Seminars prove great success for emergency services

Emergency service organisations have been getting together to learn how Ordnance Survey mapping data can help them face the challenges of modern emergency planning and response.

A series of five Emergency Services User Group meetings have given representatives from fire and police services the chance to learn how to make the most of geographic information (GI). Delegates heard testimonials from organisations like Gloucestershire Constabulary, which used Ordnance Survey data to help manage the summer 2007 floods.

On the agenda was the importance of using location-based addressing products such as OS MasterMap Address Layer 2 to help respond to emergency calls and plan preventative action. Delegates also had the opportunity to learn about how Ordnance Survey’s detailed transport mapping data plays a role in resource management and route planning.

The events attracted excellent responses from the attendees. Mark Craddock from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service: “It gave me more understanding of what Ordnance Survey can offer and how Ordnance Survey products could assist my specific fire and rescue service in the future”.

Roger Christie, Ordnance Survey’s Business Development Manager for the Local government emergency services sector, comments, “The user groups have been about discussing the power of intelligent GI and its role for the emergency services. I hope people went away with a good idea of what Ordnance Survey can offer. It’s also been great from our perspective to learn more about the challenges that the emergency services face on a day-to-day basis and how GI could play even more of a role in the future.”

Further comments came from Ian Jones at Thames Valley Police: “Thanks again for the Emergency Services User Group meeting yesterday. I found it very useful!”

For more information on how geographic information can support emergency services, visit www.ordnancesurey.co.uk/osmastermap