The use of a modern geographic information system (GIS) has proven increasingly valuable to communities working to create safer places to live from wildfire.
ESRITo this end, Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), the leader in GIS technology, will host a pre-conference two-day workshop October 20-21 at the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Backyards & Beyond Wildland Fire Education Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The pre-conference, Prepare, Mitigate and Respond with GIS, will highlight new tools and capabilities built into GIS desktop and online programs, and will teach the fire service, forestry officials, insurance and other wildfire safety stakeholders how to develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP), conduct a community risk assessment and a wildfire risk reduction strategy, and establish community hazard reduction priorities using a GIS system. Attendees will also learn how to create map products to accompany reports and share valuable data with key stakeholders and the public in an effort to encourage local solutions to wildfire.
A platinum sponsor of the Backyards & Beyond conference on October 22-24, Esri will also host the opening night reception where participants can meet and network in an informal, informative setting.
Video: Esri’s Jennifer Schottke discusses the two-day pre-conference workshop her organization will host prior to NFPA’s Backyards & Beyond conference addressing GIS for wildfire safety planning.
“Esri is excited about our partnership with NFPA,” said Jennifer Schottke, Esri’s municipal fire service and national public safety policy lead. “NFPA was an early adopter of GIS and has long advocated the significant role good data analysis can play in reducing the threat of wildfire to our communities. Backyards & Beyond provides a great opportunity for attendees to exchange information so that more communities can effectively leverage the power of GIS.”
“GIS systems are increasingly playing a major role in wildfire safety planning,” said Michele Steinberg, manager of NFPA’s Wildland Fire Operations Division. “NFPA is pleased that Esri can offer this valuable workshop to our conference attendees. As communities continue to work together on ways to create safer places to live, using and sharing data to establish wildfire mitigation strategies have a tremendous impact on safety.”
NFPA’s bi-annual Backyards & Beyond conference is the premier event that brings together community leaders, researchers, insurance professionals, emergency responders, homeowners and others involved in wildfire safety and preparedness to share their knowledge and best practices on key wildfire issues that they can take back to their communities and workplace and use right away.
More information about NFPA’s Backyards & Beyond Wildland Fire Education Conference including registration, sessions, pre-conference workshops, and exhibit sponsorship can be found on NFPA’s website.
About Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri)
Esri is an international supplier of Geographic Information System (GIS) software, web GIS and geodatabase management applications. GIS software from Esri enables public safety personnel to capture and create an integrated picture of information in the form of interactive maps and reports on the desktop, laptop, handheld, or in the emergency vehicle. Esri holds an International User Conference each July at the San Diego, California Convention Center attracting over 15,000 attendees from all over the world.
About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.