This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators week, and every year we look forward to this important week. It gives us a great reminder to celebrate telecommunicators nationwide and show how much we appreciate and honor their service.
It's our privilege at RapidDeploy to shine a spotlight on these extraordinary individuals who are often behind the scenes and on the headsets. Over the past year, RapidDeploy has received hundreds of stories from PSAPs and emergency response professionals across the country detailing the heroic and life-saving impact of a telecommunicator. RapidDeploy selects one story every quarter of the year to recognize with our RapidDeploy Superstar Award. We are honored during this year’s National Telecommunicators Week to celebrate these heroes and their remarkable contributions.
Maui County 911 Communications Center, Hawaii
In recognition of their extraordinary performance during the catastrophic wildfires on August 8, 2023, RapidDeploy most recently awarded Maui County 911 the national Superstar Award. Handling nearly triple the average number of distress calls in a single day, the communication center's use of RapidDeploy was pivotal in facilitating life-saving emergency responses amid the chaos happening on the ground in Maui. This award ceremony made history as the first time the RapidDeploy Superstar award was presented to an entire team, and honors their collective commitment as the “first” first responders and their effective utilization of Next Gen 911 solutions during critical moments
We are so proud to present these individuals and teams with the Superstar Award. These stories exemplify the heroism, resilience, and technological adeptness that define our telecommunicators and the critical, lifesaving work they do.
Derrik Gregg - Scottsdale Police Department, Arizona
Derrik Gregg, Communications Supervisor at the Scottsdale Police Department, was awarded RapidDeploy's Superstar Award in March 2024 for his bravery and life-saving actions that took place on September 1, 2023. After receiving a disconnected 911 call, Derrik utilized RapidDeploy's Radius Mapping platform and used the breadcrumbs feature to locate a victim of domestic violence, who was in transport moving away from the location of the incident. His collaboration with law enforcement ensured the victim's safety, highlighting the indispensable role of NG911 technology in public safety and the exceptional dedication of first responders like Derrik.
Meghan Gonzalez - Riverside County Sheriff's Office, California
Meghan Gonzalez of the Riverside County Sheriff's Office received the RapidDeploy Superstar award for her innovative handling of a kidnapping incident in October 2023. By initiating a real-time 911 text conversation with a caller unable to speak, Meghan utilized Radius Mapping to track the victim's real-time location and movements. Her quick thinking and gut intuition not only facilitated the victim's safe recovery but also led to the kidnapper's apprehension.
Heather Mayo - Walton County Sheriff's Office, Florida
In April 2023, Walton County Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher, Heather Mayo, displayed exceptional use of RapidDeploy's technology during a critical emergency, earning her the Superstar Award. Responding to a 911 call from a woman whose husband had fallen overboard into rough water, Heather leveraged live video, real-time location tracking and mobile signals to coordinate a successful rescue. Utilizing RapidDeploy’s RapidVideo, she guided the caller, through live video sharing, to restart the boat’s engine and navigate the bay to find her husband, showcasing the profound impact of NG911 technology in life-saving efforts.
These professionals, our RapidDeploy Superstars, have gone above and beyond in leveraging technology to save lives and enhance the safety of our communities. Their stories of courage, innovation, and commitment serve as a beacon of inspiration, demonstrating the critical role of telecommunicators in emergency response.
We are honored during this year’s National Telecommunicators Week to celebrate these heroes and their remarkable contributions. We extend our deepest gratitude and admiration to all telecommunicators who remind us of the powerful difference one call can make.
Nestled at the edge of the Appalachian Mountains, Carter County, Tennessee, boasts a population of over 50,000 residents. Responsible for managing emergency calls from the local area, the Carter County Emergency Communications District 911 (TN) plays a pivotal role in ensuring public safety. In July 2023, the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board allocated funds to integrate Radius Mapping into Carter County 911’s infrastructure.
Radius Mapping provides telecommunicators in Carter County with indispensable support and functionality previously unavailable to them. The platform's rapid, precise location tracking features empower dispatchers to visualize a caller’s position on a map of the local area in real-time. Accurate location data is paramount for deploying emergency response resources, particularly in scenarios where callers fail to provide precise addresses or when threats span multiple jurisdictions.
RapidDeploy Offers Crucial Call-Mapping Functionality
The real test of this technology came in February 2024 when telecommunicators utilized it to pinpoint a series of brief 911 calls, one of which included a shooting threat directed at a local school. Just months after the installation of Radius Mapping, the platform proved its worth in a critical emergency communications event. On February 1, 2024, telecommunicators received a call from a 911-only phone—a device that typically cannot receive calls, even from emergency officials. The caller reported a threat of violence but disconnected abruptly, providing an address outside Carter County 911’s jurisdiction. Radius mapped the call to cell towers near the county border, initiating collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions.
Location Tracking Facilitates Fast, Accurate Emergency Response
Approximately 25 minutes later, another call from the same device hinted at a shooting threat directed at the local school system. With Radius Mapping, telecommunicators swiftly identified the caller’s location at Happy Valley High School. Immediate action followed the precise identification of the caller’s location. School resource officers and patrol officers from adjacent jurisdictions were promptly notified, leading to a comprehensive lockdown and search across multiple schools in the vicinity.
Through the utilization of 911 call recordings and Radius Mapping data, authorities swiftly apprehended three juveniles, each charged with threatening mass violence on school property and false reporting.
The case of Carter County exemplifies how innovative technology like RapidDeploy’s Radius Mapping can revolutionize emergency response, ensuring swift, targeted action in critical situations. By harnessing the power of technology, communities can bolster their resilience and protect lives in the face of adversity.
