Location is one of the most important pieces of information in an emergency. Today, most callers expect 911 centers to pinpoint their exact location during emergency calls, even down to the exact room or floor.
According to the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), an estimated 250 million 911 calls are placed each year in the United States, with 80 percent or more from wireless devices. In many cases, these 911 calls come from callers located indoors, highlighting the critical need for 911 telecommunicators to be able to relay accurate, specific, and up-to-date indoor location details to first responders.
Mock Up of indoor location information in RapidSOS Portal
Creating an ultra-actionable view into emergency locations
RapidSOS is partnering with GeoComm, an industry leader in public safety location-based solutions and Esri to help bring 911 personnel an ultra-actionable view into emergency locations that can help streamline the response process and reduce response times.
This solution combines the contextual value of GeoComm’s indoor maps with improved 911 caller location data through the RapidSOS platform, and Esri’s industry-leading foundational mapping technology. With RapidSOS Portal and indoor maps, 911 telecommunicators have can access and relay location details to first responders in the field, such as:
- Building footprints, with exterior entrances clearly defined
- Interior rooms identified by name/number, and color-coded by type
- Locations of elevators, escalators, stairs, and interior doors clearly identified
- Additional point locations for emergency response such as AED, fire extinguisher, fire riser, and security cameras
The importance of indoor location data
When every second counts, first responders need to be able to reliably find callers or emergencies to provide assistance. However, due to the analog infrastructure of the 911 system, it is not possible for 911 centers to receive dynamic, detailed location information through the ALI.
According to a survey by DKC analytics, only 31 percent of telecommunicators surveyed believed 911 regularly and reliably received accurate location data without RapidSOS. The addition of indoor location mapping through Esri and GeoComm can provide first responders with a clear, immediate, and actionable view of where to respond during emergencies.
This is particularly helpful during indoor emergencies – whether it’s a structure fire, an active shooter event, or a cardiac arrest, being able to locate callers indoors can drastically reduce response times and ultimately save lives.
“It’s important that the 911 industry continues to innovate and find new ways to overcome location challenges,” says Karin Marquez, RapidSOS’s Senior Director of Public Safety. “We are excited to work with GeoComm and Esri to bring indoor maps to RapidSOS Portal and offer first responders better situational awareness through visual representations of key buildings, such as schools and high-rise buildings, to empower a faster, smarter response.”
To learn more about this exciting new solution, register for our webinar on December 8th at 11:00 am Central Time. Attendees will learn how to leverage this new location intelligence to empower first responders with unprecedented situational awareness through RapidSOS Portal and see firsthand how indoor maps unlock the life-saving potential of indoor geodetic positions of mobile phones during 911 calls.
