ESRI provides support for earthquake and tsunami disaster

Redlands, California-ESRI and its international distributors are providing support in response to the recent Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami disaster.ESRI is working with government agencies and disaster relief organizations to provide geographic information system (GIS) resources including software, spatial data warehousing and management, Web hosting, emergency response GIS applications, and more.

"We are humbled by the amazing contributions our users are making to the immediate global response to the tsunami disaster," says Jack Dangermond, president of ESRI. "We are assisting in relief activities while at the same time thinking about a long-term spatial technology strategy that will aid in recovery efforts for years to come."

Organizations needing assistance can contact ESRI. Software, temporary keycodes, technical support, and other assistance are available within 24 hours of receiving the request. Requests for assistance should be sent to www.esri.com/assist.

ESRI was involved hours after the crisis and continues to offer its services to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Pacific Disaster Center, U.S. Pacific Command's Joint Task Force/Civil-Military Operations Center, Thailand Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DPM), Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, Asia Pacific Natural Hazard Information Network, and others. ESRI is also working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, and other U.S. agencies.

Organizations are using ESRI software and support for a diverse array of crisis management applications including resource allocation and deployment, situational awareness for first responders, health and emergency center site selection, damage assessment, infrastructure rebuilding, and more.

Some of the ESRI support includes: Locating, organizing, and building spatial data sets and spatial data libraries; Creating static maps for download; Making online mapping services available from Geography Network; Meeting journalism mapping needs with new content for MapShop; Providing emergency software and temporary licensing; Development of GIS emergency management applications to include damage assessment, infrastructure loss, displaced people, and other applications; and Deployment of ArcWeb Services for basemaps, mapping infrastructure before and after the event, imagery, and more.

Founded in 1969, ESRI is 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.


(Source: The Financial Times, Daily Mirror)