| Public Affairs Detachment San Diego, Calif. U.S. Coast Guard |
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| Media Release | Date: Spetember 21, 2005 Contact: Petty Officer Mary Larkin T. Jones |
LOCAL COAST GUARDSMAN RETURNS FROM GIS SUPPORT SAN DIEGO - A Coast Guard Sector San Diego member returned, Saturday, from Jackson, Miss., after more than one week assisting in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Petty Officer First Class Laura Horton volunteered with Geographic Information Systems at the Emergency Operations Center in Jackson, Miss. Horton was one of 20 GIS volunteers selected from more than 500 applicants. She was selected for her GIS experience, and her ability to work effectively in an emergency situation. She has expertise in disaster management and working with Global Positioning Systems equipment. Petty Officer Horton contributions to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts included but are not limited to: * Translating more than 100 addresses and locations into GPS coordinates for the U.S. Coast Guard rescue evacuation missions. * Developed a missing persons website report and database to assist with the taking of missing persons reports. * Built the initial indexed search maps for the initial responders and strike teams. Printed approximately 200 maps. * Ran the initial Hazards U.S. model that provided operational managers pre-positioned response assets out of harms immediate way and still within range to help. For more information on HAZUS go to http://www.nibs.org/hazusweb/overview/overview.php * Printed more than 5,000 linear feet of maps. Mapping support services included the location of critical infrastructure such as well heads and water treatment plants that were not easily located due to the amount of debris. * Generated the briefing maps seen by everyone from the individual responders through the President. Showing things such as power outages, location of trees and road closures. A few samples of the maps that the volunteers created are available online at www.urisa.org To conduct an interview with Petty Officer Horton contact Petty Officer Mary Larkin T. Jones at (619)-278-7023, work or (619)-247-2478, mobile. |
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