National Situational Awareness Day, observed annually on September 26th, serves as a reminder of the critical importance of staying aware of our surroundings, particularly in emergency situations. First recognized in 2016, this day highlights the concept of situational awareness—a skill that involves perceiving, understanding, and predicting events in one’s environment to ensure safety. For first responders, emergency personnel, and everyday citizens, situational awareness is essential for preventing harm and making quick, informed decisions in times of crisis. As technology continues to advance, enhancing situational awareness through innovative tools has become vital to improving public safety and emergency response efforts worldwide.
For first responders and Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs), situational awareness is not just a concept—it’s a critical factor that can mean the difference between life and death. In emergency situations, having a clear, real-time understanding of the environment enables responders to make rapid, accurate decisions. Whether it’s tracking the precise location of a 911 caller, coordinating multiple agencies during a large-scale event, or assessing potential threats in a rapidly changing situation, situational awareness allows teams to anticipate risks, allocate resources effectively, and ultimately save lives. Without it, response times can lag, critical details can be missed, and the safety of both responders and the public is put at risk.
At RapidDeploy, our mission is to save lives by reducing response times, and we understand that empowering first responders with enhanced situational awareness is key to achieving that goal. In honor of National Situational Awareness Day, we want to celebrate and showcase the incredible work of our customers who have used RapidDeploy's NG911 technology to improve situational awareness during emergencies and, in turn, help save more lives.
Earlier this year, Tennessee’s Carter County 911 faced a tense situation when they received a series of dropped 911 calls from a phone with no caller ID, threatening a school shooting. Using RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping technology, telecommunicators were able to pinpoint the location of the caller in real-time, leading them to Happy Valley High School. This rapid identification enabled a coordinated lockdown of multiple schools within the district and the quick apprehension of the suspects within 24 hours. The precise location tracking through RapidDeploy was credited as being instrumental in preventing a potential tragedy.
When it comes to school safety, it is vital to have the right tools at your fingertips when every second counts. With RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping technology, telecommunicators weren’t just reacting—they were taking proactive steps to track and pinpoint multiple dropped calls, and those actions ultimately kept their community safe. This is a great example of how having accurate, real-time information and situational awareness can completely change the outcome of an emergency.
Download the full case study to dive deeper into how RapidDeploy's tools played a critical role in this emergency response.
Cherokee County 911 in South Carolina encountered a critical challenge when their call system experienced an outage during peak hours. Despite the system failure, RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping allowed telecommunicators to see 911 calls as they came in and were plotted on the map, even when live calls couldn’t be received. By using mobile signal data, telecommunicators were able to initiate calls and texts, ensuring that emergency response efforts continued without disruption. Over 30 emergency situations were successfully managed during this outage, demonstrating how technology can maintain situational awareness under extreme conditions.
Outages are every 911 center’s worst nightmare, but the team in Cherokee County showed how staying calm and having the right tools can keep things running smoothly, even in a worst-case scenario when a 911 system is down. RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping platform turned a potentially chaotic situation into one where telecommunicators could still manage emergencies effectively. It’s a powerful reminder that situational awareness isn’t just about what you can see—it’s about what you can do with the information you have.
Download the full case study to learn more about how RapidDeploy helped manage this emergency during the system outage.
Large-scale events like the Super Bowl require flawless coordination between multiple public safety agencies. During Super Bowl LVII in 2023, RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping technology was utilized to provide a unified map that plotted 911 calls with detailed stadium floor plans. This solution enabled various emergency teams to access the exact locations of incidents inside, and in the immediate surrounding area, of the stadium and to quickly coordinate responses, even when dealing with high call volumes. The ability to provide instant situational awareness across different agencies working together to keep the public safe during this huge event ensured a safe experience for thousands of attendees.
When you think about an event as massive as the Super Bowl, the stakes for emergency response are incredibly high. With Arizona hosting this event, having all agencies on the same page with RapidDeploy’s unified map made a huge difference in coordinating response. Public safety during a large-scale event is not just about responding to calls—it’s about having the situational awareness to see the big picture, anticipate needs, and make sure that everyone from the call center to the field is in sync. That’s what keeps everyone safe, from the fans to the first responders.
Download the full case study to discover how RapidDeploy’s solutions ensured safety at Super Bowl LVII.
In August 2024, the Scottsdale Police Department received a flood of calls about a potential active shooter situation at a grocery store. With multiple agencies involved, traditional communication channels between responding agencies could have caused delays and slowed response. However, using RapidDeploy’s Interagency Chat tool within the Radius Mapping platform, critical information was instantly shared across agencies using Radius Mapping. This real-time coordination allowed law enforcement to exchange information quickly and use that information to stabilize the situation, effectively preventing further escalation.
In high-stress situations like an active shooter threat, every moment matters. The Interagency Chat tool within Radius Mapping was invaluable during this incident because it helped to cut through the noise and provide vital information to responders—immediately. This is what situational awareness looks like in action: seamless communication that leads to quick, decisive action. It’s about making sure everyone has what they need to keep their communities safe.
Download the full case study to see how RapidDeploy’s Interagency Chat tool made a difference in this critical emergency.
These case studies highlight how NG911 technology is transforming emergency response by enhancing situational awareness. Whether it's locating a hidden threat, managing communication during large events, or overcoming technical challenges, the right tools enable emergency teams to act swiftly and effectively.
On National Situational Awareness Day, let’s celebrate and recognize the vital role that first responders and technology plays in keeping our communities safe.
