Last week, RapidDeploy, a Motorola Solutions Company, had the privilege of attending CALNENA 2025, an event that brought together leaders, innovators, and public safety professionals dedicated to enhancing emergency response. This year’s conference was particularly special for RapidDeploy, as it marked a major milestone in our journey—our first CALNENA as part of Motorola Solutions. From industry-defining presentations to celebrating our team’s achievements, here’s a look back at the key moments that made CALNENA 2025 an event to remember.
Eric Vaughn, RapidDeploy’s Chief Revenue Officer, took the stage to address the future of RapidDeploy under Motorola Solutions. The acquisition represents more than just growth—it’s a commitment to accelerating innovation in public safety.
Eric emphasized RapidDeploy’s dedication to enhancing public safety, and reaffirmed that with this acquisition, we will continue to operate with the same commitment to solving for safer by equipping public safety professionals with the tools they need to improve response times and optimize emergency operations. With Motorola Solutions’ scale and resources, we are now positioned to deliver even more advanced capabilities, including deeper situational awareness, seamless integration of first responder location data, and AI-powered enhancements to 911 operations.
One key takeaway from Eric’s presentation was the commitment to maintaining our partnerships and ensuring that Radius Mapping remains CPE-agnostic while leveraging Motorola’s powerful technology. This acquisition is not about changing who we are—it’s about enhancing what we do best.
A highlight of the event was cheering on Chris Guerrero, RapidDeploy’s Senior Customer Success Manager, as he was sworn in as CALNENA’s new Commercial Vice President.
Chris has been a dedicated advocate for the 911 community, and his election to the CALNENA board is a testament to his leadership and passion for advancing emergency communications.
Chris expressed his enthusiasm for the role, saying,
"It is truly an honor to be elected to the CALNENA board! I’m excited to join such an incredible group of industry leaders and grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from all of you. Your leadership and dedication continue to elevate 911. I look forward to contributing, carrying on the legacy of those who came before us, and working together to drive our industry forward!"
We are thrilled for Chris and the public safety community, and look forward to the impact he will make in this role.
Chris also took the stage alongside Motorola Solutions’ Rave Mobile Safety to present on the future of data interoperability in emergency response. This session focused on how RapidDeploy and Rave Mobile Safety are working together to bridge data-sharing gaps between agencies and ensure critical information reaches the right people at the right time.
The discussion covered how to:
Chris Guerrero and Bill Homer, highlighted how Radius Mapping and Exchange Link work together to provide a more connected, data-driven approach to emergency response. By integrating CAD and AVL data with advanced mapping capabilities, agencies can reduce call transfer times, improve coordination across jurisdictions, and ultimately save lives.
Before the conference officially began, RapidDeploy hosted our annual Topgolf Tournament—a fantastic way to connect with peers in a fun, competitive setting.
This year’s tournament was a huge success, with teams competing for the coveted championship trophy. Special congratulations to Chris Herron from North County Dispatch JPA, this year’s tournament winner. In addition to the championship title, “the most spirited team” was recognized with custom-made glass mugs to celebrate their enthusiasm and sportsmanship.
With CALNENA’s Lights, Camera, Action theme in mind, we created a silent-movie-style recap video capturing all the best moments from the tournament. Watch the full video release:
CALNENA 2025 was an incredible opportunity to connect with public safety professionals, share insights, and celebrate the continued evolution of emergency response technology. This year felt particularly meaningful as we embark on a new chapter with Motorola Solutions, reinforcing our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that make a real difference in the field.
We’re grateful to everyone who attended, participated in our sessions, and joined us for the Topgolf tournament. We look forward to continuing these important conversations and shaping the future of public safety together.
On February 19, 2025, RapidDeploy had the honor of recognizing four exceptional telecommunicators from the Minnesota State Patrol—Justin Armstrong, J.P. Lundell, Nick Selness, and Jordan Weidenhaft—with the RapidDeploy Superstar Award. This award celebrates their extraordinary dedication, quick thinking, and innovative use of RapidDeploy’s technology in executing a complex, life-saving cross-border rescue.
On September 30, 2024, a distressing 911 call came through from a man stranded on a small island near the U.S.-Canada border. Due to cell tower routing, his call was initially misrouted to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Canada. When the OPP attempted to transfer the call back to the Minnesota State Patrol, the transfer didn’t include any data or information—leaving responders without any location data.
