All,
I know you have been anxiously awaiting an EPC update and here it is! As always, lots going on:
IT/GIS Technician Position at HSEM: The staff at HSEM is currently preparing the position description for a new
IT/GIS Technician position at HSEM. Although the primary responsibilities will involve information technology, it
is my understanding the position duties will also include, for the first time at HSEM, GIS management. The opening
is expected to post in the first part of next year and I will pass along details when I know them.
RNC Letter of Appreciation: I have received blessing on a letter of appreciation that will be used to recognize
individuals for their support efforts during the Republican National Convention. The letter will be on the HSEM
letterhead and signed by Kris. The letter focuses on contributions to a National Special Security Event vice to a
political event, and is designed to be sent to the boss of the participating EPC member. So if you participated in the
RNC effort in any form and would like to have a little something extra in your employee folder as we seemingly
descend into rough times, let me know. I’ll need the exact name of your boss and his/her exact mailing address. I’d
like to get this one wrapped up before Christmas, so get hopping like a bunny if you want one sent your way.
Minutes From the EPC’s September 11th Meeting Have Been Posted to SharePoint: It only took me two months,
but they are finally posted. They will be available for comment for two weeks at which time they will be considered
approved provided there are no objections. Stop by the SharePoint and take a look at them – the Dennis Fields
lecture notes concerning GIS use during the disasters in Rochester and Hugo are very insightful (and useful).
EPC Updates to the GCGI: Prior to each meeting of the full GCGI, the leadership of the EPC is required to submit
information concerning the committee’s recent activities. The EPC’s two most recent submissions can be found in
the Emergency Preparedness section of the following reports:
September:http://www.gis.state.mn.us/Minutes/committee_reports/GCGI_committee_reports_08sep.pdf
November:http://www.gis.state.mn.us/Minutes/committee_reports/GCGI_committee_reports_08nov.pdf
U.S. National Grid: There appears to be growing interest in Minnesota about the U.S. National Grid. Enough so
that I will be working on a major overhaul of our public web site USNG topic area
http://www.gis.state.mn.us/committee/emprep/download/USNG/index.html so that it includes a much wider variety
of examples, support and instructional material. Until then, I thought you might enjoy looking at a couple of the
recent efforts by the oar pullers on Randy Knippel’s Dakota County GIS slave galley (“row – row - row, you scurvy
dogs”, sound of a whip crack can be heard in the background):

Prototype application that provides US National Grid coordinates for any address in Dakota County:
http://gis.co.dakota.mn.us/net/website5/

Prototype maps to support eventual state wide publication based on best available imagery (including 2008
NAIP photography now available from LMIC’s web services):
- 10K Sample: http://gis.co.dakota.mn.us/content/dakco/USNG/10kTopo/10KM_VK85.pdf
- 1K Sample: http://gis.co.dakota.mn.us/content/dakco/USNG/1KNeighborhood/15TVK8353.pdf
Data Work Group CAP Effort: As most of you are aware, the EPC is a participant in an effort to create state
endorsed data layers for schools, hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. The FGDC awarded $50,000 to
LMIC/EPC to make something happen by 1 May of 2009. Obviously, that date is approaching fast and this one isn’t
anywhere near being in the box yet. But for those of you who have volunteered to be part of the Data Work Group, I
think it fair to say the final pieces of “ground work” are being taken care of as I type this note and your personal
involvement will be needed shortly after the start of the year. I’ll leave that one up to co-chairs Randy Knippel and
John Hoshal to coordinate but I want to make mention about the project’s start-up efforts because I believe they have
reached the point where they hold incredible down-range potential for all. Specifically, on November 26th, Randy,
John and I met with Kris to talk about encouraging EM community participation in this effort through the HSEM
management structure. To that end, Kris is engaged and Randy and John will be attending quarterly meetings of the
HSEM regional managers with their county and city counterparts. Thus, in the coming months, I anticipate through
the efforts of Kris, Randy and John there will be some golden opportunities for you to become better engaged with
your local emergency manager – because for the first time there will be stimulus from the top for him/her to become
better tuned into you and your business. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do your part to have an open door and help in
whatever way you can to create process buy-in from your local EMer. Local engagement on this project will mean
huge gains in the future for all of us! (I’ll be back with more on this one as things develop.)
