In 2012, New York was devastated by Hurricane Sandy, which claimed 53 lives and caused over US$ 32 billion in damages.  While any life lost during a natural disaster is a tragedy, 53 deaths is considerably low considering the amount of damage.  So why were there so few fatalities compared with hurricanes of similar magnitude?

During the hurricane, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—a branch of the US government, used Geographical/Geospatial Information System or GIS technology solutions to maintain a watchful eye on the storm and answer questions such as population along the lake, stream levels and areas suffering the most damage.  In turn, this valuable information was passed on to emergency response teams to increase efficiency and effectiveness of search and rescue efforts. 

The benefits of using GIS for natural disasters has caused rapid adoption of Gis Technology by various government bodies around the world which is a huge reason why the GIS Market in the Government Sector is expected to post a CAGR of 11.36 percent for the 2012-2016 period.

So what exactly is a GIS technology and how does it help?

A GIS is a set of tools used to interpret geographical or geospatial data or information. This system digitizes the received geospatial data and processes (stores, interprets, analyzes, and manipulates) them to provide the required output.

When GIS technology is embedded into applications such as command and control or surveillance and intelligence this helps to coordinate and communicate with other agencies in a more efficient manner.  For instance, Australia has adopted GIS technology in order to improve search and rescue capabilities.  According to police statistics, approximately 130 hikers go missing each year in the New South Wales area alone.  By using GIS technology, search and rescue teams can quickly produce, store and print assignment maps with specific information such as vegetation types, tracks, paths, water sources and helicopter landing zones, all of which are vital during a search. 

Beyond public safety benefits, governments are also using GIS solutions to improve national security.  GIS technology enables governments to better analyze intelligence and to enhance their assessment and approach to various risks and threats to national security. Several prominent vendors offer various powerful GIS systems that swiftly condense several layers of digital geospatial data into map-like products. This helps governments to make prompt decisions because GIS solutions enable real-time performance analysis of a wide range of geospatial data.

Helping governments save lives is reward enough in itself, but it doesn’t hurt that government investment in GIS solutions is expected to generate approximately US$ 1.45 billion in profit during the forecast period.  Furthermore, as natural disasters, threats to national security and public safety are inevitable, the GIS Market in Government shouldn’t need rescuing anytime soon.

For more information, view our 2012-2016 GIS Market in the Government Sector report.