What do weather forecasters, BELCO operations managers and Census statisticians have in common? They all use innovative geographic information systems (GIS).
This year, in celebration of GIS Day, the Government will have GIS information on display on Friday, 18 November, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Church Street level of Washington Mall near Jazzy and Heel Quick. Several Government departments will highlight their use of this technology.
GIS is used every day in Bermuda. When you check the Bermuda Weather Service’s radar imagery to see if it’s going to rain or when you go to the Department of Planning’s online interactive map to find zoning information, you are using GIS. After Hurricane Nicole, BELCO used GIS technology to manage the outage and strategically restore power. The Government uses GIS to manage operations related to engineering, planning, land tax, health, census, electoral and public safety information.
GIS technologies are computer systems that enable the collection, storage, analysis and visualization of geographic information. It is used throughout the world to solve problems related to the environment, health care, land use, business efficiency, education and public safety.
The Government’s GIS is a collective and cooperative effort driven by the following Government Ministries:
- Cabinet Office
- Environment
- Public Works
- National Security
- Health and Seniors
- Education
- Tourism, Transport, and Municipalities
GIS Day is a worldwide grass roots event that celebrates GIS. The aim is to make people aware of its important contributions in the fields of science, technology, information, and the humanities.