HAZUS: To the best of my knowledge, Minnesota is the only state in FEMA Region V without a formal in-state
HAZUS training program. Jim McClosky of HSEM is desperately trying to change that but it looks like money is
going to be too tight to bring training to Minnesota in FY2009. So Plan B. See the HAZUS attachment for training
dates and information about the free classes available at FEMA’s EM Institute. If attending EMI is not in the cards
for you (it’s free, including travel and lodging), please consider taking the online courses. Everything we can do to
get folks trained will help toward building the nucleus of a Minnesota HAZUS Users Group. (Besides, HAZUS
course work is part of the EPC’s GEMS profile).
Next Meeting of the EPC: As previously sent along, the next meeting of the EPC will take place on Thursday,
December 11th at 2:00 PM. We’ll be meeting at the Fort Snelling Officers Club to allow for a Holiday social
event to follow. See the event record on the EPC public web site for tentative agenda, driving directions, and
teleconferencing instructions: http://www.gda.state.mn.us/WebCalendar/view_entry.php?id=7209. I also intend to
post links there for any Power Point presentations that are available prior to the start of the meeting so individuals
attending by phone can also follow the slides as they are presented. For our professional development hour, Gordon
Chinander and Jackie Mines will be discussing Enhanced 911, the EPC’s new E911 work group that they co-chair,
and their vision for future efforts. Additionally, Mike Dolbow, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, will be on
hand to discuss using GIS to monitor feed lots and animal health during the 20 minute “Snap Shot” lecture.
If you are planning to attend, PLEASE take a couple of minutes and register for the event by logging into your EPC
public web site account http://www.gis.state.mn.us/committee/emprep/#login and clicking “register” next to the
event in the Events section. Besides helping us with planning and coordination, registering for the event will now
automatically place your name and email address on a “new and improved” event sign-in sheet.
DHS Pandemic Influenza Webinar: For those with interest, DHS will be providing a Pan Flu Webinar next Friday,
Dec 12, 1-2:30 P.M. CST. Sign up for the event is here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/196688396.
Final Thought: Steve in Mumbai: I’ve been there enough – and the Trident Oberoi was my “home” in Mumbai. If
the events in Mumbai last week made you mad, sad, angry, frustrated, scared, worried, or any combination thereof, I
am going to ask you to do something about it. As many of you know, across the years I have seen more than my fair
share of this kind of non-sense and consequently know beyond a shadow of a doubt that geospatial awareness is
absolutely, positively, essential for fast, efficient emergency response whether it involves buildings burning and
people being shot, a town just ceased to exist because a F5 twister blew down main street, or somebody sneezed and
deadly germs got launched on the world’s population. With geospatial awareness……it’s too dang late to prepare for
these kinds of things AFTER they happen. You have to do SOMETHING BEFORE if you are going to have a
chance to FIGHT BACK! In Minnesota, that something is the EPC and the load being carried by the Work Groups.
So, if you have been sitting on the sidelines thinking to yourself, “Gee, I’d really like to do something, but just can’t
find the right thing” – then talk to me. Despite my best efforts, I am not keeping up and need help on countless tasks,
large and small. And the same can be said for the Work Groups – every one of them needs help. They need folks
who are truly willing to roll up their sleeves and help, and/or can at least provide some temporary relief for the
EPCers who have already advanced the GIS-EM collaborative process big time in this state, while simultaneously
making the EPC one of the largest and best organizations of its kind in the U.S. In that thought is the challenge: as a
group we have staked our ground, dug in, and are going to stay put until we know Minnesota is ready for big, bad
and ugly – were events in Mumbai enough to make you willing to help? Let me know if that’s the case.
That’s a wrap for now. Thank you for your continued interest and involvement. I REALLY hope to see you at the
EPC meeting on December 11th!
All My Best,
Steve