County wins award for emergency preparation

DeKalb County’s GIS Department has been recognized for its assistance with the county’s emergency preparedness with an Achievement Award in the category of Information Technology from the National Association of Counties, according to a press release.

“We’re ready for the next disaster, whatever it may be,” said GIS Director Stacy Grear.

After Hurricane Irma in 2017, which left more than 100,000 residents without power and hundreds of trees down, DeKalb officials determined that steps should be taken to proactively increase its emergency preparedness. In response, GIS implemented a new web-mapping platform designed to improve speed and efficiency in allocating emergency response resources.

This platform seamlessly integrates with emergency management software and features interactive maps, graphics and other tools that are updated live throughout emergency events.

Responders now will be able to use any mobile device to report incidents in real time, and the device’s GPS will automatically set the location on the interactive map, improving location accuracy. This allows for fast responses even in the most remote areas of the county.

The award was presented at the 2018 NACo Conference and Exposition in Nashville, Tennessee.

Information: dekalbcountyga. gov