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Indoor Mapping for Hospitals–A New Era of Operational Awareness
Indoor Mapping for Hospitals–A New Era of Operational Awareness
By Kurt Kirkpatrick 7/1/2025
Hospitals operate like complex organisms–multi-floor systems bustling with patients, clinicians, and equipment, all functioning around the clock. In this high-stakes environment, the difference between smooth operations and costly delays often comes down to one thing: visibility. Knowing exactly where people, assets, and resources are in real time can accelerate care delivery, sharpen emergency response, and optimize the use of space. That’s where indoor mapping, combined with real-time GIS technologies like Esri’s GeoEvent Server, is transforming healthcare operations from reactive to precise.
With hundreds or even thousands of rooms spread across intricate layouts, hospitals pose serious challenges for staff trying to locate equipment like ventilators, wheelchairs, or other critical items. Add in the need to coordinate patient transfers, staff assignments, and urgent interventions, and the importance of centralized spatial intelligence becomes clear. Yet traditional facility management systems often rely on static tools–manual updates, spreadsheets, or direct communication–that can’t keep pace with the real-time nature of clinical work.
Indoor mapping changes that paradigm. It digitizes hospital layouts, enabling stakeholders to visualize operations with pinpoint accuracy. When paired with RTLS (Real-Time Location Systems), medical assets can be tracked continuously, ensuring critical equipment is exactly where it’s needed–whether in an ICU, operating room, or mobile cart. During mass-casualty incidents or fire drills, these maps reveal dynamic movement of patients and staff, allowing security and emergency teams to respond with confidence. And for everyday use, interactive maps and mobile apps help patients, visitors, and employees navigate vast facilities, reducing confusion and improving efficiency across the board.
Beyond logistics, indoor GIS also empowers administrators to improve space planning. By analyzing how rooms and departments are used in real time, they can spot inefficiencies, eliminate bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions about expansions, renovations, or resource allocation. The result? A smarter hospital–one that’s safer, more responsive, and better equipped to deliver high-quality care.
Imagine a hospital that integrates indoor mapping with real-time ambulance tracking. As an ambulance approaches, the emergency department can see its location and estimated arrival time, prepare the appropriate rooms, and guide staff to meet patients efficiently. This is just one example out of many where spatially enabled information can provide efficiencies, better inform, and potentially save lives.
At SIG, we specialize in combining Esri’s ArcGIS Indoors with GeoEvent Server to deliver real-time operational awareness for hospitals and healthcare networks. Our tailored solutions can help hospitals:
Track high-value assets across multiple floors.
Build dashboards to monitor patient and staff flow.
Integrate indoor maps with IoT devices for enhanced facility management.
Command Center Dashboards–Real-Time GIS for Smarter Decision Making
Command Center Dashboards–Real-Time GIS for Smarter Decision Making
By Kurt Kirkpatrick 7/14/2025
In the face of disaster or critical system failure, recovery hinges not just on resources or manpower, but on information–specifically, how quickly decision-makers can access and act on it. Whether it's a wildfire advancing on populated areas, a utility outage stretching across counties, or a public safety event demanding coordinated response, the ability to visualize operations in real time can mean the difference between disruption and control. Modern command centers, equipped with real-time GIS dashboards, offer this visibility. They become the centralized platform–the single source of truth—that empowers organizations to respond with speed, accuracy, and confidence.
At the heart of any effective command center is the dashboard–a dynamic interface that turns raw feeds into actionable insights. By aggregating live data from systems like GeoEvent Server, IoT devices, mobile field units, and external sources such as weather services, organizations can maintain complete situational awareness. These dashboards allow staff to visualize the precise location of vehicles, personnel, and key assets as events unfold. Instant alerts triggered by geofencing or threshold violations notify teams of emerging risks: from approaching storm fronts to unexpected equipment failures. By centralizing this intelligence in a shared interface, cross-functional teams–from field operatives to executive leadership–can make unified decisions and avoid the confusion that often accompanies complex emergencies.
These dashboards are especially vital for mission-driven sectors where timing and coordination are non-negotiable. First Responders can track units in the field, monitor dispatch statuses, and view unfolding incident details to guide interventions. Utility Providers benefit from visibility into service disruptions, crew assignments, and environmental factors that influence restoration timelines. Government Agencies rely on up-to-the-minute geospatial insights to manage emergency operations, public events, and natural disasters with clarity and control.
From the front lines to the back office, command centers with real-time GIS foster communication, boost responsiveness, and help protect both infrastructure and communities when it matters most.
Consider a county emergency management office monitoring a hurricane. Using a GIS-powered dashboard, they can track shelter capacities, evacuation routes, and utility outages, while live weather data streams directly onto the map. This unified view enables faster, more informed decision-making–and ultimately saves lives.
