Page 32 - PCPA Winter 2024 Bulletin Magazine

NAVIGATING CRISIS WITH PRECISION:
THE EMERGENCE AND IMPACT OF CRITICAL INCIDENT MAPPING
Navigating Crisis with Precision:
The Emergence and Impact of
Critical Incident Mapping
In the face of emergencies in public spaces such as schools, hospitals, and shopping centers, the
rapid and efficient response of emergency teams is crucial. The unfamiliarity of first responders with
an incident's location can be a significant hurdle, potentially impacting the critical communication and
efficiency needed for each response. This is where Critical Incident Mapping, also known as Collaborative
Response Graphics, emerges as a beacon in this chaos. Not to be confused with floor plans, it's more
than a simple map of rooms; it's a lifeline that guides first responders through unknown corridors with
precision and provides a single common operating picture to work from.
PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
PA CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION
Origins: A Military Legacy for Public Safety
To understand its current use case, let's start from
the beginning. The roots of this innovative tool trace
back to US Military special operations. Designed for
navigating uncharted terrains, Gridded Reference
Graphics (GRGs) have been utilized by our Special
Forces for the past few decades and continue to be
used in operations today.
The overall concept is simple: every map is equipped
with a grid, labeled with letters and numbers along the
X & Y coordinates. Doors are numbered, buildings are
labeled, and much like a simple game of Battleship®
,
operators can use this information to talk through a
location, even if they've never been there before. In
recent years, this technique has gracefully transitioned
into domestic use, becoming an indispensable asset
for emergency responders nationwide.
The Challenges of Existing Mapping Data
While schools and structures might have some level
of floor plans on file, the usability of these existing
floor plans can often be limiting. Traditional building
blueprints and schematics were never meant to
be used to communicate emergency response
and therefore often contain arbitrary or invaluable
data, making them hard to understand during a
crisis situation. In addition, most of these existing
floor plans were created when the building was
established, so they are not typically updated over
time as additions are made or renovations take
place, leaving them outdated. According to the
National Center for Education Services, the average
age of public school buildings in the United States is
42 years old.
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