GITA has released the first in a series of whitepapers on, The Geospatial Dimensions of Critical Infrastructure and Emergency Response. The first of the series is titled, “Infrastructure Interdependencies,” and it contains valuable insight into how the failure of one piece of infrastructure can have rippling effects that take down the multiple and often co-located systems that we rely on for modern life.
The report specifically focuses on the infrastructure of transportation, communication, water/wastewater, and energy (both electric and oil and gas). The geospatial dimensions of these critical infrastructures are discussed with several compelling examples of the ripple effect of disaster from recent incidents.
“This interrelationship among infrastructures and its potential for Infrastructure Interdependencies cascading effects was never more evident than in late July 2001 when a freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in Baltimore’s Howard Street Tunnel, resulting in a fire. This disaster, in addition to its expected effect on rail system traffic, automobile traffic, and emergency services, caused a cascading degradation of infrastructure components not previously anticipated. For example, the fire in the tunnel caused a water main to break directly above the tunnel. The break also caused localized flooding in the surrounding area. As a direct result of the flooding, an electrical outage affected several thousand Baltimore residences. Fiber optical lines running through the tunnel were also destroyed. This resulted in major disruptions to phone and cell phone service, e-mail service, Web services, and data services to major corporations. Disruption to rail services and its effects on the Middle Atlantic States included delays in coal delivery and also limestone delivery for steel production.”
The whitepaper report is the first in a series of six that will next address each specific infrastructure category individually, and is part of a broad mission by GITA to identify geospatial technology as a centeral tool for addressing infrastructure degradation, critical infrastructure protection and emergency response. Each of these themes is also part of the program for the 2009 Geospatial Infrastructure Solutions Conference that will take place in Tampa in April.
I spoke to Bob Samborski, GITA’s executive director about the planned outreach on this subject. He described a three-phased approach to raise awareness about the vulnerability of the interdependies of this critical infrastructure in each vertical market, a connection of the geospatial toolset to connect these communities and provide a plan of action in emergencies, and an effort to outline the spatial data infrastructure (the ‘dial tone’ as he put it) that will efficiently bring these communities together.
I’m excited about this measured and ongoing approach to raise awareness about this important issue. I’ll be following the release of each subsequent whitepaper in this series and look forward to attending presentations on this top in Tampa in April.
This first installment was written by Dave DiSera, Talbot Brooks and Brent Jones. You can download the full whitepaper in PDF format here.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I just went to the gita site to look for the report but could not find it! I saw that you posted it but wanted to get it from their site.
Cheers
t