TJC to host GIS presentation

The City of Tyler GIS Department in partnership with Smith County 9-1-1, Smith County Appraisal District, Tyler Junior College, Texas Parks & Wildlife, and the Lopez Garcia Group announces Smith County GIS Day which will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

This event will take place in Roger's Student Center at Tyler Junior College from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is designed to give students and industry professionals a an opportunity to see GIS in operation

Held each year on the Wednesday of National Geographic Society's Geography Awareness Week (Nov. 13-17 in 2006), GIS Day is a global event that celebrates geographic information system (GIS) technology, the innovative technology that uses geography to bring countless benefits to the world.

Smith County GIS Day will provide an opportunity for those curious about GIS to see its applications in action.

GIS is a computer-based mapping tool that takes information from a database about a location, such as streets, buildings, water features, and terrain, and turns it into visual layers.

The ability to see geographic features on a map gives users a better understanding of a particular location, enabling planners, analysts, and others to make informed decisions about their communities.

Although many people are not be aware of it, GIS touches our lives daily.

It is used throughout the world to solve problems related to the environment, health care, land use, business efficiency, education, and public safety.

The power supply directed to homes, the patrol cars and fire trucks that keep neighborhoods safe, and the delivery trucks on the road all function more efficiently because of GIS.

This technology can also help businesses place ATMs and restaurants at more convenient locations, allow people to pull maps off the Internet, and help farmers grow more crops with less chemicals.

GIS Day serves to make people aware of GIS technology and the important contributions it is making in the fields of science, technology, information, and the humanities. It is a grassroots event and a reflection of the enthusiasm and commitment of individual GIS users everywhere.

The Smith County GIS Day event will begin at 9:00 a.m. with academic presentations until noon; and continue with industry presentations on GIS uses in land appraisal and real estate, 9-1-1 and emergency response, GPS, Geocaching, Parks and Wildlife, and the oil and gas industry.

Emergency vehicle and field demonstrations will take place throughout the day.

This year marks GIS Day's eighth year, so be sure to join the celebration and become a part of this annual tradition. For event more information, please log onto www.smithcountygisday.com.