, www.esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.
The Office of the Managing Director, Office of Emergency Management (OEM), led by Michael A. Nucci, Director, is the emergency management agency for the county and City of Philadelphia. The OEM maintains emergency plans that guide the city's response and recovery in the event of disaster. In coordination with other government emergency agencies, all city departments and adjacent counties, OEM also strives to prevent and prepare for all disasters, whether they affect just a family or impact the entire city.
The Mayor's Office of Information Services (MOIS), which includes the GIS Services Group, is led by Dianah L. Neff, Chief Information Officer. As the central coordination point for the improvement of city information technology (IT) processes, MOIS strives to use technology to enhance neighborhood transformation, caring for families and children, economic development and public safety in support of Mayor John F. Street's vision for Philadelphia.
Visit the City of Philadelphia on the Web at www.phila.gov. The site offers residents, businesses and visitors online access to city services and information.