As the Louisiana’s emergency management agency tries to evaluate flooding damage, one challenge they face is assessing the number and type (commercial, residential, etc.) of damaged structures. However, there is a lack of mapped structures. So volunteers are needed to create an account on the USGS web site below and then, working with pre-flood imagery, map structure locations in the flooded areas as points by dragging a pre-set structure-type icon onto each building visible on the imagery. In other words, a volunteer looks at structures on the pre-flood imagery, following provided guidelines decides the structure type, and then maps a point for that structure that, based on the icon they choose, classifies the structure point by type. Then once structure points are mapped, staff at FEMA and in the state’s emergency management office can work with post-flooding imagery to assess structure damage. Users of this app will NOT be doing damage assessment, just mapping building points. The Quick Start on the link below provides a clear overview of the work that’s needed.
At FEMA’s request, USGS has created a crisis mapper to help identify residences and commercial buildings in Louisiana. This effort will help FEMA to identify properties potentially damaged by the recent floods. The USGS TNMCorps Emergency Response editor is available here: https://navigator.er.usgs.gov/TNMCorps-ER