A major role of the U.S. Coast Guard is responding to waterborne disasters. Managing large scale disasters usually calls for multi-agency collaboration based on shared information. In such situations, the Coast Guard relies on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to provide a common operating picture to all collaborators.
To learn how the Coast Guard uses GIS for disaster management, we talk with Amilynn Adams, who is Senior Marine Transportation Data Analyst (geospatial data lead) for the U.S. Coast Guard. Amilynn was the technical and policy co-lead for the Coast Guard’s geospatial response unit during the Key Bridge disaster in Baltimore Harbor in March of 2024. Prior to joining the Coast Guard, Amilynn held a variety of management positions for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She completed her B.S. in Oceanography/Biology at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and she is a licensed mariner.