Esri, Microsoft Form Disaster Map Partnership; Harmony Mabrey Comments

Esri and Microsoft are partnering to provide public and private agencies and communities information maps during disasters in a cloud computing infrastructure.

Esri said it will integrate its ArcGIS mapping system with several of Microsoft’s disaster response management solutions and Microsoft will provide its cloud-based disaster response incident portal.

First responders and citizens will use the maps to assess disaster impacts and make decisions on responses, said Harmony Mabrey, Microsoft’s senior operations manager for disaster response.

Microsoft will direct citizens to the maps via online platforms such as MSN and Bing.

Microsoft is also providing a cloud infrastructure to community colleges in Los Angeles for communication and collaboration.

Users will have access to hosted versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Exchange, Outlook and SkyDrive online storage.