The first 911 call in the U.S. was in 1968, nearly 55 years ago.
While the driving factors for change in the first 50 years was population mobility and the recognition of increased crimes, accidents, and medical emergencies, the past 5-10 years have been driven by the move to the cloud and the internet of things (IoT).
The main drivers of transformation include:
Today, over 80% of 911 calls come from mobile devices. As digitalization takes over, there’s an urgent need for new technology, operations, and best practices to support and future-proof 911 services.
Nearly 20 years ago, 90% of U.S. adults lived in households with an operational landline – and today it is less than 30%.
The rise of IoT gives us access to rich data, with the potential promise of a more seamless emergency response workflow, actionable real-time information, and better outcomes for communities and the people dedicated to saving lives.
From Telecommunicators and First Responders to those who manage ECCs and PSAPs, to the Sheriffs and Police Chiefs responsible for keeping their communities safe — the move to the cloud and NG911 solutions represents progress and a commitment at local and state levels to transform and improve 911 services in a way that can benefit all.
RapidDeploy’s mission of saving lives by reducing response times was inspired by a personal story. Alongside with our life-saving mission, we recognize and deeply respect the critical roles and responsibilities of Public Safety professionals and commit to working together to empower next generation 911, ensuring that the right data, tools and support is available when they need it.
Starting with the first point of contact for callers, through to what is happening in the field, critical information integrated into a single cloud-native solution directly impacts collaboration and communications, situational awareness, emergency response safety, and life-saving outcomes.
Today, we are proud to partner with 1,500+ ECCs and PSAPs across the United States to upgrade to cloud-native, next generation mapping and analytics, ensuring that public safety professionals have the technology and training they need to do their job successfully.
The richness of data from NG911 has benefits in and out of the ECC and PSAP, directly empowering over 6,600 Telecommunicators and thousands of First Responders to serve with excellence and improve 911 outcomes, even under critical moments and intense pressure.
The collection of data at scale and modern communication tools are credited with improving the emergency response workflow, helping locate callers faster and with greater accuracy, and enhancing situational awareness in the moments that matter most to saving lives and keeping people safe. There is also a direct impact on leveraging consistent data and on-demand reporting to better manage funding and staffing, ensuring that you can improve operations and allocate resources more effectively both in and out of the field.
Through our integrated partner ecosystem, including Apple and Google, AT&T, OnStar, Rave, TRAINFO, Critical Response Group, and more, RapidDeploy is uniting disparate data and technology, powering a single platform that modernizes 911 communications and workflows — facilitating solutions that deliver:
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Every second matters when it comes to saving lives. Streamlined access to life-saving data makes all the difference.
Join RapidDeploy along with 1,500+ ECCs and PSAPs across the country in the industry-wide transformation of 911.
No matter your size, geography, or where you are in your NG911 journey, we are here to partner with you on embracing innovation and celebrating progress.
Get in touch to find out more here.
Trains block rail crossings over 2 million times per day in the United States. These blockages often span a mile or more and cut off important access routes in an area. Data indicates that, on average, 1-in-30 first responder trips that cross railway tracks are delayed by a train, with an average delay of 183 seconds. Until TRAINFO, these delays were unexpected and unavoidable.
When TRAINFO sensors and services are deployed at a railway crossing, Radius Mapping users can visualize TRAINFO’s live train position information to select units and routes that avoid delays caused by blocked rail crossings and enable faster response times.
What is TRAINFO?
TRAINFO is an information system that detects when trains will block rail crossings up to 10 minutes before the train arrives. TRAINFO delivers real-time and predictive train information to call-takers and dispatchers, enabling 9-1-1 agencies to avoid blocked rail crossings and reduce responder delays by more than 2 minutes.
TRAINFO’s information is accurate, reliable, and timely, ensuring that first responders will never be surprised by a train again. TRAINFO is supported by the US Federal Railroad Administration as an effective solution for emergency responders impacted by blocked rail crossings.
