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Fire departments have largely been conservative in adopting new technologies. But as populations expand, emergency calls increase and more data flows in, emergency services are also finding themselves shorthanded and in need of digital tools to help them do more with less. Thankfully, new technologies that leverage data can make operations more efficient, leading to faster response times and quicker resolution of emergencies. Here are some key data-driven technologies that are bringing firefighting and emergency dispatching into the modern day.
1. Digital alerts
One key technology speeding up response is digital alerts, which bypass the 911 call-taker and avoid time-consuming call transfers. Once a monitoring station detects a fire, it automatically alerts the closest and most well-equipped units to respond, shaving valuable minutes from the traditional analog process that would require a call transfer.
These digital alerts are being used at large centers such as the El Paso County 911 District in Texas, where commercial fires are now being dispatched directly, bypassing the initial call-taker. Similar alerts can be incorporated for schools (in the event of a school shooter or other emergency) and other critical infrastructure.
2. CAD-to-CAD
CAD-to-CAD interoperability – computer-aided dispatch systems that can exchange data electronically – is another technological twist speeding up response times. When fire agencies work in a mutual aid situation, they can now transfer data CAD to CAD, providing every participating agency with the same operational picture.
Using this technology, data doesn’t dead-end at the emergency communications center. It’s integrated into the CAD and pushed out to the field, where incident commanders can have all the necessary data.
3. Preplanning modules
Apps exist today that allow firefighting agencies to do thorough pre-incident planning and store all the information in the cloud or a server, where it’s easily called up on mobile devices. Armed with preplanning data – hydrant maps, hazardous-material storage sites, a roster of chemicals stored on-site and more – today’s firefighters have more information before they’ve even donned their turnout gear than their predecessors had when arriving on a scene.
4. ASAP to PSAP
Calls to emergency communications centers, or public safety answering points (PSAPs), are increasing each year to the point where call-takers and dispatchers can’t physically handle the volume. Half the calls are coming from alarm companies, and most, if not all, of those calls can be handled electronically with the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP), a proven data exchange that allows alarm information to be transmitted digitally, talking directly to the PSAP’s computer-aided dispatch system – ASAP to PSAP. The protocol not only saves the 2–3 minutes it once took to relay that information by phone, but it also removes a heavy burden from overworked call-takers.
5. Telematics
Modern vehicles and wearables such as fitness watches are often equipped with telematics – electronics that transmit location, safety (air bag deployments, collision detection) and health data for the driver or wearer. Those telematics have historically been transmitted to the vehicle company or wearable brand, and dispatchers there would contact the closest emergency call center. Today, technology is emerging to allow telematics to be transmitted directly to the ECC, similar to the ASAP-to-PSAP concept. Once again, letting technology talk to technology trims valuable minutes in an emergency and leaves call-takers and dispatchers with a manageable workload.
The big question, of course, is how do you pay for all this new technology? The answer, in many cases, is federal funding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security and a host of other federal agencies offer grant programs to pay for emergency communications investments, according to a list published by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). There is also currently legislation working its way through Congress to help pay for next-generation 911 upgrades. These legislative proposals include the Next Generation 911 Act of 2023 (H.R. 1784), which would appropriate $15 billion for NG911 grants; S. 2712 (“A bill to provide funding for the deployment of Next Generation 911, and for other purposes”), which would appropriate $10 billion for NG911 grants; and the Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 3565), which would set aside $14.8 billion in spectrum auction proceeds in a trust fund for NG911 grants, according to an April 2024 report by the Congressional Research Service. The Federal Communications Commission is urging Congress to restore its ability to auction the public airwaves, with an eye toward using the money to fund NG911 grants.
In the meantime, it might be worth employing a professional grant writer to seek out and apply for funding for emergency communications technology projects. With most emergency communications centers operating on outdated technology that can’t interface with today’s smartphone culture, the urgency to modernize emergency communications has never been higher.
For more on solutions for firefighters and emergency communications center, visit hxgnpublicsafety.com.