27 Seconds Before the Call

When Brookhaven Police Officer Kevin Betancourt received an iPhone crash notification through RapidSOS, he had what he needed to act: an alert and an accurate location.

A drone launched from a nearby site.

Twenty-seven seconds later, Brookhaven had eyes on the scene.

A U.S. mail truck had rolled down an embankment, struck a storm drain, and landed in the brush beside a golf course. From overhead, Betancourt could see the driver upright and moving — and begin assessing what the response would require.

Before the driver could complete the first 911 call, Brookhaven already had a clearer picture of the incident.

Patrol could respond with a verified location and an understanding of the scene. A tow truck could be requested. Public Works could be notified about the damaged storm drain. And because the driver appeared uninjured, fire and EMS did not need to be pulled from other calls.

The advantage wasn’t simply getting there faster. It was knowing more, sooner.

For Brookhaven, RapidSOS emergency data and its Drone as First Responder program are helping turn those critical first moments into actionable intelligence before officers arrive.