At SIG we design customized command center dashboards that integrate Esri’s GeoEvent Server with live data sources–from vehicles and assets to sensors and third-party APIs. Our dashboards give your organization:
360-degree situational awareness.
Intuitive, interactive interfaces.
Actionable intelligence for decision-makers.
The Future of Utility GIS: Why Moving from Geometric Network to Utility Network is a Game-Changer
The Future of Utility GIS: Why Moving from Geometric Network to Utility Network is a Game-Changer
By Seth Kirkpatrick 7/16/2025
For years, the Geometric Network (GN) in ArcGIS has been the backbone for modeling utilities like electric, water, and gas networks. But as infrastructure becomes more complex and demands for real-time data grow, GN’s limitations are becoming clear. Esri’s Utility Network (UN) is the next-generation framework, designed to handle the modern challenges utilities face–from asset management to advanced analytics and real-time operations.
Transitioning from the Geometric Network to the Utility Network isn’t just a technology upgrade–it’s an investment in future-proofing your utility operations.
Why Geometric Network Falls Short:
The Geometric Network was designed for a time when utilities needed only basic connectivity modeling. However, today’s utility providers face more complex challenges, including:
Real-time monitoring and IoT integration.
Detailed asset modeling (attributes, phases, conditions).
Multi-utility coordination (electric, water, gas, telecom).
Advanced tracing and analysis needs that GN can’t handle efficiently.
Limited support for modern web and mobile workflows.
Key Benefits of the Utility Network:
1. Enhanced Network Modeling
The Utility Network can represent assets in more detail and complexity than the Geometric Network.
Model real-world utility features down to poles, switches, valves, and conductors.
Incorporate hierarchical asset groups and network rules to ensure data quality.
2. Advanced Tracing and Analytics
The UN introduces new tracing capabilities that go far beyond GN’s simple connectivity checks:
Trace by conditions, phases, subnetwork, or specific asset states.
Simulate outages or service disruptions to improve operational planning.
3. Seamless Integration with Real-Time Data
The Utility Network pairs perfectly with GeoEvent Server and ArcGIS Dashboards for live tracking of field crews, sensors, and smart grid data. This integration helps utilities achieve proactive monitoring and faster response times.
4. Web and Mobile Readiness
With UN, data and maps are service-oriented, enabling field crews to access and edit network data directly through web apps and mobile devices–all connected to the same live database.
5. Future-Proofing Your Utility
Esri is investing heavily in the Utility Network as the standard for all utility GIS operations moving forward. Migrating now ensures your utility isn’t left behind as GN phases out.
What Does Migration Involve?
Migrating from GN to UN requires careful planning and execution:
Data Assessment: Cleaning and validating GN data to meet UN’s stricter rules.
Modeling and Design: Defining asset groups, rules, and domains that match your operational needs.
Testing and Training: Ensuring staff are ready to use the new tools and workflows.
Incremental Migration: Running GN and UN side by side during transition phases to avoid disruptions.
How SIG Helps with GN to UN Migration
At SIG, we guide utility companies through every step of this migration:
Gap Analysis: Identify current GN limitations and opportunities in UN.
Custom Migration Plans: Tailored to your data, systems, and operational goals.
Implementation and Support: Deploying the Utility Network with real-time dashboards, field apps, and training for staff.
Our approach ensures that utilities not only migrate but unlock the full potential of advanced GIS workflows.
The Bottom Line
The Utility Network isn’t just a replacement for the Geometric Network–it’s a modern platform for real-time asset management, advanced analysis, and smarter decision-making. Utilities that adopt UN are positioning themselves for efficiency, reliability, and innovation in an increasingly data-driven industry.
Real-Time GIS for Utilities – Enhancing Reliability and Response
Real-Time GIS for Utilities – Enhancing Reliability and Response
By Kurt Kirkpatrick 7/29/2025
For utility companies, downtime is not an option. Customers rely on electricity, water, and gas 24/7–and a single outage can affect thousands. Real-time GIS, powered by Esri’s GeoEvent Server, gives utility operators the live data they need to monitor assets, coordinate field crews, and restore service faster than ever before.
Utility providers are responsible for managing sprawling infrastructure networks that often extend across vast geographic areas. These networks include power lines, pipelines, substations, and service hubs–all critical components of daily life for residential and commercial customers. One major challenge is tracking field crews, especially during storm events or scheduled maintenance. With unpredictable weather and dynamic service demands, utilities need to know who is where in real time. Responding to outages is another pressing concern, particularly when customers are relying on uninterrupted service. The delay between outage occurrence and crew deployment can be costly, both financially and reputationally. Meanwhile, monitoring asset health is essential for preventing equipment failures that may cascade into larger system disruptions. And throughout all these operations, communicating timely updates to customers, stakeholders, and regulatory agencies remains a constant pressure point.
