Dear ALI: GIS data transition to NG9-1-1

Dear ALI,

I’m the GIS coordinator for a small county, and the state is telling me I need to get our data ready for NG9-1-1. It’s a big transition, and I feel like I’m already behind!

When we started this process, I thought it would be a cleanup project. Instead, I’m juggling site address points, road centerlines and MSAG alignment that never quite fully match what’s on the ground. Every time I fix a parity issue or a street name mismatch, I find two more problems.

I don’t have a formal QC process. I’m doing comparisons in spreadsheets and spot-checking maps. I honestly don’t know if our data would pass a serious NG9-1-1 review.

How do I know if we’re really compliant? And how do I keep this from taking over my entire job?

 -Overwhelmed in Public Safety GIS

Dear Overwhelmed,

First, you’re not failing. You’re feeling what most local GIS folks feel when NG9-1-1 becomes real.

For example, in building a reliable site/structure address point layer, spreadsheets and visual checks can only take you so far. What you need is a structured way to complete and update your address layer. That’s where an Address Comparison Evaluation (ACE) service, like the one DATAMARK Technologies offers, really helps. It gives you a full picture of missing address points instead of forcing you to chase them one at a time.

You also need ongoing validation for all your NENA required layers, not just a one-time cleanup. A SaaS tool like DATAMARK Technologies VEP lets you run your data against NG9-1-1 standards, flag errors, fix them, and then recheck. You can even compare your GIS data to your MSAG to ensure that they’re telling the same story. It turns guesswork into documented QA. That’s what gives you confidence when someone asks if you’re compliant.

If you’re buried and don’t have the time or staff to build that process yourself, it’s okay to look at a managed service contract with a team that has years of public safety experience and expertise, DATAMARK also has. Sometimes the smartest move is bringing in support to stabilize the data and set up a sustainable workflow. You’ve got half a dozen other departments to prioritize work from. This approach will free you up to focus on them.

 NG9-1-1 ready GIS data is not a one-and-done project. It’s a managed program. Once you treat it that way, it gets a lot less overwhelming.

 You’ve got this.

-ALI

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