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Subject: Re: [emergency] EDXL Target Areas for device coded recipients
Um... there are a couple of issues here, I think. One has to do with
whether we need an <areaDescription> element to hold a descriptive
string. It was omitted until now for lack of anyone asking for it,
and I'd certainly support adding it so long as it's useful.
The other, more complicated issue has to do with the legacy of system-
specific codes used as a shorthand for geospatial targeting. The
mildest case of this, of course, is the extended-FIPS codes used in
EAS. At least those refer to a well-known national standard (at
least, until we get down to that optional sub-county division)... but
they still superimpose artificial, in this case political, boundaries
on our depictions of hazards and events.
Local alerting zones, IPZs and other site-specific schemes are even
more problematic, since it's impractical for every receiving device
and/or message routing system to maintain current look-ups for every
such system everywhere. Still, the use of such approximations...
originally devised to accommodate the limited resolution of earlier
targeting technologies... frequently has gotten written into
procedures and regulations, thus freezing them in bureaucratic amber.
So I think our approach ought to be... and I believe this is what
everyone is saying... that where administratively-designated zones
are familiar to the audience they should be included as part of a
target-area description, basically as a backward-compatibility
measure... but that warning originators should (at least) perform a
one-time computation of equivalent geospatial descriptions (polygons
or circles) and provide those as the prescriptive geospatial targeting.
That way, as more precise targeting becomes possible, it won't be
impeded by the legacy fixed-zone technique. And it's in line with
our discouragement of the use of geocodes alone in CAP.
- Art
On May 24, 2005, at 1:46 PM, Aymond, Patti wrote:
> I agree with Kon. It should be in the EDXL Distribution, as well.
>
> Patti
>
> Patti Iles Aymond, PhD
> Senior Scientist
> Bioterrorism Preparedness & Response
>
> Innovative Emergency Management, Inc.
> Managing Risk in a Complex World
>
> 8555 United Plaza Blvd. Suite 100
> Baton Rouge, LA 70809
> (225) 952-8228 (phone)
> (225) 952-8122 (fax)
>
>