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The use of mapping systems and products to support emergency management has increased rapidly over the last few years. Invariably, a range of cartographic styles and standards are used to represent features relevant to emergency managers. Understanding maps becomes increasingly difficult if symbology varies with each application and the response time of an emergency service may increase as a result. The Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM) recognizes the need develop a nationally consistent approach to emergency management symbology and has engaged Spatial Vision to facilitate a process to develop a nationally consistent Incident Management/Command System symbology catalogue.

The project has been sponsored by the ICSM and ANZLIC and is supported by the Emergency Management Spatial Information Network Australia (EMSINA). The project requirements have been identified as the development of a consistent symbol set across Australia and New Zealand that preferably links to international standards. The symbol set needs to be scale dependant as well as hierarchical. The symbols need to be part of a broader classification of all-hazards. The symbol set needs to cover all stages of an event from planning through to recovery.

In undertaking the project, Spatial Vision is conducting a national audit to define the major categories of incident management mapping symbols used and required by the Emergency Management community. Spatial Vision will also run a national series of workshops to review the incident management symbology and identify the current use of all hazards symbols.

As an outcome of the project, Spatial Vision will deliver a catalogue of recommended Incident Management System symbology definitions and documented governance and custodianship arrangements.

Graeme Martin and Michael Black from Spatial Vision are undertaking this challenging project.

 

For further information please contact :
Graeme Martin
Ph: (03) 9691 3000
email