Memorandum by Ordnance Survey (FRS 19)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Ordnance Survey is Britain's national
mapping agency. We maintain the definitive geographical framework
for Great Britain, as well as capturing and marketing a wide range
of geographical information. Our Director General is official
advisor to the United Kingdom Government on all aspects of survey,
mapping and geographic information. Ordnance Survey is a Government
department and executive agency, and since 1999 has operated as
a trading fund.
1.2 Ordnance Survey surveys and collects
data on roads, buildings, addresses, boundaries, water courses,
height and many other aspects of the natural and man-made landscape
of Britain. Although traditionally supplied to the user as paper
maps, this data is now more usually supplied as digital information
which can be readily analysed, manipulated and linked to other
information. This digital database of the surface of Britain is
known as the National Geospatial Database (NGD) from which the
OS MasterMa® product is produced. The NGD is kept up to date
on a daily basis with up to 5,000 changes being added to the database
each day. It is the most up-to-date, consistent and accurate information
available and forms an essential geographic framework for Great
Britain.
2. THE IMPLICATIONS
FOR CITIZENS
AND THE
FIRE AND
RESCUE SERVICE
OF THE
INTRODUCTION OF
REGIONAL CONTROL
CENTRES
2.1 Establishing the precise location and
nature of an incident is vital to the rapid deployment of appropriate
resources. It saves lives, reduces costs and minimises risks.
2.2 Modern information systems and reliable,
up-to-date information is an essential component in the efficient
and effective mobilisation of Fire and Rescue Services. Geographic
Information provides the underpinning framework for all information
relevant to the deployment of the Fire and Rescue Services. Such
information, used within a geographic information system [GIS]
see Annex A, facilitates rapid and effective analysis leading
to better informed decisions.
2.3 An accurate, up-to-date and consistent
gazetteer of locations, including addresses, is an essential interface
between control room operators, the public and service professionals.
The loss of "local knowledge" inherent in the introduction
of Regional Control Centres makes this and a GIS resource essential
to the process of incident identification and operational response.
Current office based and "in-cab" technology allows
both controllers and responding staff to have a common view of
the location, layout, known hazards and position and quality of
resources on the ground, eg fire hydrants. See Annex B.
2.4 The significant increase in the use
of mobile phone technology poses increasing challenges for command
and control operators because the 999 call is not always made
from a known location. Accurate and up to date information maintained
to a common specification is vital to establishing the location
of an incident and therefore the effectiveness of Regional Control
Centres.
2.5 For the emergency services particularly,
the content and currency of the gazetteers and the detailed mapping
in use has to be of the highest possible accuracy. Reliance on
anything except the best available information increases the risk
to life and property.
2.6 Command and control operators can benefit
from a GIS containing a range of mapping information with functionality
to allow fast zooming-in through multi-layered data, for both
call takers and dispatchers. This provides a consistent base from
which to determine location giving the caller and the control
room team an agreed view of the world. When correctly implemented
the caller has confidence that the control room staff can relate
to what they are seeing.
2.7 When a coordinated response is required
from a number of the emergency services a consistent map base
is essential for the sharing of appropriate data to ensure all
those involved respond based on a common operational picture.
2.8 The ability to reference incidents to
a precise location supports emergency response in several ways.
The ability to dispatch the appropriate resource from those currently
available in the immediate area can only be carried out with access
to location information for both incident and resources.
2.9 Where multiple calls are received from
the same location, controllers can turn to their GIS to recognise
any pattern in what is happening. It can help them establish if
the calls are indeed related to the same incident, thus mobilising
once. This can be important as multiple calls may well be routed
to different operators as they come in. While verbal communication
across the control room works in small centres it is more difficult
in larger controls. GI-based analysis has the advantage that the
correct number and type of vehicles can be mobilised to the incident,
at building or road level as applicable.
2.10 Due to the nature of emergency incidents,
a high percentage of calls may not originate at a clearly definable
location such as a building with an identifiable street number.
Such calls accounted for 54% of incidents for West Yorkshire Police
between April and August 2005. Verifying the precise location
using an accurate, up-to-date and consistent gazetteer and geographic
information can help to cut down any delay in mobilisation.
2.11 In addition to the timely mobilisation
and real time resource management a GIS can provide an understanding
of the pattern of where incidents occur. This creates opportunities
to help in station planning and to identify stand-by locations
resulting from "hotspot analysis". It can also be used
to target education, for example on fire safety, and gain a better
understanding of certain criminal activity. When arson crime data
is combined with other police and fire data, more detailed fire
patterns can be identified. This enables educational and social
services programmes to be developed to help reduce future incidents.
See Annex C. Accurately locating incidents will support service
improvement targets.
3. CONCLUSIONS
3.1 Establishing the precise location and
nature of an incident is vital to the rapid deployment of appropriate
resources. It saves lives, reduces costs and minimises risks.
3.2 Modern information systems and reliable,
up-to-date information is an essential component in the efficient
and effective mobilisation of Fire and Rescue Services. Geographic
Information provides the underpinning framework for all information
relevant to the deployment of the Fire and Rescue Services.
3.3 For the emergency services particularly,
the content and currency of the gazetteers and the detailed mapping
in use has to be of the highest possible accuracy. Reliance on
anything except the best available information increases the risk
to life and property.
3.4 Ordnance Survey, Britain's national
mapping agency, provides the most accurate, up-to-date and nationally
consistent geographic information available to support the introduction
of Regional Control Centres for the Fire and Rescue Service.
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