Policy Wonks For GIS and Emergency Management

I heard one of the best talks by a self-professed "policy wonk" every given…and it was about GIS too. Sandra Lucas of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency gave a cogent argument for getting only the right tools (not the most tools) into the hands of field emergency management workers. A beltway veteran of 23 years, Lucas provided some insights into being the liaison between politicians and first responders. Her remarks could be boiled down to a caution…watch out for "bright shiny objects, i.e. BSO’s. Sometimes the tools with the most wiz-bang are not the best for the first responder who needs only the tool that gets them information that’s fast and good. A big fan of GIS but not a technologist herself, Lucas was forceful in stating…"right tool, right job."