Modern GIS solutions offer utilities a powerful way to take control of the chaos. With fleet tracking, utilities can visualize the exact location of service trucks, field personnel, and contractors as events unfold, allowing dispatch teams to optimize routing and reduce response times. Integration with IoT sensors further enhances situational awareness–monitoring substations, meters, or pipelines for anomalies, and triggering alerts instantly when thresholds are exceeded. When combined with weather data and outage overlays, GIS enables vivid visualizations that pinpoint problem areas and help prioritize restoration efforts. Perhaps most transformative is the ability to use real-time trends and data models to anticipate issues before they occur. Proactive maintenance planning reduces downtime and saves money, while improving reliability and customer satisfaction.
Beyond internal workflows, real-time GIS can support transparency and engagement with the public. Interactive dashboards or customer-facing status portals can display crew locations, restoration timelines, and system-wide service status. These tools don't just provide information–they build trust by showing customers that progress is underway and responses are grounded in data. For utility providers seeking to strengthen relationships, improve operational agility, and prevent service failures before they begin, real-time GIS is no longer a luxury–it’s an essential capability.
Imagine a severe thunderstorm knocks out power across a region. A utility company equipped with a real-time GIS dashboard can see exactly where crews are, dispatch the nearest teams, and update outage maps for customers–all while monitoring weather conditions as they evolve.
Our team has extensive experience in utility-focused GIS solutions, including:
GeoEvent Server integration for real-time asset tracking.
Dashboards for outage management.
Predictive analytics and data visualization.
Utility Network Model - Overview and Common Terms
Utility Network Model - Overview and Common Terms
By Seth Kirkpatrick 10/12/2025
The Esri Utility Network (UN or UN Model) is a powerful framework designed to model, manage, and analyze complex utility systems such as electric, gas, water, and telecommunications. It provides a scalable and intelligent way to represent how utility components are connected, enabling advanced tracing, visualization, and asset management. Here's a breakdown of its key structural elements:
Structure Network: The structure network consists of feature classes that represent physical infrastructure supporting utility operations—like poles, vaults, and cabinets. These elements do not carry resources (e.g., electricity or water) but serve as containers or supports for resource-delivering features. They enable spatial organization and attachment of utility assets, helping utilities manage dense feature collections and field inventories. For example, the structure junction feature class may contain a pole with electric device(s) (such as a transformer and/or a streetlight) and electric lines (such as medium voltage or low voltage conductor). A Utility Network contains a single set of structure feature classes that can be used by multiple domain networks.
Domain Network: A utility network can contain multiple domain networks, each representing a distinct utility system (e.g., electric, water, gas). These are standardized sets of feature classes and tables configured during network creation. Each domain network is tailored to model the flow and behavior of a specific resource, allowing utilities to manage diverse systems within a unified framework.
Tiers: Tiers define hierarchical levels within a domain network, modeling how resources are delivered. For example, an electric network might include generation, transmission, distribution tiers. Tiers help isolate parts of the network (e.g., valve zones or circuits), constrain valid feature types, and guide tracing operations (return all consumer meters on the distribution tier). They are essential for modeling pressure zones, voltage levels, and operational boundaries.
Subnetworks: Subnetworks represent the active delivery zones within a tier—such as electric circuits or water pressure zones. They are dynamically discovered by tracing from a subnetwork controller (e.g., a switch or valve) until a boundary condition is met (e.g., closed valve or consumption point). Subnetworks enable utilities to analyze flow paths, isolate faults, and manage service areas. Subnetwork controllers can be thought of as the source of the resource within a specific tier (such as an electric feeder for a distribution circuit).
Feature Classes and Tables: Each domain network includes five feature classes and two tables:
Feature Classes: Devices, device assemblies, junctions, lines, and subnet lines
Tables: Junction objects and edge objects
These elements represent the spatial and logical components of the utility system. They support connectivity modeling, classification via asset groups/types, and advanced operations like tracing and diagramming. These contain the data/assets for the utility.
Non-Spatial Structure and Edge Objects: Not all utility features are spatially represented. Non-spatial objects—such as junction and edge objects—allow modeling of internal components within containers (e.g., devices inside a cabinet). These objects support logical connectivity, terminal modeling, and schematic visualization. They are crucial for representing dense or embedded infrastructure without cluttering the map view.
Electric UN Naming Schema:
Feature Classes
ElectricDevice – Represents discrete electrical components such as switches, fuses, and transformers.
ElectricDeviceAssembly – Groups multiple electric devices into a single assembly (e.g., a pad-mounted transformer unit).
ElectricJunction – Models connection points like busbars or terminals.
ElectricLine – Represents conductors such as overhead lines or underground cables.
