A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.

GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.

A GIS helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. (Source ESRI.com)

GIS has been used for many years in public safety operations but has been shown to be invaluable in emergency response and recovery operations. GIS is an effective emergency response tool in recent incidents such as Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Yarnell Hill Fire in 2013, the Joplin, Missouri tornadoes in 2011, and the 2011 Tohoku Japan earthquake and tsunami.

Visualization tools such as WebEOC’s Mapper Professional present a common operating picture that allows access to GIS data, dynamic data, and other Web services.