Spatial information saves lives
PSMA Australia’s advanced spatial mapping technology is helping to save lives in the ACT region.
The ACT Emergency Services Authority’s Computer Aided Dispatch system now links important information to local addresses, thanks to the first live emergency management application of PSMA Australia’s Geocoded National Address File (G-NAF ®).
G-NAF is the authoritative index of all Australian addresses. Each address has been rigorously cross-checked and includes details of locality, street, number and its unique geographic coordinate (geocoded).
‘The ability to include so much information about specific addresses with different layers of spatial information on our dispatch system means we’re operating a world-class system and we can actually do a better job’, ACT Emergency Services Authority Commissioner, Peter Dunn AO said.
‘It really has made a phenomenal difference. We have improved our speed of response, we have the ability to more cleverly determine what resources should go to an incident and we can make sure the people on route know what to expect when they get there’, he said.
Now every time The ACT Fire Brigade, ACT Ambulance Service, ACT Rural Fire Service and ACT State Emergency Service respond to a call, the system automatically flags important details which Communications Centre staff previously had to search for manually.
It has completely reconfigured the work of emergency call takers. Instead of taking the 000 calls and writing down the details on a paper log, talking on a radio or phone, and looking up the map reference, Communications Centre staff now assess all the information that automatically comes up on their computer screens.
‘They are still making important decisions and providing crews with essential information’, Commissioner Dunn said.
‘But with this system, the lights go on, doors roll up, printers print out tasks all automatically which means that the crews, while they are responding under lights and sirens, can be thinking ahead and planning how best to handle the emergency’, he said.
The innovative G-NAF spatial technology that underpins the new system was constructed by Canberra-based PSMA Australia, with technical partners LogicaCMG and Geometry. Australia’s governments work together through PSMA Australia to create comprehensive, national digital mapping datasets.
‘We intended G-NAF to be exactly this type of flexible dataset solution that can deliver many benefits to the community. We’re delighted that its first working emergency management application is helping to deliver even more responsive emergency services in the ACT and surrounding region’, said PSMA Australia Chairman, Ollie Hedberg.
This is possible because the system uses G-NAF’s verified and geocoded addresses and then overlays critical details. For example, it includes alternative and colloquial names for specific addresses.
‘People might ring up and say there’s an emergency at Smith’s Corner which is not an official address’, Commissioner Dunn said. ‘Our gazetteer automatically links these well-known colloquial names to the specific addresses, and that lets us get to the real locations very quickly.’
Another layer of information highlights addresses that require specialised treatment—such as fibreglass factories or buildings that house toxic chemicals.
This means the ACT Emergency Service Authority can coordinate the right ‘weight of attack’ for each incident. They now know automatically if units are heading to a fire which is likely to cause toxic smoke and can ensure they are prepared with the right gear and ready to take the necessary precautions.
Further information can be overlayed, such as addresses that are aged care homes, child care centres and other community facilities—even addresses where residents have a disability or are being cared for at home and would require special care in the event of an evacuation. This information can be added without including personal details, and makes all the difference in an emergency.
‘What this means is that rather than just an address with no context, it automatically flashes up the sort of details we need to know’, Commissioner Dunn said. ‘So we can get the wheels rolling straight away and send ambulances as well as fire units on the assumption that we’ll have to deal with an evacuation of children or patients rather than finding out when the first unit gets to the scene.’
Another advantage is being able to identify the exact location of all fire hydrants, gas mains and other utilities.
‘Imagine it is three o’clock in the morning, you’re coming into a street where there’s a house fire and you know the hydrant is somewhere in the street but don’t know exactly where. This G-NAF based system can pinpoint the nearest hydrant and give you the exact address’, Commissioner Dunn said.
In the event of a major incident or terrorist attack, the system would also come into its own. Prevailing weather information and ‘plume modelling’ details can be added to prioritise evacuation based on what buildings surround a key site.
While other emergency services around the country have similar systems, this is the latest version ‘with all the bells and whistles’ and the first to incorporate G-NAF.
‘The world has an abundance of new technologies, affording us the best avenues for information management and communication. We intend to ensure this city and the surrounding regions have the best opportunities to take advantage of this technology for the benefit of everyone’, Commissioner Dunn said.
More information
For more details about G-NAF ® is at www.g-naf.com.au, email enquiries@psma.com.au or phone 02 6295 7033.