A recent survey revealed that many people believe that natural disasters are more frequent and severe than in the past. It turns out that this observation is backed up by facts. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the frequency of natural disasters is increasing year-over-year. There were 28 weather and climate disasters in 2023, surpassing the previous record of 22 in 2020, tallying a price tag of at least $92.9 billion.

For more than 50 years, Berntsen has worked alongside federal agencies to provide useful and quality products. From monuments that can be set in wetlands to RFID markers that integrate with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), federal agencies rely on Berntsen to deliver quality products that help them fulfill their missions.

Hi, this is Tim Burch, Executive Director of NSPS, and I’m teaming up with Berntsen to share why we’re so excited about this year’s FIG Working Week.

Do you know what a Hedonometer is? Yeah, me neither until just recently. No, it’s not another ancient surveying tool – it’s actually an analysis that determines how happy people are by their tweets.

The Vermont Complex Systems Center analyzes 50 million tweets per day, scoring happiness based on the categories of words that people use. It turns out that the pandemic produced the deepest and longest period of national malaise since the Hedonometer started in 2008. Fortunately, things are trending up as the pandemic is easing in most parts of the country.

In the US, everybody knows a little bit about the Declaration of Independence. This document was the formal announcement of the split between the Colonies and the British Crown – ultimately creating the United States of America.

I was on the back ridge of maples where a large 30” hemlock stands; the branches were covered with snow – it looked like a Christmas card! Birds were chirping and the tracks of deer, fox and snowshoe rabbits were outlined in the pristine, crunchy snow. An eagle made a slow, silent arc overhead. I couldn’t think of anywhere in the world I’d rather be than on this plot of land in the forest.

Inaccurate FEMA flood maps affect many property owners – even if the property isn’t located near an ocean, lake or river.

If property is located in the area FEMA has designated as floodplain, higher rates for insurance and difficulty selling the property is a common result.

Additionally, owners run a higher risk of experiencing a flood event. Flood maps are issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These maps are used as the basis for property insurance rates, permitting for construction, and are part of the documentation mortgage lenders require.

At the Custer State Park in South Dakota, kids can take the “Trail Challenge” that rewards them for hiking eight of the many trails in the park over the course of the summer. To prove they’ve walked the trail, they take a rubbing of the unique Berntsen medallion placed along the each trail. Once they have all eight rubbings, the kids turn them in and receive a Custer State Park Trail Challenge Pin. This is a significant achievement, because the eight trails include some rugged terrain.

I’m proud to be a surveyor. Surveying is the foundation of my career and has taught me a lot about the world. It has improved my ability to think analytically, helped me understand underlying principles, and shown me how to use data to solve problems help people find common ground (pun intended).

Today, as Berntsen’s business development manager, I’m relying on those skills to help Berntsen better serve surveyors. Long before I joined the Berntsen team, I was a Berntsen customer – I could count on their products (and support) to be top-notch.

Of all presidents, Abraham Lincoln is perhaps the most revered. Most people know that he grew up in a one-room log cabin and taught himself the law by the light of a kerosene lamp.

Surveyors know him as one of their own.

While COVID-19 measures have closed many businesses, workers building and maintaining our infrastructure have been busier than ever dealing with the new demands created by a massive workforce shift from offices to homes. Many of us working at home have been given the opportunity to consider these services from a different perspective.