Parcel Data Needed for Hurricane Response


Parcel data -- digital parcel data (local government) was considered critical by federal, state and local authorities because it provided responders with information that told them parcel by parcel the exact location and of property, its use, the type and value of structures and by implication the location of people.

What are the issues for providing parcel data? 
 
1. You need the detail of local government parcel data to locate persons, structures determine the value of property and to identify the property owners.  This information is used by FEMA and all levels of government in an emergency response operation for everything from navigating to individual properties, identifying individual properties in harms way for flooding and fires, determining land use, expediting insurance claims, identifying and contacting individuals in proximity to hazardous spills, etc.
2.  Parcel conversion is well under way in the US with approximately 67% of the parcels converted. 
3. 80% of the people live on 20% of the land.  Communities with 150,000 probably have GIS and have converted their parcels, but that is only 750 of over 3000 counties in the US.
4. Data that does exist can not be compiled for an entire region at the last moment.  There are too many entities involved and it takes too long to scrub the data into a common format, not to mention the absence of key personnel that can provide it. The data needs to be prepublished and ready to go.
5. Rural areas need assistance with parcel conversion.  This is a long term effort and will take some planning and assistance for state and local governments (See State Parcel Management Programs on http://www.nationalcad.org
6. A county level inventory of the status of parcel data needs to be complete.

Parcel Data -- FGDC Subcommittee for Cadastral Data

Parcel Data and Hurricane Isabel:  A Case Study 

Parcel Data and Wildland Fire Management

Parcel Management Program Brief