Case Study – Snow LeopardAPPLYING GIS FOR SAR IN GALLATIN COUNTY, MONTANA

About MeGIS Specialist, Pioneer Technical Services

Communications/Mapping Volunteer (SARHAM), Gallatin County SAR

Technical Committee Chair, Montana Association of Geographic Information Professionals

Bachelor of Science in Earth Science (GIS/Urban Planning), Montana State University

Master of Arts in Homeland Security (Emergency Management/GIS), Northeastern University

OutlineSnow Leopard Case Study

◦ ArcGIS Online Story Map

Future Work◦ Student Mappers

◦ Do More GIS

Lessons Learned

Snow Leopard Case Study

Future Work – Student MappersGPS Mapping Course at MSU is supplemented with Service Learning Projects

◦ Last Fall had one for E911 and another for Canal Mapping

I recognized the need to have up to date information regarding trails in the area◦ I contacted the professor last Fall and had another Service Learning Project setup

Service Learning Projects enable students taking the class to collect data and make maps that will be used in the real world, or they still have the option to come up with their own project

By participating in the Service Learning Project, they commit to an extra one hour class a week and in return receive an extra credit

Future Work – Student MappersPartnered with various organizations

◦ Gallatin County Search and Rescue

◦ Gallatin County GIS Department

◦ Gallatin Valley Land Trust

◦ …and more to come

Challenges◦ Difficult making/maintaining contact with the

Forest Service

◦ Getting the data out there to be used by other organizations

◦ SNOW!

Future Work – Student Mappers

Future Work – Do More GISCurrently implementing Gaia GPS throughout the team

Utilize more geographic data for support during an event

Apply spatial analysis for decision making during an event

Lessons LearnedNot everyone is a data person

Change is hard

Able to enhance my GIS skills to better myself professionally◦ Use tools/technologies that I do not normally use during my day to day job

◦ Currently thinking of ways to use Story Maps, Ops Dashboard, Survey123, etc., at work

Questions?Curtis DeVault

406-853-1500

kb7gis.curtis@gmail.com