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Developed in the mid 1990’s by the NASA Geographic Information System office , the Flood Impact Analysis Tool illustrates the effects of localized tidal storm flooding.
Through a partnership with NASA, the 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, has benefited from the multi-functioning tool, since its arrival to the base in 2006.
“The intended purpose of the tool was so we would know where the water was going; however, it has allowed our team to focus on being more productive with our resources,” said Freddie Torres, 633rd CES geospatial information officer. “We use the tool to make smarter decisions, from planning storm impacts to construction projects.”
The application has allowed the 633rd CES to efficiently manage resource deployment to more effectively protect people and mission-essential equipment across the installation.
“Keeping water out of the facilities is a main cost-saving benefit of the tool,” said Torres. “Every time we mobilize for a storm, there are 450 [633rd CES] personnel mobilizing. We can’t sandbag every building on base, and if a building floods, it’ll be a huge project to renovate it. Now we can focus on sandbagging the buildings that [could possibly] flood from the storms.”
NASA has also updated the application, which was created 20 years ago, to reduce the number of maps printed during potential storm surges. Now, the tool allows for a rapid, broader dissemination of data that allows individuals to calculate the number of sandbags needed to prevent water from entering a facility.
Along with flood mapping, William B. Ball, NASA geospatial information system team leader, and his team created a new widget application that can help facility managers with space, spill response, equipment, and environmental issues.
“We want to make all of our 250 tools available to Langley personnel,” said Ball of the application that is works on desktop and portable devices. “Our Facility Management Portal helps resources be used efficiently and appropriately from the environmental assets to construction.”
Torres added, what began as a flooding impact tool, has merged into a planning tool used to ensure construction of buildings on base are properly elevated to reduce the risk of flooding.
“Some of the questions that weren’t asked before about construction plans are now being asked because I can see the impact,” said Torres. “Flooding has stayed at the front of our minds rather than being an afterthought.”
Torres ensures Langley AFB personnel that the 633rd CES has a contingency plan for when a storm may potentially affect the base.
“We replicated a standalone version of the FIAT to run on a laptop in case network connection were to fail,” said Torres. “We also have the ability to print hard copy maps for the different flood scenarios.”
For the 633rd CES, this innovative partnership with NASA has allowed for mission success in the event that potential storms near the shores of Langley AFB.
| Date Taken: | 12.14.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.14.2016 11:14 |
| Story ID: | 217674 |
| Location: | HAMPTON, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 41 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AF partners with NASA for mission success, by SSgt Parker Dubois, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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