[SatNews] DigitalGlobe (NYSE: DGI) now has an agreement with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) for use of DigitalGlobe’s Crisis Event Service (CES) for a 12-month term. CES was launched by DigitalGlobe in July of last year to provide timely and accurate pre- and post-event satellite imagery to aid in emergency planning, response and recovery.

Satellite imagery has proven to be a useful decision-support tool when on-ground accessibility is difficult or dangerous. Providing fast, web-based access to pre-and post-event imagery, DigitalGlobe’s CES supports emergency preparedness risk and planning analysis as well as damage assessment and recovery efforts for local, civil and federal governments, defense and homeland security, insurance and reinsurance agencies, and multinational and humanitarian agencies. CES has proven to be a critical tool for organizations and agencies looking to better understand the extent of damage following a disaster and inform decisions for relief efforts. CES was used extensively in the aftermath of January’s devastating earthquake in Haiti to assess damage and identify areas of need. The service has also been in effect during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis, providing before and after imagery that offers insight into the impact of the spill.