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RapidDeploy honors Communications Officer II Meghan Gonzalez for her heroic efforts and incredible use of RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping to rescue a victim in Riverside County California.

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In the line of duty, when every moment matters, the combination of intuition, expertise, and technology can make all the difference. This narrative isn’t just another tale of exceptional dedication; it’s a testament to the impact that Next Generation 911 and today’s telecommunicators have on impacting emergency response outcomes.  

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The Night of the Call

On May 2, 2023, Communications Officer II Meghan Gonzalez of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office received an open line 911 call. All she could hear were faint shuffles and the dinging of a car door.  

Many would have dismissed this as an accidental dial, but Meghan’s intuition told her otherwise. RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping solution is used daily throughout hundreds of 911 call centers in California and played a vital role in helping Meghan effectively locate and communicate with a distressed caller during a life-threatening situation.  

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Power of Technology

Whether it’s real-time location signals, text communication (with translation in over 70 languages), or live video – Radius Mapping delivers critical real-time information and supports modern communication for all 911 calls.  

Without hesitation, Meghan took action, leveraging Radius Mapping to locate the caller, track her whereabouts and initiate 2-way text, which helped gather the critical intelligence needed to successfully dispatch and rescue the victim.

In a race against time, Meghan initiated a priority 1 response, guiding law enforcement to the victim’s GPS coordinates obtained from Radius Mapping.  

Simultaneously, as field responders made their way to the scene, Meghan maintained live text communication with the victim, who shared that she was in the trunk of a vehicle and provided details about the suspect.  

These critical details lead to a successful life-saving emergency response. The victim was saved, and the suspect was arrested.

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Here’s how text-from-911 works:

Text-to-911 allows a person in need of emergency assistance to receive a text message from a telecommunicator within the Emergency Communication Center (ECC). Two-way, real-time text has proven to be incredibly valuable for callers who may not be able to speak in an emergency such as:

1. A home invasion

2. Domestic disturbance or abuse  

3. If an individual is deaf, hard hearing, or has speech disabilities

With SMS, the Telecommunicator can track the caller’s location and effectively communicate, gathering information that enhances situational awareness and supports a more effective response.

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Recognition for Excellence

On October 17^th, RapidDeploy’s CEO and Co-founder, Steve Raucher, visited the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office to present Meghan with the RapidDepoy Superstar Award.  

The Superstar Award recognizes heroes and individuals in emergency call centers and public safety answering points nationwide, by highlighting the 911 emergencies where RapidDeploy played a role in supporting a better outcome, from delivering the right mission-critical data to saving lives. 

The quarterly award is reserved for those who make a life-saving impact, demonstrate exceptional use of RapidDeploy technology, and continue to enhance emergency response throughout their community.  

RapidDeploy applauds Meghan for her dedication to life-saving work, unwavering intuition, and for harnessing the power of Radius Mapping to improve emergency outcomes.  

Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is setting a great example of how Next Generation 911 solutions can make a life-saving difference.

Watch the video to hear directly from the team at Riverside County Sheriff’s Office: