• Where should we build county facilities to deliver services to our citizens?
• Where is my polling location based upon my address; and what ballot applies to me?
• Where are the flood zones? Earthquake faults? Protected habitats?
• What properties were destroyed by fire?
• Where should we concentrate law enforcement efforts?
• What are the best routes for emergency evacuations?
• Where should we concentrate our economic development efforts?

GIS stands for Geographic Information System.  The field of GIS application development is fast-growing, and each year continues to introduce an increasing number of ground-breaking applications for all aspects of business, marketing and government.

GIS at its core is simply the graphical representation of tabular data that ties geographical information together with other kinds of information, such as census data or warehouse inventory lists.  Proper utilization of a GIS can deliver helpful applications like the popular internet-based driving directions and interactive mapping systems widely available today.  The expanding capabilities and flexibility of GIS design will eventually make it an essential part of any government or commercial enterprise.

GIS in Government

There are many opportunities to utilize GIS in government.  Evaluating census data, providing public notification based on religion or affected areas, revenue collection, economic development, and homeland security are but a few of the necessary services a government must provide which are made more effective through the use of a GIS.

The GIS Division of Information Services is committed to help San Bernardino County serve its stakeholders in the most effective way possible.  One way we continue to meet that commitment is through exploring and implementing GIS solutions that provide the information necessary to meet the requirements of today, while proactively seeking out the technology and methods that will be essential to solve the problems of the future.