“Ontario tried to transfer the caller a couple times, and it didn’t go through. So, then they just called us directly and they had a rough location based on latitude and longitude, but it was a pretty wide radius and there are several hundred islands in that area,” Jordan Weidenhaft, RCO, Minnesota State Patrol, recalled.
With time running out, the Minnesota State Patrol needed a way to pinpoint the caller’s exact location. That’s when they turned to RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping technology.
The team quickly entered the stranded caller’s phone number into Radius Mapping. Instantly, the system populated his precise latitude and longitude coordinates—providing them with the exact location of the island where he was stranded. This allowed them to relay the details to local rescue teams, ensuring a swift response.
“At one point, we had to just get the phone number, call the guy back, start with the visuals. What do you see? Where’d you come from? You know? And then eventually we got to the point where RapidDeploy was 100% the best backup we could have had,” said Nick Selness, RCO, Minnesota State Patrol.
In a situation where every second mattered, the seamless integration of technology and the telecommunicators’ quick action directly led to saving a life.
During the award presentation, Todd Komanetsky, VP of Partnerships and Strategy at RapidDeploy, highlighted the significance of their efforts:
“Public safety is often defined by moments of incredible pressure—moments where training, technology, and instinct converge to save a life. Instead of waiting for information to trickle in, these telecommunicators took action. They used RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping technology to get precise coordinates and ensure a successful rescue.”
While awards are not what drives these professionals, being recognized for their dedication to saving lives is deeply meaningful.
“Obviously, we’re not in an industry that, you know, gets awards. We’re here to change people’s lives for the better... If you can get a technology like RapidDeploy to get somebody help even seconds faster, minutes faster, especially in a spot where an ambulance isn’t coming very fast, that’s all the world to that person,” reflected Nick Selness, RCO, Minnesota State Patrol.
RapidDeploy’s mission is to help empower first responders with the tools they need to reduce response times and improve situational awareness. The Minnesota State Patrol’s story exemplifies how cloud-native solutions like Radius Mapping can transcend geographic barriers, eliminate delays in response, and ultimately save lives.
Steve Raucher, CEO and co-founder of RapidDeploy, echoed this sentiment in a statement:
“The dedication and ingenuity of the Minnesota State Patrol team in leveraging RapidDeploy’s technology to pinpoint this stranded caller is truly remarkable. Their swift actions exemplify the very reason we do what we do—empowering first responders with the tools they need to make a real difference in emergency situations.”
To truly capture the significance of this rescue, we’ve compiled a special video featuring the award recipients. Watch the video to hear their personal stories as they reflect on the call, the award, and what it means to be recognized for their work. You’ll also see highlights from the award ceremony and get a firsthand look at the lifesaving power of technology and teamwork.
At RapidDeploy, we believe every moment matters in an emergency, and the heroes behind the headset deserve to be celebrated for their lifesaving decisions. The Minnesota State Patrol team’s resourcefulness and commitment to public safety are exactly why we created the RapidDeploy Superstar Award—to honor those who go above and beyond to make a difference.
Know a telecommunicator who deserves recognition? Share your save stories with us and help us shine a light on the incredible professionals who keep our communities safe. Join us in congratulating Justin, J.P., Nick, and Jordan for their outstanding work!
On March 5, RapidDeploy, in partnership with the North Central Texas Emergency Communications District (NCT9-1-1), proudly unveiled a vibrant new mural on the historic Bridgeport Hospital building at 1306 13th Street in Bridgeport, Texas. This mural, a dedication to 911 first responders, was created from the collective artwork of several talented young students from Miss Dickerson’s art class at Bridgeport Middle School. These individual creations, submitted as part of the statewide 2024 National First Responders Day art contest, were thoughtfully combined into a single cohesive work of art that celebrates both the bravery of first responders and the creativity of the local community.
National First Responders Day, observed annually on October 28, is a day dedicated to honoring the courage, commitment, and sacrifices of first responders. These brave individuals—firefighters, police officers, telecommunicators, and EMS personnel—are the first to arrive in times of crisis, offering help, reassurance, and life-saving support.