How TRAINFO Works
TRAINFO’s proprietary sensors detect trains with 99.9% accuracy with a patented process that predicts rail crossing blockage start and end times.
TRAINFO and Radius Mapping in Action
For cities impacted by railway crossings, the situational awareness of a blocked rail crossing that may impede first responders is crucial. When a caller dials 9-1-1, their location will be delivered as either the location of the landline they are calling from or by RapidDeploy’s integration with mobile supplemental data providers to ECCs and PSAPs via Radius Mapping.
TRAINFO sensors, when deployed, detect if a rail crossing is clear, active, or will soon be active. These statuses are displayed on the map in white, red, or yellow indicators. Radius Mapping as a single interface for advanced GIS and IoT sensors, such as TRAINFO, provide ECCs a unified view for true situational awareness.
How to Get TRAINFO for Your Community
TRAINFO requires the purchase of train sensors and SaaS to generate rail crossing impedance information. TRAINFO visualizes this information in RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping tool as an additional feature for no additional fee. Since rail crossing information benefits both public safety and DOT operations, there are many collaborative opportunities and funding mechanisms to implement TRAINFO’s system.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has several programs worth over $15 billion to fund planning and implementation projects for communities of all sizes. Notable programs that can fund rail crossing information systems are the Rail Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program, the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Initiative (CRISI), and the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) program. TRAINFO has already helped public agencies obtain millions of dollars in federal funding.
Rail Crossing Prioritization Studies
TRAINFO analyzes historical train and 9-1-1 call log data to understand which rail crossings delay first responders most frequently. This insight helps develop strategies to mitigate delays and apply for funding to implement these strategies. Federal funding is available to conduct these studies at no cost to the agency.
Getting Started
TRAINFO is currently working with public sector agencies, including 9-1-1 and DOT, to apply for and receive grant funding to provide rail crossing information into emergency response processes. If you have an interest in addressing rail crossing issues, please reach out to TRAINFO by emailing contact@TRAINFO.ca. We will respond immediately to schedule a call to provide more information, learn about your specific rail crossing issues, and determine if TRAINFO is the right option for you.
What is OnStar?
Launched in 1996, OnStar is a wholly owned subsidiary of GM Holdings LLC ("GM") and offers emergency, security and navigation services in Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models. At the heart of the OnStar[1] brand are OnStar Advisors—real people committed to helping drivers stay safe on the road through Automatic Crash Response[2], emergency services, roadside assistance[3], crisis assist, Stolen Vehicle Assistance[4] and Turn-by-Turn navigation[5]. In 2020, OnStar introduced the OnStar Guardian mobile app, extending its safety services outside the confines of GM vehicles.
How it Works
OnStar-equipped vehicles with Automatic Crash Response (ACR) have built-in sensors to automatically alert an OnStar Advisor of a crash. Now, the incident location and related crash details can be provided electronically to the appropriate 911 Emergency Communications Center (ECC), including:
All of this data can help guide decisions on dispatch priority, patient care and transport of the patient, including where to transport and by what means — ground or air.
Once an Automatic Crash Incident occurs, the OnStar data feed is routed by RapidDeploy to the Radius Mapping ECC customer with jurisdiction and an OnStar Advisor will initiate voice contact with the ECC.
OnStar Data Displayed in Radius Mapping
OnStar Automatic Crash Incidents are displayed in Radius Mapping initially in the Signals queue, which is visible to both Primary and Secondary ECCs. 9-1-1 ECCs can interact with the OnStar incident to see the direct supplemental vehicle telematics data by selecting the Signal and then clicking on the emergency location.
When an ECC Telecommunicator answers a call from an OnStar Advisor, the voice call in Radius Mapping is automatically indexed to the emergency location and the Additional Data tab will display the vehicle telematics data. Telecommunicators can copy and paste precise vehicle telematics data with a single click, into the call-taking forms to provide responders with critical crash data and vehicle information.
