Hi Everyone – The email below came to me from the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) list serve; NSGIC is the professional association for state GIS shops. The original request originated with FEMA.

As you have probably heard, there’s been really bad flooding in Louisiana. As the state’s emergency management agency tries to evaluate the damage, one challenge they face is assessing the number and type (commercial, residential, etc.) of structures that have been damaged. However, without any mapping of structures, you cannot complete this assessment. So what the folks in Louisiana need are volunteers willing to create an account on the USGS web site below and then, working with pre-flood imagery, map structure locations in the flooded areas as points by dragging  a pre-set structure-type icon onto each building visible on the imagery. In other words, a volunteer looks at structures on the pre-flood imagery, following provided guidelines decides the structure type, and then maps a point for that structure that, based on the icon they choose, classifies the structure point by type. Then once structure points are mapped, staff at FEMA and in the state’s emergency management office can work with post-flooding imagery to assess structure damage. Users of this app will NOT be doing damage assessment, just mapping building points. The Quick Start on the link below provides a clear overview of the work that’s needed.

Message from Chris Vaughan @ FEMA.  Please share this with your emergency management colleagues and any other groups willing to assist.   Thanks!

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At FEMA’s request, USGS has created a crisis mapper to help identify residences and commercial buildings in Louisiana. This effort will help us to identify properties potentially damaged by the recent floods- but we need your help. Would you please help us spread the word and engage our broader community?

The USGS TNMCorps Emergency Response editor is available here:

https://navigator.er.usgs.gov/TNMCorps-ER

Neil

Neil MacGaffey

MassIT-MassGIS

New email: [log in to unmask]

Office: 617-619-5641

Neil

Neil MacGaffey

MassIT-MassGIS

New email: [log in to unmask]

Office: 617-619-5641

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