PlanGraphics Completes Emergency GIS Plan for Wake County, N.C

Business Wire, Sept 20, 2004

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- PlanGraphics, Inc. (Pink Sheets:PGRA) has completed a plan for the enhanced use of GIS technology in support of emergency management activities in Wake County, N.C. The preparation of the plan included five tasks: information gathering, analysis, design, planning and reporting. PlanGraphics worked closely with Wake GIS, Emergency Management and other County departments that have an emergency responsibility. This project also coincided with a similar study that PlanGraphics performed for the City of Raleigh, the County seat of Wake County.

PlanGraphics defined numerous potential GIS applications and emergency data requirements and recommended enhancements to system infrastructure and integration with related emergency information sources. A key recommendation is for a unified portal that will access numerous data sources and technologies useful to emergency operations including 911-CAD, video surveillance and emergency notification.

PlanGraphics also prepared a conceptual design for an emergency GIS database, recommendations for infrastructure enhancement to meet emergency needs and an organizational structure to provide GIS capability on a day-to-day as well as around-the-clock emergency basis. PlanGraphics also developed an implementation plan identifying the tasks necessary to carry out the recommended development activities.

The designs incorporate concepts for effective use of GIS in emergencies based on PlanGraphics' experience in New York City during the 9/11 World Trade Center response, including extending direct use of GIS technology to virtually all emergency response personnel, integration of GIS spatial capabilities with related systems and data sources to be used in emergencies and close relationship of emergency with day-to-day GIS operations and data maintenance.

PlanGraphics, founded in 1979, is a full life-cycle systems integration and implementation firm providing a broad range of services in the design and implementation of information technology in the public and commercial sectors. PlanGraphics' experience with spatial information systems and e-services capabilities provides a critical discriminator among other IT consulting and integration firms. PlanGraphics has headquarters in Frankfort, Ky., and regional offices in Maryland, Colorado and New York. On the Web: www.plangraphics.com.