History of Community Service

A core part of SharedGeo‘s mission is contributing to the geospatial, Emergency Planning and open source communities.  Here’s how we’ve been doing that:

2012 & Ongoing

  • US National Grid (USNG) Location Marker project (ongoing):  Working with Lake County, Minnesota Arrowhead and surrounding areas to mark recreational trails using a the US National Grid (USNG) system that facilitates quick response to areas without “traditional” addresses.
  • MnGeo Emergency Preparedness Committee (ongoing): We provide event support and equipment that supports the nation’s largest state-based organization focusing use of geospatial and related technologies in the Emergency Services Sector.
  • EPC Updates (ongoing): Provide funding and time of Executive Director to maintain EPC Updates, a blog devoted to the use of geospatial and related technologies in the Emergency Services Sector.
  • MnGeo EPC Event Support and Equipment (ongoing):  Provide support to the nation’s largest state-based organization focusing on use of geospatial and related technologies in the Emergency Services Sector.
  • GITA Sponsorship (April 2012):  SharedGeo joined GITA as a bronze sponsor in recognition of GITA’s significant ongoing contributions to improve the nation’s capacity for bringing geospatial technology to the blended world of infrastructure and first response.
  • Funded GeoNetwork Catalog Improvement (May 2012):  By supporting open source software development, all users benefit in their ability use geospatial metadata.

2011

  • Twin Cities GECCo Event Management (October 2011): Managed all aspects of the nation’s largest and most dynamic regional meeting focused on correcting deficiencies in the distribution and use of geospatial information for emergency preparedness and response.
  • GeoMoose Users/Developers dinner at FOSS4G         (September , 2011): Sponsored first national meeting of group to push GeoMoose software into OSGeo incubation process.
  • Geospatial services and geocoding backup (July 2011): Provided backup capabilities during Minnesota State Government was shutdown.
  • Dallas GECCo Presentation (June 2011): Presented on efforts of the MnGeo EPC.
  • EPC Updates (June 2011-Present): Provide funding and time of Executive Director to maintain EPC Updates, a blog devoted to the use of geospatial and related technologies in the Emergency Services Sector.
  • 2011 Minneapolis CAP Tornado Imagery  (May  2011): Requested missions to capture and distribute aerial photography of areas of Minneapolis devastated by tornados of May 22.
  • GeoMoose Incubation Planning Meeting (2011):  Sponsored first meeting of group to push GeoMoose software into OSGeo incubation process.
  • GITA Minnesota-Wisconsin Meeting Sponsorship and Presentations (May 2011):   Provided presentations and support to geospatial learning event focusing on infrastructure and emergency response.
  • MnGeo EPC Event Support and Equipment (January 2011-Present ):  Provides ongoing enabling support to the nation’s largest state-based organization focusing use of geospatial and related technologies in the Emergency Services Sector.

2010

  • Haiti Earthquake PDF Map Finder Service (January-August 2010): Developed and deployed a Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) map search feature for use by response, rescue, and recovery forces working in Haiti.
  • Minnesota Arrowhead U.S. National Grid Location Marker project (August 2010-Present): Sponsored effort in Lake County Minnesota and surrounding areas to mark recreational trails using a system that facilitates quick response.

2009

  • Red River Valley Viewer    (March-May 2009): This viewer provided the first virtual disaster response mapping capability built on lessons learned from the RNC experience in 2008.

2008

  • The Republican National Convention Common Operating Picture (June-September 2008):  was the first local COP in the United States Secret Service Multi-Agency Communications Center.