Emergency Preparedness
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New York, NY using digital twin technology to improve emergency response times
The NYC Fire Department is experimenting with digital twin technology in order to speed up emergency responses in traffic-congested areas. The yearlong project will create a digital twin of an FDNY district in West Harlem, and will allow researchers to assess why emergency response delays happen and simulate potential solutions before taking them onto actual streets. Ultimately the project hopes to provide real-time routing guidance to FDNY vehicles responding to medical emergencies.
New York, NY
United States
Syracuse, NY improve snow removal with software
To better respond to residents and provide transparency about snow removal, the city is now using a three-pronged software approach which includes ESRI’s ArcGIS Velocity product paired with Samsara’s cloud-based location technology, which updates the Snow Operations Map with a plow’s location every few seconds. The third vendor is Rubicon, which offers a platform Syracuse uses year-round for management and routing of snow and waste removal vehicle fleets.
Syracuse, NY
United States
Pitkin County, CO adopts Hexagon's HxGN Connect solution for improved emergency responses
County officials selected HxGN Connect in support of better services to mountain towns. The cloud-based platform automatically maps all incidents reported to local dispatchers and enables rapid cross-department coordination. An AI-powered Smart Advisor feature turns dispatch calls into analytics about linked incidents, personnel needs, and recommended responses. This system may be connected in the future to existing tools like wildfire detectors and public works vehicles.
Pitkin County, CO
United States
Bridgeport, CT partners with Cadenza Innovation on BESS pilot for Fire Department building
The pilot involves a battery energy storage system (BESS) built with Cadenza's superCell solution. On-site storage allows the Fire Department to continue operations during grid outages. This system also supports the efficient use of electricity, thus decreasing utility costs for the city. Real-time data sent from the BESS to the Cadenza Cloud support analyses of system performance. Local officials will use pilot results to identify further opportunities for BESS use.
Bridgeport, CT
United States
Austin, TX anticipates wildfire threats in its utility's service area with Pano AI technology
City-owned Austin Energy worked with the Austin Fire Department and neighboring counties to identify optimal camera locations. The Pano AI platform gathers and analyzes real-time video footage for early signs of wildfires in the region. Alerts are sent to the nearest fire station once wildfires are confirmed by fire experts. The system further expedites emergency responses by providing responding teams with exact wildfire locations.
Austin, TX
United States
Queenstown-Lakes District Council, NZ trials environmental sensors in recreational reserves
The Ben Lomond and Mount Iron reserves each received five Attentis pole-mounted sensors. The sensors gather around-the-clock measurements of pollen, air quality, soil moisture, and structural movement. Reserve patrons can plan their trips by checking data on a mobile app. Thermal images are sent via the Spark NZ network to emergency personnel for early detection of wildfires. Council officials will evaluate the technology's effectiveness during a summer pilot.
Queenstown-Lakes District Council, NZ
New Zealand
Vancouver, BC opens Canada's first fire station to meet national zero-carbon building standards
The new Firehall 17 eliminates 99.67% of operational emissions created by its predecessor through better design. A draft-free structure, water recovery systems, and ground-source heat pumps improve on the standard firehall. Radio and IT infrastructure within the firehall support its use as a post-disaster communications hub. Vancouver earned LEED Gold and Net Zero Energy certification for the project with Passive House certification in progress.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Central Coast, NSW introduces a pair of interactive flood mapping tools for improved resilience
Central Coast created a flood extents map for every property near Tuggerah Lake with waterRIDE LITE. Users toggle through current, minor, moderate, major, and probable maximum flooding (PMF) options for color-coded map layers. A council-wide digital tool built with Esri displays flood precincts, PMF risk levels, and 1-in-100-year hazard classifications. Council officials complemented these new tools with online resources for flood mitigation and emergency planning.
Central Coast, NSW
Australia
Southland Regional Council, NZ uses web cameras and STIV technology for real-time flood data
Council teams struggled with evaluating river levels in areas made inaccessible by flooding. A network of web cameras gathers real-time footage of local rivers for analysis. Space-Time Image Velocimetry (STIV) gathered by cameras and drones measures river flows in cubic meters per second. Southland Regional Council's new approach to river flow measurement reduces the need for risky inspections during storms and improves flood alert timeliness.
Southland Regional Council, NZ
New Zealand
Berkeley, CA works with Genasys on targeted communication system for emergency situations
First responders in Berkeley previously used door-to-door contact for emergency evacuations. The city's partnership with Genasys adopted a zonal approach for TV, social media, and text alerts. City officials use a cloud-based platform to alert impacted residents during natural disasters and public safety situations. The platform models future movement of wildfires, active shooters, and other hazards for more accurate alerts throughout emergencies.
Berkeley, CA
United States
San Jose, CA Peak Rewards program incentivizes business energy savings during summer
City-run San Jose Clean Energy (SJCE) informs commercial customers by text or email of up to six voluntary Peak Rewards events per month. Each event occurs in the late afternoon or early evening when the electrical grid is taxed by high usage rates. Participating businesses receive $0.50 to $2.00 per kWh in energy reductions based on whether the event is Level 1, 2, or 3. City officials plan an extension of Peak Rewards to residential customers by 2024 based on initial program outcomes.
San Jose, CA
United States
London Borough of Redbridge, GB installs map16 IOT drain sensors for improved flood monitoring
One hundred drains on streets with high flood risks were outfitted with sensors. Three sensors were also installed on Seven Kings Water River for river level monitoring. The Gully Sensor sends alerts to council personnel based on real-time data on water levels and grate status. The sensor network feeds into a dashboard for visualizations of current drainage. Borough officials benefit from map16's predictive analytics including best-case and worst-case scenarios for weather events.
London Borough of Redbridge, GB
United Kingdom