What’s BP up to with GIS data? (no good)

[TacticalPeek]

(This letter got out onto a few blogs, but the original page link has been disappeared apparently.)

An Interesting Letter on Deepwater Horizon GIS Data Concerns & BP control of GIS data
http://blog.gisuser.com/?p=7094&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Anygeo-AnythingGeospatial+%28AnyGeo+-+Anything+Geospatial+from+the+GISuser%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

An interesting letter has been penned by Drew Stephens and Devon Humphrey of the GIS Institute regarding GIS data issues and matters relating to the control of information on the part of BP.

In the letter, the following items have been noted:

* …several key factors of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command Structure (ICS) are not being met in the Unified Command process of the BP Deepwater Horizon Incident
* Current GIS management processes indicate that BP is treating GIS data as proprietary information…
* The US Fish and Wildlife Service and The Louisiana National Guard, are literally submitting the only copy of agency field data, via wireless-enabled mobile GPS devices, directly to a BP GIS server behind the corporate firewall in Houston.
* The Geospatial Intelligence Officer (GIO) and the GIS Unit Leader, who proposed NIMS-compliant GIS architecture to Unified Command, and supported access to these GIS data, have been removed from the Houma ICP by BP IT department managers.
* We are deeply concerned about the location and stewardship of these data, as they represent a significant component of the record of this disaster, and they are not being managed in a NIMS-compliant manner.
* Andrew Stephens and Devon Humphrey, both Geographic Information Systems (GIS) professionals with 40 years combined GIS experience, were the primary architects of the GIS Unit and lab at Incident Command Post (ICP) Houma… After three weeks of service with no day off, Mr. Humphrey and Mr. Stephens were removed from post. It is our understanding the order came from senior BP IT staff from Houston.

Some very interesting comments are coming from the GIS Volunteer teams indeed. You can read the entire letter from Stephens & Humphrey HERE

However, 'HERE' is the dead link - or maybe it is just slashdotted, but I don't think so.


This is the letter:

What’s BP up to with GIS data?
June 11, 2010
By intuitec
http://intuitech.biz/?p=2771

The following is a letter written by two GIS Specialists who were the primary architects of the GIS Unit and lab at Incident Command Post (ICP) Houma.AND who were just fired by BP executives without explanation.

This letter is being submitted to make it known that several key factors of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command Structure (ICS) are not being met in the Unified Command process of the BP Deepwater Horizon Incident. Specifically regarding the treatment of Geographic Information System (GIS) data, current configuration and process limit, or exclude completely, the flow of information about the extent and status of the disaster to government entities, emergency responders, and the public.

GIS is essential to the oil spill response effort and to the recovery of public resources. Almost every map and geographic display representing the Deepwater Horizon Incident is sourced by GIS data. Current GIS management processes indicate that BP is treating GIS data as proprietary information, and these data are currently being stored behind the BP corporate firewall. It is our understanding that public agencies, for example, The US Fish and Wildlife Service and The Louisiana National Guard, are literally submitting the only copy of agency field data, via wireless-enabled mobile GPS devices, directly to a BP GIS server behind the corporate firewall in Houston. Examples of these data are; dead bird and fish locations with photos, boom placement, engineered construction barriers, including dates, and other descriptive information and photos.

And here:

State Emergency Operation Center (EOC) staff, Parish EOC staff, and other Emergency Responders and Recovery Specialists do not have access to these GIS datasets, contrary to all NIMS guidance, protocols and principles.

Per NIMS, redundancy of incident information is to be managed jointly, and fully accessible by the Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC), the State On Scene Coordinator (SOSC), and the Responsible Party. Technology allows implementation of this design to occur instantaneously and automatically (see attached diagram). The intent of this letter is to inform The President, the National Incident Commander, the FOSC, the SOSC, and the public, of the need to establish and enforce NIMS compliant access policies over all Deepwater Horizon oil spill GIS data.

The Geospatial Intelligence Officer (GIO) and the GIS Unit Leader, who proposed NIMS-compliant GIS architecture to Unified Command, and supported access to these GIS data, have been removed from the Houma ICP by BP IT department managers.

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=282005

This all sounds like my favorite kind of people: whistle-blowing dissidents.

[TacticalPeek]

1. "The intent of this letter . . ."

The intent of this letter is to inform The President, the National Incident Commander, the FOSC, the SOSC, and the public, of the need to establish and enforce NIMS compliant access policies over all Deepwater Horizon oil spill GIS data.

The Geospatial Intelligence Officer (GIO) and the GIS Unit Leader, who proposed NIMS-compliant GIS architecture to Unified Command, and supported access to these GIS data, have been removed from the Houma ICP by BP IT department managers.

[TacticalPeek]

2. Day kick.

:kick: