IMT-GIS-Tools

Design documents and tools for managing geopsatial data for all-hazard incident management teams (AHIMT).

Problem

All-hazard incident management teams (AHIMTs) are often tasked with responding to and managing incidents of wildly varying scope and complexity. The role of AHIMTs continues to evolve into a more data centric role due to legal issues, incident complexity, and interoperability requirements. These challenges necessitate a flexible framework for managing geospatial data during incidents. Unlike the wildland firefighting community, no standards currently exist specific to geospatial data management for AHIMTs. With this project, we aim to provide a framework for handling geospatial data for AHIMTs and the necessary tools for managing said framework.

To that end, we propose the following solution:

  • Standardized event geodatabase (EGDB) schema.
    • [Future] PostGIS schema matching EGDB
  • Pre-built web-apps, map layouts, and analysis tools that match schema.
  • Tools to allow adapting framework to mission requirements with minimal training.
  • Standard operating procedures (SOP) that defines operational procedures for handling geospatial data and associated products.

The above will allow teams to quickly establish methods for capturing, analyzing, and visualizing data while providing the flexibility required to adapt to changing situations.

Components

Event Geodatabase (EGDB)

  • Pre-defined schema extended from National Wildland Coordinating Group (NWCG).
  • Tools for creating EGDB on ESRI platforms (ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online (AGOL)).
  • Tools for managing domains to facilitate unknown assignment requirements.

Web Application

  • Provide for Incident monitoring.
  • Create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) event data.
  • Print format-customizable maps.
  • Permissions for query/approval based on IMT roles (GISS, SITL, IC, etc.).
  • Input features based on hand-held data collection (ESRI Field Maps).
  • Functional across common hardware and browsers.
  • Offline functionality with source feature service synchronization of edits.

Customizable ArcGIS Pro Templates and Map Layouts

  • ArcGIS Pro template containing:
    • EGDB
    • Custom toolbox
    • Customizable map layouts
  • Map layouts
    • Customizable for organizational use.
    • Customizable to map/product requirements.
    • Dynamic text for rapid updating of map info.

Analysis Tools

Includes custom Python tools to accomplish start up, joining, and closing-out an incident. Additional tools can be added by users for custom needs.

Current Status

All code in the this repository is a work in progress. Use at your own risk and please feel free to contribute.

Changelog

2022-12-22

  • Migrate to nbdev for improved documentation

2022-08-31

2022-08-11

  • Alpha version of event GDB ready
  • Still in conversations with ESRI on how to best adapt the domains/contingent values of feature category after EGDB has been pushed to AGOL
  • Basic webapp running
  • SOP stub created
  • Some layout management tools completed