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InSPIRE 2026 RESOURCES
Day 1 Resources | Tuesday, May 19
Beyond the Rubble: A Spatial Perspective on Human Remains Recovery
The discovery, documentation, and tracking of deceased missing persons and human remains (HR) during disasters that employ an Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) component surfaces many challenges to public safety stakeholders across all levels of government. Learn the operational and geospatial best practices driving compassionate outcomes for multi-discipline, multi-agency responses to mass fatality disasters.
Presenter:
- Orlando Viera, NAPSG Foundation
The Missing LINK
Discover how the Local Infrastructure Network Knowledge (LINK) tool leverages graph databases, data science techniques, and advanced AI to model infrastructure systems. This tool empowers local agencies with the control needed to visualize complex infrastructure interdependencies and improve community resilience through actionable insights. Built on a foundation of data sovereignty, LINK ensures that local agencies always own their own data and maintain the power to share it only with whom they choose. By combining these analytical capabilities with robust security measures, LINK provides a secure, locally-controlled environment for transforming raw data into proactive resilience strategies.
Presenters:
- Jesse Osborne, NAPSG Foundation
- Kevin Kay, NAPSG Foundation
You've Got a Drone, Now What?
This hands on session will simulate the hours after a disaster when drone imagery is requested and delivered. Attendees will walk through the process of developing a flight plan and consuming drone imagery into their local GIS systems.
Presenter:
- Zico Orozco, MO-TF1/DSAR
The Next Frontier of GIS for the Command Center
Saddle up and join us for this informative session about current advancements in GIS and how they can power the command center and public safety agency of the future. There are many exciting advancements in a lot of different areas that we can take advantage of today to better support our work and mission. Explore the modern tools that are transforming many agencies. These capabilities include geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), generative AI, drones with volumetric debris estimates, integrated video, advanced analytics, real-time integration and alerting, enhanced field mobility, 3D visualization, virtual reality and more. Learn how to integrate these innovative technologies into your operations to create a smarter, faster, and more resilient agency ready to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s demands.
Presenter:
- Jeff Baranyi, Esri
Coordinates of Chaos: Using GIS Across the Emergency Management Lifecycle
Dewberry will highlight how evolving mission needs, policy shifts, and rapid technology advancements are redefining how organizations collect data, analyze information, and communicate risk. Using recent examples from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, we’ll show how geospatial tools are supporting decision-making across the emergency management lifecycle.
You’ll leave with practical ideas for integrating these capabilities into existing workflows to improve efficiency, situational awareness, and outcomes. We’ll also look ahead to emerging GIS technologies shaping the future of hazard modeling, risk assessment, and risk communication, along with upcoming changes to foundational geospatial frameworks—most notably the transition to new national datums and their implications for analysis and operations. The session concludes with an interactive demonstration illustrating how these evolving frameworks could reshape analyses like those used during Helene and Milton.
Dewberry Presenters:
- Paul Dean, Senior Vice President
- Catherine Bohn, Vice President
- Amanda Byrd, Project Manager
- Victoria Celiberti, Senior GIS Analyst
Modern Tools for Today's Public Safety GIS Analysts
Public safety GIS analysts are expected to deliver accurate, timely insights while supporting a wide range of operational and strategic needs. This session explores how the modern GIS analyst toolkit is evolving to meet those demands, blending established GIS practices with newer tools that improve efficiency, communication, and consistency. Attendees will hear real-world examples from local law enforcement, including automation, workflow design, and emerging assistive technologies, along with practical considerations for adopting new tools responsibly in a public safety environment.
Presenters:
- Shelby Zelonis Roberson, Montgomery County Police Department
- John Beck, Esri
Behind the Map: Design for Geospatial Understanding and Impact
Unlock the potential of your maps through the principles of accessibility and design. This session bridges the gap between raw data and clear communication, exploring essential design concepts and effective wayfinding techniques. Since maps serve as a universal method of communication, they possess the unique power to transcend technical barriers and deliver immediate clarity. In the high-stakes environment of public safety, the quality of a map is often critical; whether used for internal operational coordination or external public alerts, a well-designed map ensures information is not just seen, but instantly understood. Learn how to "superpower" your geospatial products using cartographic principles that prioritize readability and speed, ensuring your message is accessible to everyone when every second counts.
