Indoor Digital Mapping Expands From Emergency Response to Daily Operations
Frisco, Texas, deployed an indoor mapping system in 2008 to give first responders detailed floor plans and live camera feeds during school emergencies. Known as SAFER, the program runs on Esri’s ArcGIS platform and now covers more than 200 facilities, including hospitals, the Dallas Cowboys headquarters, shopping centers and event venues. Emergency dispatchers and control staff access room layouts, hazardous material locations, roof access points and building contact lists through a unified interface. The city’s IT team handled hardware upgrades, software integration and documentation to connect more than 30 disparate data systems into one geospatial view.
Frisco extended the platform beyond emergency response to building maintenance and asset tracking. Facilities staff now use the system to map automated external defibrillator locations, enabling crews to reach each device directly during refresh cycles. The city also applies GIS technology to stormwater management, sewer networks, tree inventories and public work orders tied to specific assets. While the facilities department is transitioning its management system and not yet using GIS-based facilities management, the platform can already track electrical panels, water shut-offs and alarm systems.
Susan Benedicto, assistant director of information technology for geospatial solutions, said the program’s success depends on partnerships with building officials, fire departments and school district project managers. She emphasized that early collaboration prevents data silos and ensures consistent updates. Frisco’s approach shows how municipalities can repurpose emergency planning infrastructure for day-to-day operations, reducing costs and improving response times across multiple departments.
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