By Dana Hudspeth, Media Relations Specialist
Chickasaw Nation Media Relations Office
The Chickasaw Nation Department of GeoSpatial Information (GSI) was recently honored by a premier software development and service company.
ESRI, a geographic information system software company based in Redlands, Calif., honored the tribal division during the group’s annual conference conducted this summer in San Diego, California.
Selected for its vision, leadership and innovative use of its geographic information system (GIS) technology, the Chickasaw Nation GSI Department was selected for the “Special Achievement in GIS” award from more than 300,000 organizations worldwide.
This award-winning department uses the ESRI software to provide in-depth, up-to-date information needed to deliver efficient, effective services for tribal divisions and citizens, said John Ellis, director of the Chickasaw Nation GSI department.
“We are providing much more than conventional maps, we are providing decision-making tool,” said Ellis.
Currently, GIS team members concentrate on three areas in an effort to enhance the lives of Chickasaw citizens; emergency management services, cultural preservation and economic development.
GIS helps with Emergency Management Services by providing detailed maps of the service area in south central Oklahoma to Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department, the Chickasaw Nation search and rescue team and Bureau of Indian Affairs firefighters, as well as county and state police and fire departments, FEMA, and other federal agencies.
Lighthorse officers can access the maps detailing tribally-owned land, what land is currently in trust and more, which helps officers determine jurisdictional issues.
A database with information on all Chickasaw Nation facilities including location of each facility, number of employees, structure material, square footage, floor plans, pictures and contact information for responsible parties has been created and is continually updated.
Efforts to preserve Chickasaw Culture are also underway at the tribal GIS department.
By using maps, treaties and other historical documents provided by the GIS team, archeologists are continuing their efforts to uncover more facts about Chickasaw culture, such as locating ancient Chickasaw villages, burial sites and trade routes.
GIS has also allowed the Chickasaw Nation to integrate data across various departments and divisions, including commerce.
By using this technology, the GSI team is able to provide demographic information to help determine the best location for new businesses.
“We were able to provide a list of land that met the criteria in a matter of minutes. “Without having the information stored in a geodatabase, it would have taken days, or even weeks, to filter the information,” said Mr. Ellis.
Created in 1996, the Chickasaw Nation GSI Department also provides a variety of training to many departments in the Chickasaw Nation, including Lighthorse Police, environmental services, realty, insurance, information technology, and others.
As the Chickasaw Nation continues to grow and develop GSI can meet its goal to offer Chickasaw citizens and community partners the opportunity to be both consumers and creators of geographic data.
The GIS Department also provides maps, geographic data and large scale printing for all divisions of the Chickasaw Nation.
Chickasaw Nation GSI staff members include John Ellis, director, Manerd Gayler, GIS manager, Cassandra Gore, GIS system administrator, Bill Bean, web application developer, Dawn Sowinski, GIS analyst, Adam Drannon, GIS specialist, Jeannett Phillips, GIS specialist, Corey Gillum, GIS technician, Brian McCurdy, GIS technician, Misti Ray, administrative assistant Misti Ray, and interns Bobby Ramsey, Levi Foreman and Miley Ward.
For more information about the Chickasaw Nation GeoSpatial Information Department, contact John Ellis at 580) 272-5402 or (580) 272-5469 or email John.ellis@chickasaw.net.
Besides the Chickasaw Nation GSI staff, other organizations being honored by ESRI include the Artesia Water Company, Montana State Library, NASA Langley Research Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Yosemite National Park, City of Madrid, DHL Express, Polytechnic of Namibia, Victoria Police in Australia, and the Grammar School at Leeds.
