got geoint?

Welcome to the Friday’s Food for Thought post from got geoint? Although human beings tend to think they are in control of their surroundings, the reality is that we are at the mercy of Mother Nature. This was further reinforced by the devastating earth quake that struck off of northeast coast of Japan today. The 8.9 quake is reported to have killed hundreds of people and set of a devastating tsunami. Fortunately, as many know of us know, GEOINT plays a major role in aiding in the response of natural disasters, and ultimately helps save lives. We will explore this topic further today. And, on a more positive note, March 17 is the deadline to apply to be on the USGIF Young Professionals Group (YPG) Board of Directors. Click here for more information and don’t miss out on this opportunity.

8.9 Quake Kills Hundreds in Japan
Hundreds are dead after the worst earthquake in generations struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, setting off a devastating tsunami that swallowed swaths of coastal territory and fanned out across the Pacific Ocean, threatening everything in its path. The 8.9-magnitude earthquake — the world’s fifth-largest since 1900 and the biggest in Japan in 140 years — struck at 2:46 p.m. local time, shaking buildings violently in Tokyo for several minutes and sending millions fleeing for higher ground. Read the full LA Times story here.

On My Mind: GEOINT Saves Lives—Global Humanitarian Support and Disaster Relief
Washingtonian magazine, in its November 2009 issue, showcased NGA as one of the 50 great places to work in the Washington, D.C. area and one of five federal agencies featured. We were recognized for, among other things, our challenging work and mission and how much of a difference we are making. One example of our mission responsibilities is our support to global humanitarian and disaster relief operations. When manmade or natural disasters strike, geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) saves lives. NGA delivers detailed maps and analysis of damage, routes and infrastructure—whatever crisis teams need to get supplies and relief to where they are needed and to minimize loss of life. By providing a unique perspective to understanding the Earth, GEOINT provides the situational awareness required to expedite the disaster-relief and humanitarian-assistance mission. Be sure to check out this 2010 NGA Pathfinder column by Admiral Murrett, former NGA Director, here.

Make Sure You’re Prepared for Disaster with a 72-Hour Kit
After Japan’s earthquake and tsunami earlier this morning, most of the West coast and Hawaii are both under a Tsunami warning. If you don’t have an adequate emergency kit in your home, this site will help you put one together so you’re prepared. After a major disaster, emergency response units are usually spread pretty thin, so 72Hours.org recommends you plan to be on your own for 72 hours. That means keeping in contact with someone outside the boundaries of the emergency, making a household plan, making your home safe, and putting together a disaster supply kit. 72Hours.org will walk you through the entire process, so you can stay calm and collected and make sure you have everything you need—beyond the obvious food, water, first aid, and into the other useful items like liquid bleach, duct tape, and a crowbar. Read more from LifeHacker here.

Tsunami Waves Hit Hawaii, Force Evacuations
Tsunami waves spawned by a large earthquake in Japan hit Hawaii on Friday, forcing the evacuation of coastal residents to refuge areas at community centers and schools. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said Kauai was the first island hit by the tsunami, which was quickly sweeping through the Hawaiian Island chain. Roadways and beaches were empty as the tsunami—generated by a magnitude-8.9 earthquake in Japan—struck the state, which had hours to prepare. Read the full WSJ story here.

USGS Map of Real-Time Streamflow (Hawaii)
USGS offers a real-time stream flow map of short-term changes in rivers and streams, a key method for measuring surges of water that often happen during floods and tsunamis. We found the stream-flow map for Hawaii that we recommend you all check out — since the tsunami waves hit Hawaii very early this morning. Check out the USGS map here.

Surf Forecast for Hawaii
Not that we advocate surfing tsunami-like waves (unless you are Laird Hamilton of course), but we did find this map that predicted travel times of the waves that hit Hawaii. Surfing and GEOINT. Hmmm…this sounds like a good Friday’s Food for Thought theme for a future post. Perhaps for a future Friday when we have better news to report and our friends on the other side of the planet are not dealing with a natural disaster. Check out the surf map here.

Esri’s Global Incident Viewer for Japan
As you can imagine, our friends at Esri are fully dialed in when it comes to offering mapping tools to aid in disaster response. Check out its Global Incident Viewer of Japan here. As you will see, it marks a tremendous amount of earth quake activity off of the northeastern coast of Japan.

Marine Corps Responds to Tsunami Warning
In response to today’s earthquake in Japan and subsequent tsunami warning, Marine Corps Bases Japan has activated its Base Emergency Operations Center to monitor the situation and coordinate Marine Corps actions. MCBJ has evacuated residents living in low-lying areas on Camp Foster, lower Camp Lester, and Camp Kinser to an elevation of at least 30 feet/10 meters as a precautionary measure. At this time III MEF Marines and sailors have not been directed to provide assistance in response to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The U.S. State Department is the lead agency for the U.S. government that is coordinating any requests for assistance by the government of Japan. Read more from DVIDS here.

Lean on Me: Bill Wither’s Classic Song About Helping Others
Whenever a global disaster strikes, often the best side of humanity comes to light: the innate desire to help out others. When thinking of a song for this week’s FFFT post, we immediately thought of Bill Wither’s classic “Lean on Me.” Here’s an excellent live version from 1972.

Tags: Bill Withers, Bill Withers and GEOINT, Friday's Food for Thought, GEOINT and Natural Disasters, geospatial intelligence, got geoint?, Japan Earthquake, Japan Tsunami, USGIF, USGIF Young Professionals Group