Telecommunicators can utilize map data such as available CCTV feeds, traffic and Waze alerts near the incident for better situational awareness.
Changing Outcomes with Data
APCO and NENA VEDS 2.0 (Vehicle Emergency Data Set) Standards outline the data used to calculate a Severe Injury Indicator. The value ‘true’ indicates a greater than 20% probability of an Injury Severity Score ISS15 as predicted by an injury severity algorithm per the recommendations from the 2008 CDC AACN Expert Panel.
Agencies receiving VEDS data can more effectively enable the allocation of resources based on actionable data such as the number of vehicle occupants and the likely severity of their injuries. This can lead to earlier arrival of field responders and better patient outcomes.
How do I enable OnStar in Radius Mapping?
OnStar Automatic Crash Incidents are automatically enabled in every RapidDeploy Radius Mapping ECC so no action is required.
Training Information and Resources
Rapid Academy Learning Management System (LMS) has course content that outlines the workflow for OnStar AACN VED.
The OnStar Public Safety Outreach Team offers complimentary educational materials to assist agencies in understanding the vital crash data available and how it can positively impact dispatch decisions and patient care. Visit https://www.public-safety.onstar.com/ to learn more and access training materials.
What is what3words?
It’s a location technology that has given every 10ft square a unique identifier made of three random words. This means that any precise location can be communicated using just three words. For example, ///stating.leaders.gifted refers to a specific 10ft square in Tehama County, California.
A what3words address provides the accuracy of GPS coordinates, in a human-friendly format that is easier to communicate and less prone to error than long strings of numbers. It enables telecommunicators to convey exact locations to field responders quickly and easily by text, written message, radio or phone call.
what3words addresses exist for every 10ft square in the world, enabling people to communicate the location of incidents in places without a street address such as hiking trails, building sites and unmarked stretches of road. Unlike a street address, which may cover a large property with multiple entrances, a what3words address can be used to specify an exact building entrance or site location. This saves crucial time when describing the location to field responders and partner agencies.
How it Works
Display
When a caller dials 911, their location’s what3words address will be delivered as supplemental location information to ECCs via Radius Mapping. In Radius Mapping, the what3words address will display in the call details drawer (see image on page 2). If the caller moves out of the 10ft square, the what3words address will update accordingly on the Platform.
Search
A dispatcher might be given what3words address by a caller or partner team member. They can it directly in Radius’s search bar.
In the rare occurrence that a what3words address does not appear in the call detail drawer, the call taker can send the caller a RapidLocate link from Radius. Once opened, the page displays the caller’s current what3words address, which they can then read out to the call taker.
Telecommunicators can easily communicate the what3words address to field responders, who can cross-reference it with their what3words app to locate the caller in need. To do this, the field responder inputs the what3words address into the free what3words app, by voice or text, and then navigates to the precise location.
Downloading and Using the Free what3words App
what3words is available as a free app and online map. Users can find, share, save and navigate to exact locations using what3words addresses. The app works offline, even without mobile data, users can discover their current what3words location, or enter a what3words address to view a location.
Search ‘what3words’ in the App Store or Play Store. Full instructions on using the app here.
Using the App to Navigate to Incidents
When a field responder receives a what3words address, they can use the app to get directions to the incident location:
If the what3words location is received over the radio, Call Notes in CAD or via text message:
3. Select the correct what3words address from the results displayed to view the location.
If the what3words location is received as a link:
Click the link to open the what3words app and view the exact location.
Navigating to the location displayed on screen
Tap‘ Navigate’ at the bottom of the screen and select your preferred navigation app (i.e. Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze or Compass if you’re in an area without roads for navigation).
The what3words location will convert into GPS coordinates and open in your chosen app.
Getting Started
The what3words team is available to answer any questions or host ECC information sessions. For further information please contact what3words Partnerships Lead, Zama at zama@what3words.com or visit https://what3words.com/emergency.
