How to use and integrate GMES Emergency Response Service products

GMES Emergency Response Service products generally speaking are carthographic products that are supposed to be used mainly in two ways:

1. basic use: use them as they are, just print them and use them as a traditional map;
2. advanced use: integrate them in your day-by-day working environment.
   

There are several degrees of integration of digital mapping products within a working environment of an organization dealing with emergency response operations, depending mainly on the desired use of the GMES Emergency Response Service products and the complexity / flexibility of the GIS infrastructure where integration shall take place.

The following list includes only a limited number of possible integration strategies that might be applied for GMES Emergency Response Service products:

1. Google Earth: display the map and all relevant information layers (e.g. road network, affected area, flooded area) in Google Earth, the most user friendly application to manage geospatial data. This will require an intermediate processing step in order to derive KML/KMZ files from standard products (see Customization page on this WIKI); this operation is supported by the GMES ERS Toolbox;
2. Desktop GIS: add the vector and raster information layers in your Desktop GIS application and overlay them to other maps and layers you have in your office (aerial and satellite images, infrastructure networks, topoographic maps, etc.). You might need an intermediate processing step in order to reproject or change format of the standard products (see Customization page on this WIKI); this operation is supported by the GMES ERS Toolbox;
3. GIS Server: load the vector and raster information layers in your GIS Server so that every person in your organization involved can easily add this resource in his own desktop or web application;
4. WebGIS: use GMES Emergency Response Service products as a standard OGC service like WMS, WFS, WCS and integrate them in your colaborative web application (e.g. WebGIS) in order to have the maximun distribution capability. This operation is supported by the GMES ERS Toolbox.

For more information ask your National / EC user Focal Point or contact the Support Team

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