Enabling Comprehensive Situational Awareness explains how and why an integrated emergency management common operating platform can help save lives and mitigate loss during crises and disasters. A geographic information system (GIS) embedded in this platform is the key tool used by emergency management professionals to analyze extensive spatial data collections, as well as immediate field-level data. This book explains how this platform gives decision makers the overview necessary to coordinate efforts across agencies and jurisdictions and develop collaborative mitigation and recovery plans. An implementation guide for building a GIS in a common operating platform is included.