Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Utilizes GPS for Efficient Hurricane Recovery
Customer Company Size
Mid-size Company
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Trimble GeoXT
- Windows Mobile
- TerraSync software
- GPS Pathfinder Office software
Tech Stack
- GPS Technology
- Geographic Information System (GIS)
- Real-time Differential Correction
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Environmental Impact Reduction
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Sensors - GPS
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries
- Utilities
- Cities & Municipalities
Applicable Functions
- Facility Management
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Asset Health Management (AHM)
- Infrastructure Inspection
- Remote Asset Management
Services
- System Integration
- Training
About The Customer
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is a key organization responsible for maintaining the largest water, wastewater, and sanitation systems in Escambia County, Florida. Located in Pensacola, the authority serves a population of nearly 300,000 residents and is tasked with ensuring the functionality and safety of essential utility services. Given its location on the Gulf of Mexico, the area is prone to severe weather events, including hurricanes, which pose significant challenges to infrastructure management. The authority's proactive approach to adopting GPS technology highlights its commitment to improving operational efficiency and disaster recovery capabilities.
The Challenge
In 1995, Hurricane Opal caused significant damage to Pensacola, Florida, with utility workers struggling to locate buried assets using metal detectors and paper maps. This led to inefficiencies and further damage during recovery efforts. Nine years later, Hurricane Ivan struck with even greater force, threatening to repeat the same challenges. The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority needed a more effective way to manage and recover utility assets buried under debris and sand after such natural disasters.
The Solution
To address the challenges posed by hurricanes, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority adopted GPS technology to map and record the locations of utility assets. They selected Trimble GeoXT rugged GPS handheld receivers with Windows Mobile software to collect spatially accurate data on fire hydrants, manholes, water valves, and meters. Despite limited formal training, the intuitive nature of the technology allowed workers to efficiently gather and store data. This information was later used to precisely locate buried assets after Hurricane Ivan, significantly improving recovery efforts. The authority has since expanded its use of GPS and GIS technology, hiring a GIS specialist and converting paper maps to digital shapefiles for comprehensive asset management.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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