Bexar Metro 9-1-1
Enhance emergency response systems with location intelligence
How Bexar Metro 9-1-1 Network leveraged Nearmap location data to effectively guide first responders.
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About Bexar Metro 9-1-1 Network
Bexar Metro 9-1-1 Network, also known as Bexar Metro, is an Emergency Communications District in Bexar County, Texas. It was established in 1987 with the primary goal of improving public safety within the counties of Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe. The District is responsible for overseeing emergency communication systems to guarantee dispatchers and first responders can promptly react to emergency situations. Furthermore, the District aims to enhance the safety of the expanding communities by providing them with greater situational awareness.
As the community grows and changes, the Bexar Metro team is responsible for ensuring dispatchers can effectively route teams to respond to emergency calls across the District. Sharon Nichol-Jost, the Director of Data Integrity at Bexar Metro, has accumulated over 37 years of experience at the District and has been involved in four technology evolutions during her tenure. In her role, Sharon’s primary focus is to ensure spatial alignment efforts of the team.
The challenge
Slow and inaccurate data
Bexar Metro has recently upgraded its systems to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1), a modernized digital, internet protocol-based system that replaces existing analog 9-1-1 infrastructure. NG9-1-1 leverages cutting-edge technology to enhance communication tools for dispatchers and improve the speed, accuracy, capabilities, and preparedness of first responders.
Following this change, Bexar Metro reviewed their data vendor to ensure the information continued to be effective. During the review, they encountered several challenges in maintaining the data quality required to effectively guide first responders:
- Lack of data integrity: The accuracy of an emergency response system depends on the recency and relevancy of the data it uses. For Bexar Metro, it’s essential to have multi-year data captures to ensure that the system is regularly updated with changes in the counties.
- Slow data collection: Location intelligence providers can often have slow collection and publishing turnaround times. To be effective, Bexar Metro needed near real-time information for their operations to be effective.
- Integration issues: Bexar Metro aimed to minimize discrepancies and streamline data sources for emergency response units district-wide. They sought accurate information that could be easily integrated into their Geospatial Call Management Application (GCMA) — a custom platform developed by GIS Nuts. This platform is designed to store and display data for emergency call takers and dispatchers.
To help off-site dispatchers prepare emergency response teams arriving on-site, Bexar Metro needed a solution that could proactively capture information in their three counties. They also needed high-quality location data, and provisioning for the entire District within a single application.
The solution
Total location intelligence
Bexar Metro incorporates Nearmap imagery and building footprints into their custom web-based GCMA* (see below). These tools greatly improve the visual information available to dispatchers during emergency calls. They also offer dispatchers contextual details about the location and enable them to share situational insights with first responders.
- Nearmap AI building footprints and aerial content create detailed outlines of buildings. These outlines provide first responders with information about entry points, building characteristics, and more.
- The Nearmap Widget App is a mapping application enriching call data with location intelligence and provides dispatchers with a remote view of the emergency location.
- Nearmap 3D and oblique imagery are used to obtain Z-axis information, which is then used to calculate the height of structures, especially for multi-level building.
“The exceptional imagery, the cost factors, and the ability to have the imagery turned around in 45 business days were leading indicators of my decision to select with Nearmap.”— Sharon Nichol-Jost, ENP, Director of Data Integrity, Bexar Metro
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GCMA, developed by GIS Nuts
Oblique imagery & building footprints
Business impact
Enhanced emergency response
Utilizing location data, especially detailed imagery, significantly improves the effectiveness of emergency response systems and helps save lives. The first responders in Bexar Metro have enhanced their preparedness, leading to tangible results from the system in real-time emergencies as well as historical referencing projects.
With Nearmap, Bexar Metro is now able to:
- Respond with more accuracy for the location where emergency responders are being dispatched.
- Release the GCMA to a growing user base of 600+ call-takers across the District.
- Outside of emergency response, the team can observe and manage changes across the District.
Integration of Nearmap location intelligence into Bexar Metro’s systems has significantly enhanced safety measures in areas such as schools and government buildings. This integration ensures faster and data-driven responses when and where they are most needed. The District is equipping more dispatch teams with critical data for effective decision-making by expanding access to the GCMA.
Get started today
If you want to experience the benefits of location intelligence for yourself, try Nearmap — the leading provider of geospatial imagery, insights, and answers.
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