Oklahoma City has been recognized for its innovative use of data to improve public services. The city was named one of 21 to earn the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification for effectively using data to shape policies, allocate funds, improve services, evaluate programs, and engage with the community.
This award highlights efforts like the OKC Fire Department's use of data in emergency response. They’ve equipped two units with mobile facilities to give blood transfusions on-site, using medical data to improve frontline services. Fire Battalion Chief of Emergency Medical Services Carl Cobb shared in an interview with the City of Oklahoma official news outlet, "Our mobile whole blood transfusing kits help paramedics and EMTs give patients the best chance of survival."
The implementation of these blood transfusion kits has already played a critical role in assisting approximately 100 trauma victims, demonstrating the tangible benefits of integrating data analysis into emergency healthcare practices. Mayor David Holt weighed in on the city's data-driven culture, stating, "Oklahoma City has a long history of using data to inform what we do. It’s how we build our budget and how we determine what initiatives to put in our Bond and MAPS elections. Data helps us make sure that we're serving our residents well and working toward meeting their needs." The mayor's remarks were shared with Oklahoma City's news release.
Dr. Kelly Williams, Oklahoma City’s Chief Innovation Officer emphasized the extensive work involved, saying, "There is hard work going on all across the City when it comes to data and using it well, and it often goes on behind the scenes." The Office of Innovation's triumph in fostering the City-wide Data Governance Board ensures that data remains shareable, secure, and instrumental in decision-making, as per Oklahoma City's news release.