Presenter:
- Claudine Jaenichen, MA.UK, Chapman University
Day 2 Resources | Wednesday, May 20
The Digital Fireline: NIFC Tools and Tactics for 2026
The National Interagency Fire Center ArcGIS Online Organization (The NIFC Org) provides a unified, no-cost platform for real-time mapping, situational awareness, and standardized data workflow to over 36,000 wildland fire personnel. It supports users throughout the entire lifecycle of a fire, from initial attack to suppression repair to fuels treatment planning to preplanning evacuation zones. This session will discuss some of the tools available to the wildfire and emergency management community while also touching on some of the latest updates for the 2026 wildfire season.
Presenters:
- Katie Hansen, US Wildland Fire Service
- Emy Keeling, GISP, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control
Mapping the Future: Building a Professional Public Safety GIS Pathway Together
Help inform the future of GIS professionals in public safety. This
session will share findings and solicit input to identify what is needed
to support the training and professionalization of the critical role GIS
serves in public safety.
Presenters:
- Tony Spicci, GISP, GIS Certification Institute
- Tari Martin, GISP, NAPSG Foundation
Harness the Power of the Crowd: NextGen #PhotoMappers
This session will showcase the current technology ecosystem behind PhotoMappers and explore emerging innovations that can elevate rapid volunteer mapping during disasters. Participants will see live demonstrations of existing tools and collaboratively envision next-generation capabilities — including AI-assisted image filtering, automated geolocation, improved mobile workflows, and tighter integration with remote sensing. The session will engage practitioners, developers, and volunteers in shaping the future technical roadmap for faster, smarter, and more scalable crowdsourced disaster data.
Presenters:
- Erin Arkison, GISCorps Core Committee Chair
- Hannah Gonzales-Bridges, GISCorps Core Committee - Disaster
Response
A Matter of Semantics
Semantic search doesn’t just look for the words you type, it understands the ideas behind them. Using knowledge graphs, this session shows how AI interprets natural-language questions, how semantic search uncovers meaning that keyword searches miss, and how you can apply the same techniques to make your own data smarter and more intuitive to explore.
Presenter:
- Jesse Osborne, NAPSG Foundation
Improving Productivity and Enhancing Operations in GIS
HERE presents perspectives and practical ideas for better outcomes in your use cases with an interactive session. Speakers shall discuss: focusing on analysis and mission outcomes rather than data engineering utilizing advanced workflows like route optimization, coverage analysis, traffic modeling, service territory planning, and location intelligence applications the importance of sound metadata and data documentation introducing AI capabilities into your daily work.
Presenter:
- James Nenaber, HERE Technologies
SPROUTing Insight: Soft Robotics for Collapsed Structure Mapping
Explore the SPROUT (Soft Pathfinding Robotic Observation Unit) platform and its unique ability to "grow" through complex debris to locate trapped victims. This session showcases cutting-edge research in advanced robotics for Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) operations, highlighting how public safety agencies serve as early adopters of next-generation technology. Participants will cover the transition from robotic navigation to actionable data, demonstrating how responders can use SPROUT’s mapping output to visualize void spaces and plan safer, more precise rescue entries. Join us to see how these advanced tools are being pioneered to redefine the limits of life-saving interventions in the most challenging environments.
Presenter:
- Chad Council, MIT Lincoln Labs
GIS Solutions Pageant
Contestants showcased dashboards, maps, apps, and other geospatial tools they created to solve real-world public safety challenges. Prizes were awarded to the most innovative entries in these three categories:
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Judges' Choice
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People's Choice
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"Well, that's cool!"
Host:
- Jared Doke, NAPSG Foundation
2026 Awards for Excellence in Public Safety GIS
Recipients
North Carolina’s Department of Transportation & the Division of Emergency Management
Category: State
Ronald Langhelm
DHS Science & Technology Directorate
Category: Federal
34 States represented at
InSPIRE 2026
Thank you for being part of InSPIRE!
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