In his PrepTalk, Dr. Chen outlines the different ways data mapping can be used to help emergency managers identify those at risk before, during, and after a disaster. He demonstrates how geospatial data combined with socioeconomic data gives emergency managers, the news media, and the public a better understanding of what the risk is and the potential associated effects of disasters. “It’s always good to [use maps to] explain where population centers are and who is vulnerable,” Dr. Chen said. He is the Director of the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), a unit of Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Dr. Chen also manages the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC); part of NASA’s network of Earth Science Data Centers.
Related Resources
- PrepTalks Discussion Guide: Who’s at Risk? Rapid Mapping of Potential Hazard Exposure
- Using Census Data to Understand Your Community
- Census: American FactFinder
- Census: QuickFacts
- Census: OnTheMap for Emergency Management
- Census: Recorded Webinar – Emergency Planning and Response with Census Bureau and NOAA Resources
- Census: Recorded Webinar – Intro to ACS
- Census: American Community Survey
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Geospatial Research, Analysis and Services Program
- NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC)
- Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD)
- Geospatial Platform
- NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System
- Earth Observatory Natural Event Tracker (EONET)
- Google Earth Pro
Q & A Session
PrepTalks are given by subject-matter experts and thoughts leaders to spread new ideas, spark conversation, and promote innovative leadership for the issues confronting emergency managers now and over the next 20 years. For more information and more talks, see https://www.fema.gov/preptalks
