Rave Mobile Safety (Rave), the trusted partner for advanced emergency communications and response technology, announced the controlled release of Smart911Location, a new feature of Smart911, the life-saving, national safety service. Smart911Location improves the availability and accuracy of detailed mobile caller location data.
Obtaining an accurate location for an emergency incident is critical to a fast and effective response. According to the FCC, its proposed location accuracy improvements could save approximately 10,120 lives per year, establishing a clear and urgent necessity for improved capabilities.
“We have seen life-saving results from Smart911," said April Heinze, director, Eaton County Central Dispatch. "The addition of enhanced indoor location on mobile users will further improve our ability to respond to callers. This fits seamlessly into our process and during our testing has proven to be more accurate than the existing ALI information provided through the network.”
Utilizing proven location technologies already native to most smartphones, Smart911Location operates on the Smart911 public safety platform, and seamlessly integrates into existing procedures, enabling any 9-1-1 center to receive the same location information used by leading commercial navigation and consumer apps. Over the coming months, Rave will expand the group of clients working with the solution and will collaborate with them to refine operational procedures and collect location accuracy results.
Smart911Location offers several key features:
• Integrates with any public safety answering point (PSAP): The Smart911 platform, upon which the solution operates, is already deployed in parts of 40 states, where it is processing millions of 9-1-1 calls each month, and runs on all combinations of networks and call-taking systems.
• Works across telecommunication carriers and apps: Any smartphone with a data connection can provide enhanced 9-1-1 location information through the platform. Third party apps will also be able to embed the ability to deliver enhanced caller location direct to 9-1-1 through Smart911Connect APIs.
• Fits seamlessly into existing operations: Smart911 has been designed and thoroughly put to the test by thousands of users and numerous operational reviews, to ensure call-taking complexity is minimized. This feature does not require custom processes or “swivel chair” operations and utilizes the native routing and redundancy of the 9-1-1 system.
• Best available location data from apps pushed to the telecommunicator: There is no need for rebids and waiting, telecommunicators (9-1-1 dispatchers) are streamed the most accurate commercial location the app is able to provide, including latitude and longitude, floor level information, and speed and direction of travel.
• Displays floor plans and other key contextual location data: Just knowing the latitude and longitude of a caller is only a small part of the solution. Responders need to know the most efficient way to the incident. Smart911Facility data is displayed along with the detailed caller location data to provide a true location to where teams can be dispatched.
“For years, consumers have wondered why 9-1-1 cannot receive the same accurate location information as seen with popular consumer apps – we have now closed that gap,” said Tom Axbey, president & CEO of Rave Mobile Safety. “We’ve been working with select customers to create a solution that improves emergency response, seamlessly integrates into existing processes and exceeds FCC requirements for indoor location accuracy. The results of our production testing and feedback from those clients have been very positive. Smart911 has already proven to help save lives and we can now further help the more than 70 percent of 9-1-1 callers who do so from a mobile device and aren’t able to provide details on their location.”
PSAPs interested in participating in the controlled release program and learning how to deploy the solution should visithttp://www.ravemobilesafety.com/smart911location/. Third-party app developers wishing to enhance their offerings by providing enhanced emergency location data on 9-1-1 calls should visit www.smart911connect.com.
About Rave Mobile Safety
Rave Mobile Safety is the most trusted safety software partner, providing innovative communication software for better emergency preparedness and faster response. Used by leading education institutes, enterprises and state and local public safety agencies, the award-winning portfolio of Rave Alert, Rave Guardian, Eyewitness, Rave Panic Button, Smart911 and SmartPrepare protects millions of individuals. Rave Mobile Safety is headquartered in Framingham, MA.
For more information, please visit http://www.ravemobilesafety.com.
