Homeland Security Infrastructure Protection Program Extended to ERDAS

ERDAS has been awarded the fifth extension of its contract to provide critical infrastructure/key resource data to the Homeland Security Infrastructure Protection (HSIP) program.

ERDAS partners with MCH to provide over a dozen essential vector layers, including extensive feature-rich detail on hospitals, schools, nursing homes, child care centers, shelters and other medical facilities. These data layers are used to inform federal disaster management planning and response.

ERDAS’ data partner MCH, Inc. of Sweet Springs , Missouri is the leading compiler of institutional data in the U.S. MCH has been in the data compilation business for over 70 years and is one of few entities in the country that provides in depth information on institutions. MCH conducts ongoing research and phone surveys to provide detailed, current and verified data lists.

“The quality of our data is reflected in the decades of experience we have in this business. We are proud to be able to provide our quality data to the homeland security community and are encouraged that the government understands the value of this commodity,” said Peter Long, MCH CEO.

This marks the sixth year that ERDAS/MCH data has been used to support the nation’s homeland security program. Currently it is the federal government’s policy to make HSIP Gold data available only to qualified agencies serving the federal homeland security mission. “We are pleased to continue providing gold standard data to the HSIP Gold program,” said Eddie Pickle , Director of Content Development, ERDAS. “MCH does a terrific job of researching every institution to verify the currency and accuracy of the key critical infrastructure data we provide to the homeland security community.”

ERDAS also works directly with State agencies to provide even more feature rich data content in the ERDAS/MCH products Places2protect and People2notify data layers. Places2protect and People2notify is the combined product of IONIC Enterprise and MCH GeoPoints. ERDAS purchased IONIC in 2007 and is continuing to support this work with MCH. “These data represent the best of their kind because they are current, accurate and updated on an ongoing basis,” said Eddie Pickle .

The Places2protect and People2notify databases include locations, feature detail and contact information for dozens of types of institutions, including churches, physicians’ offices, police and fire departments, summer camps, and other data layers that are similar to those included in HSIP Gold.

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