CASE STUDY: HERE Map Data Ignites Solutions for Santa Clara County Fire Department

Nationally, fire departments receive in excess of 37 million calls per year¹. Responses require speed, accuracy, and pinpoint location mapping because when 9-1-1 is called, personal and public safety are likely at risk.

To protect and serve the public, the Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD) uses GPS-enabled technology and software to dispatch, locate, and track fire department front-line apparatus and resources — a critical duty reliant on the right technology.

The Challenge

However, as a multi-jurisdictional fire protection district, the SCCFD encountered map data sources and maintenance practices that were working at cross purposes. This multiplicity ultimately interfered with the effectiveness of the interconnected Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and Mobile Area Routing and Vehicle Location Information System (MARVLIS). The two work together to identify, log, and disseminate latitude and longitude coordinates to the appropriate fire units. Based on the GPS positioning of the fire units in relation to the emergency event, the systems also plot travel routes.

The main concern for the SCCFD was a lack of a single, standardized street centerline dataset that had the appropriate data attributes to support route generation. Further complications revolved around how — or if — the jurisdictions the department served maintained street centerline data in terms of functionality support.

Time sensitivities around finding a viable solution ruled out allocating limited staff and resources to attempt to restructure the existing street data framework. SCCFD officials chose to explore commercially available street network data source options.

The Solution

Of the choices presented, HERE map data quickly proved to be the best solution for the SCCFD. Why? HERE map data provides:

1. A solid, comprehensive street network dataset that immediately met SCCFD needs
2. Asset management licensing through ADCi, allowing for use of HERE data in the MARVLIS system
3. Time- and cost-effective quarterly data updates, along with local data downloads that can be manually updated between cycles

The ongoing partnership with ADCi further bolstered the SCCFD team’s confidence in their decision. Having digital mapping experts offer guidance on in-depth HERE map data nuances directly resulted in more accurate map data implementation across SCCFD jurisdictions — and unparalleled protection for the communities the department serves.


Have questions about how HERE map data and the ADCi team can help you overcome challenges? Get the answers in our guide, HERE Map Data: A Comprehensive Overview.
SOURCE
¹National Fire Protection Association, News & Research, Statistics - Fire department calls, undated