GISGISHelps AmericusHelps Americus

Respond to Respond to TornadoTornadoMarch 1, 2007March 1, 2007

Thursday, March 1, 2007Thursday, March 1, 2007 9:15 pm – F3 tornado hits Sumter 9:15 pm – F3 tornado hits Sumter

County and Americus, GeorgiaCounty and Americus, Georgia

Destroys local hospitalDestroys local hospital

Destroyed and damaged many Destroyed and damaged many businesses and homesbusinesses and homes

Two deathsTwo deaths

11:15 pm11:15 pm Developed Developed

temporary GIS temporary GIS station at command station at command post located at post located at Public Safety Public Safety BuildingBuilding

Connected to server Connected to server in Atlanta where GIS in Atlanta where GIS files are stored by files are stored by BinaryBus using Lap BinaryBus using Lap Top with wireless Top with wireless connectionconnection

Started providing Started providing critical information critical information to officialsto officials

Example – once we Example – once we knew that streets knew that streets were destroyed, I were destroyed, I could determine could determine how many homes how many homes were involvedwere involved

Entire Street DestroyedEntire Street Destroyed

Friday, March 2, 2007Friday, March 2, 2007 2:00 am2:00 am Able to relocate to Able to relocate to

GIS office in City HallGIS office in City Hall Was given one of the Was given one of the

few generators few generators available at that available at that time to start printing time to start printing mapsmaps

Printed about 100 Printed about 100 maps per hour until maps per hour until 7:00 am7:00 am

7:00 am7:00 am Had briefing Had briefing

meeting with local meeting with local officials and officials and emergency emergency personnel to put in personnel to put in action to restore action to restore citycity

Continue to print Continue to print maps all day and maps all day and most of the nightmost of the night

5:00 pm5:00 pm Local officials flew Local officials flew

over area, viewed over area, viewed the damages, the damages, marked map of path marked map of path the tornado tookthe tornado took

7:00 pm7:00 pm Began creating Began creating

layer indicating the layer indicating the path of tornado path of tornado through Sumter through Sumter CountyCounty

11:00 pm11:00 pm Head home – 24 Head home – 24

hours laterhours later

Saturday, March 3, 2007Saturday, March 3, 2007

8:00 am – Morning briefing with 8:00 am – Morning briefing with representatives of GEMA, FEMA, and representatives of GEMA, FEMA, and local officialslocal officials

Provide representative with maps of Provide representative with maps of tornado pathtornado path

GEMA and FEMA identified information GEMA and FEMA identified information they needed for me to compilethey needed for me to compile

Needed to compile addresses of Needed to compile addresses of businesses and residences within the businesses and residences within the pathpath

Tornado Path – 27.34 milesTornado Path – 27.34 milesthrough Sumter Countythrough Sumter County

Sumter Regional Hospital Sumter Regional Hospital DestroyedDestroyed

Doctors’ Offices DestroyedDoctors’ Offices Destroyed

Dignitaries Tour AreaDignitaries Tour AreaSaturday, March 3Saturday, March 3

Americus Declared aAmericus Declared aNational Disaster AreaNational Disaster Area

Recovery BeginsRecovery Begins

Sunday, March 4, 2007Sunday, March 4, 2007 Started compiling data and photos of Started compiling data and photos of

damaged properties in the path of damaged properties in the path of tornado. During the next days and tornado. During the next days and weeks, we identified and assessed weeks, we identified and assessed damages to each site and collected damages to each site and collected GIS dataGIS data

Also began looking for available Also began looking for available property owned by the city or county property owned by the city or county for use as dump sitesfor use as dump sites

MapsMaps

We had to find site for the recovery We had to find site for the recovery center that would house responding center that would house responding agencies and a distribution site for agencies and a distribution site for suppliessupplies

Help came on Monday, March 5, Help came on Monday, March 5, 20072007

BinaryBus (who houses our server BinaryBus (who houses our server and GIS website) contacted me about and GIS website) contacted me about taking all the disaster data I had taking all the disaster data I had compiled and develop a disaster compiled and develop a disaster website for all GEMA, FEMA, local website for all GEMA, FEMA, local officials, public, etc. could use to help officials, public, etc. could use to help in the recoveryin the recovery

This site was up and running by This site was up and running by Tuesday afternoon – March 6Tuesday afternoon – March 6

We had addresses of damaged We had addresses of damaged propertiesproperties

Layer indicating the type of damage – Layer indicating the type of damage – such as roof or structuralsuch as roof or structural

Information as to type of property – Information as to type of property – such as business, residence, church, such as business, residence, church, park, etcpark, etc

Level of damage – destroyed, major, Level of damage – destroyed, major, moderate or minormoderate or minor

Path of tornadoPath of tornado Information developed on tornadoInformation developed on tornado

Maps showing path and Maps showing path and damaged propertiesdamaged properties

Americus-Sumter County Americus-Sumter County DamagesDamages As of April 26, 2007As of April 26, 2007

Total Damages – 1235Total Damages – 1235

Destroyed – 75Destroyed – 75– Businesses – 42Businesses – 42– Residents – 31Residents – 31– Hospital – 1Hospital – 1– Churches – 1Churches – 1

Major – 148Major – 148– Businesses – 27Businesses – 27– Residents – 116Residents – 116– Recreation Facilities / Parks – 3Recreation Facilities / Parks – 3– Churches – 2Churches – 2

Moderate - 331Moderate - 331– Businesses – 60Businesses – 60– Residents – 260Residents – 260– Recreation Facilities / Parks – 3Recreation Facilities / Parks – 3– Churches – 5Churches – 5– Schools – 1Schools – 1– Cemeteries – 2Cemeteries – 2

Minor – 681Minor – 681– Businesses – 88Businesses – 88– Residents – 586Residents – 586– Recreation Facilities / Parks – 2Recreation Facilities / Parks – 2– Churches – 2Churches – 2– Schools – 1Schools – 1– Cemeteries – 1Cemeteries – 1– Fire Stations -1Fire Stations -1

Total Businesses w/ Damages – 217Total Businesses w/ Damages – 217 Total Residents w/ Damages - 993Total Residents w/ Damages - 993 Total Cemeteries – 3Total Cemeteries – 3 Total Churches – 10Total Churches – 10 Total Fire Stations – 1Total Fire Stations – 1 Hospitals – 1Hospitals – 1 Recreation Facilities / Parks – 8Recreation Facilities / Parks – 8 Schools – 2Schools – 2

Damaged area inside City of Damaged area inside City of Americus 3.43 square milesAmericus 3.43 square miles

Damaged area in Sumter County Damaged area in Sumter County 13.98 square miles13.98 square miles

Total 17.41 square milesTotal 17.41 square miles

BinaryBus Site Helps – March 6, BinaryBus Site Helps – March 6, 20072007

Link posted on website of local Link posted on website of local newspapers, radio and TV stationsnewspapers, radio and TV stations

1,600 maps were printed since tornado hit1,600 maps were printed since tornado hit

New website cut printing in halfNew website cut printing in half