At RapidDeploy, our mission is aligned with the work of these first responders. By designing technology to reduce response times, we strive to make the critical work of first responders as effective and impactful as possible. It was in this spirit that we collaborated with NCT9-1-1 to celebrate National First Responders Day in a unique and meaningful way.
The concept for the mural began with a statewide art contest inviting students K-6th grade across Texas to creatively depict their appreciation for first responders. The theme, "Honoring Our 911 Heroes," encouraged the children to celebrate the bravery and dedication of these individuals through their artwork.
Several thoughtful and creative submissions were received from students in Miss Dickerson’s art class at Bridgeport Middle School. After reviewing the entries, artwork from Audrie Holt, Chinwe Unekwe, Henleigh Abbott, and Kaidence Ford were selected and skillfully combined by our muralist to create a larger cohesive design brought-to-life. This collaborative mural now graces the side of a local building in Bridgeport, where it serves as both a tribute to first responders and a showcase of the incredible creativity and talent of our young local artists.
The dedication ceremony for the mural took place at 5 PM on March 5 and was a wonderful celebration of community spirit, creativity, and gratitude. Local officials, first responders, families, NCT9-1-1, RapidDeploy, and members of the Bridgeport community came together to honor the work of first responders while also celebrating the young artists who made this project possible.
This mural now stands as a lasting testament to the invaluable contributions of first responders while also highlighting the importance of art and creativity in bringing communities together.
The mural in Bridgeport marks an exciting beginning in our efforts to honor first responders through art. We plan to continue this initiative with future projects that celebrate the courage and dedication of 911 professionals while fostering a deeper connection between them and the communities they serve.
RapidDeploy’s co-founder, Steve Raucher, returned to the Electrifying Growth podcast for a second time. In this episode, Steve reflects on the incredible journey RapidDeploy has taken over the past year, from overcoming challenges in scaling a mission-driven company to the strategic acquisition that has positioned RapidDeploy for even greater impact.
Steve shares insights on balancing mission with commercialization, the importance of building the right team, and lessons learned from scaling and exiting a company in the public safety tech space. If you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or operator navigating high-growth industries, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
Last week, the RapidDeploy team joined public safety leaders, policymakers, and industry partners in Washington, D.C., for NENA 9-1-1 Goes to Washington (GTW)—an event that brings 911 professionals together to advocate for policies that drive the future of emergency communications.
This year’s event was particularly significant as we had the honor of addressing the public safety community about RapidDeploy’s future following our acquisition by Motorola Solutions. We also had the privilege of celebrating a public safety pioneer and hosting an incredible closing reception to cap off an impactful week. Most importantly, we stood alongside our peers in advocating for NENA’s critical policy priorities to ensure the continued evolution of 911 technology.
During Monday’s luncheon, RapidDeploy Co-Founder Steve Raucher and Motorola Solutions’ Corporate Vice President, Command Center Software Sales Travis Boettcher addressed an audience of 911 leaders to discuss the future of public safety technology.
Steve opened with this powerful statement:
“Today marks a defining moment—not just for RapidDeploy, not just for Motorola Solutions, but for the entire public safety community.”
Steve and Travis outlined what this acquisition means for our customers and the broader industry:
With these advancements, we are setting a new standard for NG911. Together with Motorola Solutions, we are solving for safer.
One of the core missions of NENA 9-1-1 Goes to Washington is advocacy. This year, NENA emphasized two critical policy priorities that will directly impact the future of NG911:
Additionally, the 911 SAVES Act—which would help achieve this reclassification—has been reintroduced in the House but has yet to be introduced in the Senate. With a new Congress only six weeks into session, continued advocacy is critical to ensuring this important legislation gains traction.
As NG911 capabilities continue to advance through technology, the success of NG911 can be affected by federal funding, cybersecurity protections, and the recognition of 911 professionals as first responders.
RapidDeploy was honored to have Steve Raucher share the story of the NG911 Institute’s Industry Professional of the Year Award for the late Roger Hixson.
Roger’s contributions to emergency communications were profound. As an engineer and consultant for NENA, he played a critical role in shaping the development and implementation of modern 911 infrastructure. His work helped ensure that emergency services across the country became more accessible and efficient.
