Fighting Wildfire with Data
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) might sound intimidating, but Real Estate GIS Manager Mōno Simeone translates: “It’s like our own personal Google Maps.” GIS is a broad technology that uses location data to create maps that link data to places and can provide analysis. Geodata is critical for Real Estate planning and also for the clinical, research, academic and operational needs of UCSF. Mōno shared how a Sunday phone call led to the creation of a powerful emergency response tool within 24 hours.
During the Kincade fire this past October, UCSF’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) needed a map that showed UCSF clinics and other properties with their proximity to the fire evacuation and PG&E Power Shutoff areas, which were changing hourly. The map would help our leaders assess the impact of the evolving situation and aid in their decision-making process. For example, if a clinic needed to be evacuated, would doctors and personnel be alerted to stay home? Could we identify nearby patients with medical devices that would need assistance? Would appointments be rescheduled?
The EOC knew about Mōno’s work and called to see if he could help. Within hours, he developed a dynamic web-accessible map using UCSF's Enterprise GIS platform. Taking advantage of existing data that already included all UCSF locations, he worked quickly to incorporate additional data from appropriate state and local agencies, such as wind speeds and closed roads, that would be useful for EOC planning. The web map is designed to be updated quickly and require little direct maintenance. Mono built a tool for the immediate situation that could support future events as well, leveraging geodata to help UCSF be more prepared, manage operations in real-time and conduct post-event analysis. Mōno demonstrated professionalism by delivering quality work to enable better decision making during a time of crisis. He hopes to bring “geo awareness” to all facets of UCSF.