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Summary

FS wants to leverage DOI’s OEM and USGS SHIRA efforts to provide national data-driven insights on the risk of hazards to FS national assets and personnel to inform all levels of management and leadership in risk-informed decision making encompassing a broad range of hazard exposure (e.g. geophysical, meteorological, technological, ecosystem health, human health, and wildfire hazards). FS would like to rely on the existing SHIRA Esri based viewer/app solution, data source, code, as a model for building a new SHIRA solution, leveraging ESRI’s newer Situational Awareness viewer Experience Builder tools.

Problem and Solution

As FS revives the MGM Geologic Hazards program, a key priority is in assisting Forest Service units in the development of site-specific, multi-hazard understanding to inform their planning processes and comply with Federal Continuity Directive 1 by creating a comprehensive multi-hazard database. The database equips the agency with an enterprise, national understanding of local site-specific hazards and risks and includes data such as a national landslide susceptibility dataset, a national karst hazards dataset, a national seismic hazards and risks dataset, and/or a national tsunami inundation dataset, among many others. 

Xentity developed an online MGM-wide mapping hub/portal and associated arcgis online products to share GIS information with MGM staff. Also, Xentity explored a wide range of data types and sources (non-hazard) to incorporate into the USFS’s shira-like project. Furthermore, Xentity took part in outreach, as well as located, compiled and integrated existing vetted hazard data and datasets. Also, Xentity created an online data/information sharing and visualization portal. Furthermore, Xentity created documentation and provided training for MGM and emergency management staff to use the hazards assessment tool. Also, Xentity supported meetings and collaboration with MGM, emergency management, CIO and USGS. Finally, Xentity created an operations and maintenance process for Forest Service staff.

Outcome and Benefit

Our efforts resulted in the following:

  • The development of a Forest Service hazards database and analytical tool, similar to and compatible with SHIRA, within the USFS’s AGOL environment. 
  • Exploration of a wide range of data types and sources (non-hazard) to incorporate into the USFS’s SHIRA-like project.
  • Execution of outreach, locate, compile, and integrate existing vetted hazard data and datasets. 
  • Creation of an online data/information sharing and visualization portal.
  • Creation of documentation and provide training for MGM and Emergency Management staff to use the hazards assessment tool.
  • On-going support meetings and collaboration with MGM, Emergency Management, CIO and USGS.
  • Creation of an operations and maintenance process for Forest Service staff.