“This annual award recognizes a 911 industry professional for their leadership, professionalism, initiative, creativity, and diligence in solving critical 911 issues,” Steve said during the ceremony. “Tonight, we posthumously honor the legacy of Roger C. Hixson, whose career left a lasting impact on the field of emergency communications.”
It was an incredibly moving tribute to a leader whose influence continues to shape the future of 911.
To wrap up a meaningful week, RapidDeploy hosted the GTW Closing Party—an opportunity for industry leaders, first responders, and public safety professionals to come together, connect, and celebrate.
It was a night filled with engaging conversations, new partnerships, and a shared excitement for the future of emergency response. As our industry navigates the transition to NG911, events like these remind us why we do what we do: to support the incredible professionals who dedicate their lives to saving others.
This year’s NENA 9-1-1 Goes to Washington reinforced the urgency and opportunity ahead in emergency communications. With NG911 legislation gaining momentum and public safety technology evolving at an unprecedented pace, we are committed to leading the way—together with Motorola Solutions.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to NENA, the NG911 Institute, and everyone who joined us in D.C. to advance the future of emergency response. We are more excited than ever about what’s next for RapidDeploy and the entire 911 community.
Want to stay updated on how RapidDeploy and Motorola Solutions are shaping the future of NG911? Follow us on LinkedIn.
Every second counts when responding to a fire. Whether it’s a structure fire, a vehicle blaze, or a hazardous materials incident, firefighters must make split-second decisions that can mean the difference between containment and catastrophe. The more intelligence they have at the onset of a 911 call, the better they can assess the severity of the fire, determine the appropriate resources, and ensure firefighter safety.
However, one of the greatest dangers responders face isn’t just the emergency itself––it’s getting there. Every year, approximately 20-25% of firefighter line-of-duty deaths are caused by motor vehicle crashes on their way to or returning from an emergency, according to FAMA. Reducing unnecessary resources deployed during responses can help minimize these risks while ensuring help reaches those who need it most.
That’s why access to real-time intelligence is crucial. The Valley Emergency Communications Center in Tucson, Arizona, recently demonstrated this when they used RapidDeploy’s RapidVideo technology to optimize their response to a reported residential fire.
In Pima County, Arizona, a 911 caller reported a small fire near a residential structure they were passing by. The caller reported the houses were in close proximity, and that one appeared to be catching on fire.
Given the potential danger of the situation and without more information, the Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC) initiated a full-scale emergency response, including two Battalion Chiefs, three fire engines, and two paramedic units.
To improve decision-making, the telecommunicator used RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping and integrated RapidVideo technology. This innovative tool enabled the telecommunicator to send a video link to the caller’s mobile device, providing live footage of the incident.
By reviewing the video in real-time, the VECC quickly assessed the situation and determined the fire had already been put out by good Samaritans. The Battalion Chief decided to downgrade the response, and rather than sending all seven units with lights and sirens engaged, only the closest engine proceeded at emergency speed––reducing risk to responders and citizens and reserving resources for other emergencies.
By leveraging RapidVideo to gather critical intelligence about the emergency and real-time updates, the VECC successfully:
Watch the below video to see the critical footage provided by RapidVideo, and how it ultimately changed the response outcome:
RapidVideo enhances 911 intelligence by providing real-time visual insights, helping telecommunicators and responders make faster, more informed decisions. This one-way video service, integrated with RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping, allows PSAPs to initiate a live video feed, offering a direct view of the caller’s surroundings. By deepening situational awareness, RapidVideo enables responders to assess emergencies more accurately and deploy resources more efficiently.
Using RapidVideo is seamless for both telecommunicators and callers. Once a 911 call is active, telecommunicators can quickly send a secure link via SMS to the caller’s mobile device. With just one tap, the video feed is activated—providing responders with real-time visual intelligence that helps refine their response strategy, reduce unnecessary resource deployment, and enhance overall safety.
The integration of RapidVideo with Radius Mapping is transforming emergency response. By providing first responders with instant visual intelligence, PSAPs can make smarter, safer decisions—ultimately saving lives and resources. As technology continues to advance, solutions like RapidVideo will play an increasingly vital role in modern public safety operations.
Some of the key benefits of RapidVideo include:
For more information on how RapidVideo and Radius Mapping can enhance your emergency response operations, reach out to our team today!
