Intermountain GIS Conference

High-resolution imagery has become a critical component in modern public safety workflows, extending far beyond visualization and situational awareness during emergency response. In the context of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911), high-quality, frequently updated imagery serves as a foundational dataset for building, validating, and maintaining the geospatial layers that power accurate call routing and responder decision-making.
This presentation explores how high-resolution aerial and oblique imagery supports the full lifecycle of NG911 data. Attendees will learn how imagery enhances address point creation, road centerline accuracy, building footprint extraction, and the identification of complex locations such as multi-tenant structures and vertical environments. The session will also highlight how imagery enables ongoing data maintenance through change detection, ensuring that GIS datasets remain current in rapidly evolving communities.
In addition, the presentation will examine the operational benefits of integrating high-resolution imagery into emergency communications centers, including improved pre-incident planning, faster incident interpretation, and enhanced coordination across agencies. Real-world examples will demonstrate how agencies leverage imagery not only during active incidents but also as a proactive tool for data governance and quality assurance.
By bridging the gap between emergency response and geospatial data management, high-resolution imagery plays a pivotal role in advancing NG911 capabilities and improving outcomes for both responders and the communities they serve.