A new ‘rapid address’ database could save the emergency services vital minutes responding to 999 calls, thanks to the inclusion of over a million previously ‘unmapped’ objects to help pinpoint a location.
Chester-based data specialist GB Group has partnered with Ordnance Survey to launch the database which uses specialist OS MasterMap Address Layer 2 data within GB’s own award-winning GB Accelerator IQ technology.
Essentially, the database combines two extremely powerful data sets – GB’s National Register, the UK’s largest repository of individual, household and business data, and Ordnance Survey’s Address Layer 2.
A key feature of Address Layer 2 is the additional one and half million Objects without a postal address (OWPA) – identifiable landscape features that do not traditionally have a postal address, such as churches, car parks, community centres, depots and even phone boxes.
These offer a major boost to any service responding to emergencies where address details given by callers are often panicked and sketchy. By using objects as an additional identifier the emergency services can massively increase the accuracy of where they respond to.
As Ordnance Survey continues to enrich and expand Address Layer 2, ongoing updates to GB Accelerator IQ will ensure the latest data is available to GB Group’s customers.
Address Layer 2 provides geographic and postal addresses, which GB Accelerator IQ can locate in sub-second speed (even from partial information) via the powerful search and retrieval tool.
The combination of Address Layer 2 and GB Accelerator IQ’s searching capability is linked to the breadth and currency of data contained within GB Group’s National Register database, which includes 16 years of electoral roll data, current names, PAF verified addresses, and telephone and business data from across the UK.
Address Layer 2 cross-references addresses from multiple sources such as Royal Mail and the Valuation Office Agency with a unique identifier. It also links the address to the OS Master Map Topography Layer.
David Green, Business Development Director from GB Group, explained: "When someone is assaulted at 2am and a 999 call is made, the location is often given by someone with no precise idea where they are. The address quoted may be ‘by the phone box on the corner of the marketplace in Bolton town centre’.
"Address Layer 2 has mapped identifiable objects in order to provide a precise address. This could potentially save lives by helping emergency services recover vital minutes lost looking for a location."
The latest Ordnance Survey data also includes Multi-occupancies without a postal address (MOWPA) – details of individual households that currently do not have mail delivered to their own letter box, such as flats or halls of residence.
David Green added: "This link between such extensive name, address and geographical data is unique. They have never been available in one product before.
"The landscape of the UK is changing. Our major cities have thousands of new apartments and converted buildings which were once commercial addresses. Identifying the address of individual flats and apartments has always been challenging.
"As well as identifying individual addresses, Address Layer 2 distinguishes between residential and business premises and GB Group’s National Register can supply the name of past and current occupants.
"The additional data now included means that there is a far greater market for a product with this level of sophistication. Through our partnership with Ordnance Survey we are continuing to look for fresh innovation which will add increasing layers of new data for users."
Ordnance Survey’s Senior Product Manager, Cara Reed, said: "This is a great example of a partner adding value to Ordnance Survey’s world-class spatial address data. GB Group has created a really powerful tool for all manner of customers who need accurate, rapid and historic name and address data – from organisations wishing to trace individuals, to the emergency services responding to an incident, or to insurance companies investigating fraud."
GB Accelerator IQ will be available in CD-ROM or secure Internet.
