GIS update may help in emergencies

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Tippecanoe County is set to upgrade its Geographical Information System (GIS) with updated aerial photos, which could speed-up property assessment and aid responders during 911 emergencies.

County GIS Administrator Mark Ehle said a $97,000 agreement with Pictometry International will allow for new aerial pictures to be taken this spring.

"It would cover the county in both ortho photos, which are top down, the standard aerial photos we've always bought for GIS before, as well as oblique photos, which are angle photos from either two or four directions. It would be county-wide, in two direction - north-south usually, and then 207 square miles around the cities and some of the more developed areas would be four direction six-inch oblique imagery, and that would be for assessment purposes and would be useful for that as well as 911 and some other uses," Ehle said.

Ehle said dispatchers could use the new photos during 911 emergencies by using the different angled pictures to tell responders how many doors are in a home.

For more on Tippecanoe County's GIS system click on this link http://gis.tippecanoe.in.gov/public/