‍AUSTIN, Texas (October 28, 2024) - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – In celebration of National First Responders Day, RapidDeploy, the leading cloud-native solution provider for public safety, proudly recognizes three Anderson County, South Carolina first responders—Derek Kennedy, Zachary Mcmillion, and Kacey Rogers—with its prestigious Superstar Award. These awards honor the exceptional use of RapidDeploy’s Next Generation 911 technology during life-saving incidents.

This special recognition comes on a day dedicated to honoring first responders across the nation for their bravery and service in protecting their communities. Derek, Zachary, and Kacey exemplify the powerful role that 911 responders play in emergencies, working behind the scenes to resolve critical situations with precision, quick thinking, and technology.

Lifesaving Communication and Tactical Coordination: Honoring Derek Kennedy and Zachary Mcmillion

In two separate high-stakes incidents, team members Derek Kennedy and Zachary Mcmillion demonstrated outstanding teamwork and resourcefulness.  

The first incident involved a BOLO (Be on the Look Out) for an armed suspect who had evaded law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions. Zachary, as the lead telecommunicator, used RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping communication tools to reach out to the suspect’s ex-spouse, obtaining vital contact information for the suspect. Zachary then used RapidDeploy’s RapidLocate feature to pinpoint the suspect’s location, initiating contact through text messages and then a voice call. Derek played an essential role in ensuring law enforcement resources were available to safely bring the standoff to a peaceful resolution.  

The second incident involved the use of non-voice 911 technology to effectively communicate with students barricaded inside a classroom during another high-pressure situation. Using RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping technology, Derek and Zachary communicated with the students through text messages, receiving crucial updates and photos of the scene, and guiding them through the ordeal––helping to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Their quick thinking and resourcefulness in using RapidDeploy’s technology to communicate throughout the incident earned them a 2024 Crime Stoppers award in addition to today’s recognition.

Steve Raucher, CEO of RapidDeploy, remarked, “Today, as we celebrate National First Responders Day, we are reminded of the invaluable combination of NG911 technology and resourceful telecommunicators that provide better outcomes every day. Derek and Zachary's extraordinary actions during these incidents are a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and quick action. They exemplify what it means to be true heroes within the first responder community."

RapidDeploy locates boating accident victim after unsuccessful location attempt through alternate technology: Honoring Kacey Rogers

In another life-saving incident, Assistant Supervisor Kacey Rogers demonstrated remarkable quick thinking during a medical emergency on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina.  

On September 15, 2024, Anderson County Communications Center received a transferred 911 call regarding a boating accident. The caller reported that the boat's owner had been struck by the boom and was experiencing memory loss. Despite missing location data from the transferred call, Kacey swiftly attempted to locate the caller through another public safety technology but was unsuccessful. Not giving up, Kacey relied on RapidDeploy’s tools, which instantly pinpointed the sailboat’s location and allowed her to successfully coordinate with Hart County 911 to ensure a timely response. Her actions led to the safe transport of two patients.

Reflecting on the incident, Tina F. Drawdy-Singleton, 911 Director at Anderson County Sheriff's Office, commented, “Kacey’s quick thinking and mastery of RapidDeploy’s technology were instrumental in saving lives. Her actions show the critical role our telecommunicators play in ensuring public safety, often under extreme pressure. We are immensely proud of her and this well-deserved recognition.”

Celebrating the Legacy of the Superstar Award

The Superstar Award is RapidDeploy’s way of honoring the exceptional work of 911 telecommunicators across the country. Since its inception, RapidDeploy has recognized 8 Superstar Award winners from PSAPs across the U.S., including Florida, Hawaii, Arizona, California, and South Carolina. This month's honorees—Derek, Zachary, and Kacey—join a prestigious group of past recipients whose quick thinking and skillful use of RapidDeploy technology have made a profound difference in the lives of countless people.

Steve Raucher emphasized, “The dedication shown by our Superstar Award recipients reminds us why we developed these tools in the first place—to give first responders the resources they need to make critical decisions that save lives. We are immensely proud to honor Derek, Zachary, and Kacey on this important day.”

Steve Raucher and the RapidDeploy team recently honored these heroes at a live ceremony celebrating their contributions to public safety. The video is now available on the company’s blog, where viewers can hear firsthand accounts of the life-saving actions that led to their recognition. You can watch the ceremony here.

About RapidDeploy

Founded in 2016, and based in Austin, TX, RapidDeploy is the leading cloud-native platform for public safety. We provide Next Generation 911 solutions that deliver intelligent information throughout the emergency response journey, empowering agencies and first responders to drive better outcomes in mission-critical situations. With a curated partner network, our platform combines mobile signals, critical datasets, and call information into a single operating system, improving emergency response with location accuracy, situational awareness, modern communications, and actionable insights. Our products improve outcomes and ultimately save lives. In 2024, RapidDeploy earned recognition for the 7th year in a row as a prominent company to watch on the GovTech 100 list, and as a winner on Fast Company’s 2024 Most Innovative Company list. Learn more at www.rapiddeploy.com.

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