For years, the Frostburg City Fire Department relied on paper maps to track and plot their course of action in the event of a fire emergency. Six years ago, they decided it was time to modernize their approach.

Frostburg Fire Department’s Logistics Chief Matt McMorran reached out to Jason Litten '99, co-director of the Western Maryland Regional Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Center located on the FSU campus. McMorran sought help to modernize the Fire Department’s paper map collection into an Esri geospatial database.

Esri is the global market leader in GIS software and, luckily, FSU has a license for their products. Thanks to two opportunity grants awarded by the FSU Foundation, the process of updating these maps became a reality.

The FSU Foundation receives gifts to the Annual Fund each year that provide unique opportunities for learning and discovery. In addition, FSU Foundation Board Member Gladys Wensel Faherty '55 contributed funds to ensure that the Fire Department mapping project would have enough money for completion.

“Using this new system, the Frostburg Fire Department will be the first department in Allegany County to utilize live GIS data during emergency responses to our community. In the past, we have had to limit map book releases to every several years due to the high cost of printing the full color document that is over 100 pages,” said McMorran. “Moving forward, any responder with the app will have access to the maps the second that edits are published.” 

A geospatial database is one that holds spatial features that firefighters would need to reference in an emergency including fire hydrants, roads, addresses, Knox boxes, elevators, bridges and building footprints, to name a few. This update now allows the Fire Department to utilize a tablet-based digital map system rather than physical maps, which are quickly outdated.

Enter FSU GIS Center student intern Joseph Thompson '23. Thompson and his fellow interns Jason Haley '26 and Sean Gizzi '22, who worked alongside McMorran, used drones to capture pictures and make over 200 fire department map updates during the conversion to digital maps. Spreadsheets of building attributes were created. Insta360 cameras helped with building walkthroughs. Building exteriors were photographed and documents examined to integrate information into the Fire Department’s mobile mapping application.

“This will allow for more efficiency within the Fire Department and less confusion before reaching a building, as response time is a crucial aspect of their jobs,” said Thompson. “The knowledge I have gained from this experience has changed my perspective on the GIS field to a view that sees it as a tool that can be used in more than just the geography discipline. I believe that this field will grow exponentially over the course of my professional career, and the experience gained from this internship will benefit me for years to come.”

While Gizzi and Haley were unable to work on the project to completion, they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to take part in such a rewarding venture that provided them with invaluable real-world experience. The co-director of the Western Maryland Regional GIS couldn’t agree more.

“These projects showcase the incredible impact of applied GIS, not just in the classroom but in real-world emergency response. What began as a simple map update evolved into a cutting-edge digital system that puts critical information in the hands of first responders when they need it most,” Litten added. “From modernizing the Frostburg Fire Department’s mapping tools to capturing high-resolution rooftop imagery, our students took ownership of the work, mastering new technologies while delivering solutions with lasting impact. It’s a powerful example of how collaboration between the University and the community can drive innovation and public safety forward.”