ElectricSubnetLine – Used to visualize and manage the extent of subnetworks (e.g., circuits).
Tables (Non-Spatial Objects)
ElectricJunctionObject – Non-spatial junctions used inside containers or for logical-only modeling.
ElectricEdgeObject – Non-spatial edges representing internal connections or logical-only paths.
For more technical details, visit the official ArcGIS Pro documentation
These six areas provide a foundation for understanding utility networks. Our next post on UN's will dive into Connectivity and Associations!
Utility Network Model - Connectivity & Associations
Utility Network Model - Connectivity & Associations
By Seth Kirkpatrick 11/1/2025
As utility organizations modernize their GIS infrastructure, Esri’s Utility Network model offers a powerful framework for modeling complex systems with precision and scalability. One of the foundational concepts in this model is connectivity and associations—the rules and relationships that define how assets interact within the network.
Whether you're managing electric, gas, water, or telecom systems, understanding these connectivity patterns is essential for accurate modeling, efficient data creation, and future-proofing your network. Let’s dive into the key connection types and what they mean for your current and future data.
In the Utility Network, connectivity is governed by rules that define valid connections between features. These rules are enforced through three primary connection types:
Edge-Junction Connectivity
Definition: A junction (e.g., transformer, valve, splice) connects to an edge (e.g., pipe, conductor, cable).
Example: A water valve (junction) connects to a water pipe (edge).
Use Case: Most common type of connection in utility networks. It models how devices or fittings interact with linear features.
Junction-Junction Connectivity
Definition: Two junction features connect directly without an edge between them.
Example: In a water distribution system, a service tap (junction) may connect directly to a water meter (junction) without an edge (pipe) between them.
Use Case: Useful for modeling direct device-to-device connections, especially in dense or vertical configurations.
Edge-Junction-Edge Connectivity
Definition: Two edge features connect through a junction.
Example: Two segments of a pipe connected via a tee fitting.
Use Case: Critical for modeling branching, transitions, or intermediary devices that facilitate edge-to-edge connections.
These connection types are validated through connectivity rules defined in the network’s configuration. They ensure that only logical and permitted connections are made, preserving the integrity of the network model. This also means that without a rule in place, features will not "snap" together or connect and downstream assets will not be participating in the network.
While connectivity defines how features physically link, associations model relationships that aren’t necessarily spatial or topological:
Structural Attachment Association
Purpose: Indicates that one feature is attached to another, typically for support or mounting.
Example: A transformer attached to a pole, or a valve mounted on a pipe rack.
Use Case: Useful for modeling how devices are physically supported or installed, especially in overhead systems.
Containment Association
Purpose: Defines a container-host relationship, where one feature contains other features within it.
Example: A switchgear cabinet containing fuses, switches, and connectors.
Use Case: Ideal for modeling assemblies, enclosures, or grouped assets that function together.
Connectivity Association
Purpose: Represents a logical connection between two features that are not geometrically connected (i.e., not snapped together).
Example: An underground cable connected to a transformer inside a cabinet, where the cable and transformer are not physically touching in the GIS geometry.
Use Case: Common in electric and telecom networks where connections are implied through terminals or ports.
Associations allow for flexible modeling of real-world relationships, especially in cases where physical connections are implied but not explicitly drawn.
Association Type Directional Terms
Connectivity Connected to
Structural Attachment Attached to / Supports
Containment Contains / Is Contained By
Migrating legacy data into the Utility Network often reveals gaps in connectivity modeling. Here’s what to watch for:
Add Connection/Attachment Points
Why: Legacy datasets may lack explicit features like risers, taps, or fittings that facilitate valid connections.
Action: Introduce intermediate junctions or connection points to comply with connectivity rules.
Example: Add a tap/attachment point where a single phase line is fed from a three phase line.
Clean Up Geometries
Ensure features are snapped correctly and follow the expected topology.
Validate that all connections conform to the defined rules in the network (check is connected attribute is true after running Update Is Connected tool).
I found using group templates when adding new features to an existing Utility Network was really helpful for saving time, but also in automatically creating associations. Also, because the UN relies on only a handful of feature classes and tables, restricting which fields are required to populate in edit templates can make the attributing experience less daunting.
Group Templates
What: Group templates allow you to place multiple related features at once with predefined connectivity and associations.
Why: They reduce manual effort, enforce consistency, and speed up data creation.
Example: A conduit group template may contain the conduit and conductor placed together and already associated. Or a connection and a Fuse, or busbar and an elbow.
Connectivity and associations are the backbone of the Esri Utility Network. They ensure your network behaves like the real world—supporting tracing, analysis, and operational decisions. Whether you're cleaning up legacy data or designing for the future, embracing these concepts will set your utility up for success in the digital age.
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