Emergency services

Safety profiles protect people, pets, and emergency responders
Sixty-three percent of all U.S. households have a pet, the highest level in two decades; there are 78.2 million dog and 86.4 million cat owners, with more than half stating they would leap into action for an injured pet; registering pets in the owner’s safety profile would allow for safer, and more successful, rescue by first responders during emergencies
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Rescue dogs from across U.S. to participate in certification exercise
Rescue dogs and their handler teams must be re-certified every three years; the certification includes command control, agility tests, barking alert skills, and willingness to overcome fears of tunnels and wobbly surfaces under the guidance of the handler
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Private, public partners in Illinois CBRN emergency drill
First responders and authorities in Lake and Cook counties, Illinois, joined Army Reserve units to conduct Exercise Red Dragon 2012, a chemical, nuclear response exercise
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Harris awarded DHS communications contract with a $3 billion potential value
Harris has been awarded a 5-year, IDIQ DHS contract to support tactical communications for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its partner agencies; the contract has a $3 billion ceiling
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Space Data, partners test high-altitude disaster communication
Since 2004, Space Data has logged more than 250,000 flight hours in near space altitudes between 65,000 and 90,000 feet in conducting more than 20,000 flights of its balloon-borne platforms; near space technology has become a critical communications relay capability for the U.S. military, particularly for deployed forces overseas; the FCC wants this technology to be available for first responders
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High altitude-based emergency communication system
Oceus Network will conduct a test of its emergency communication system in high altitude: it will place its 4G LTE Xiphos portable 4G LTE broadband network on a balloon which will carry Xiphos to near-space altitude; by placing an emergency communication system on an airborne platform, a zone of coverage is created to restore critical communications in the first hours after a catastrophic event
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LoJack technology helps in two rescue efforts
Two services from LoJack allow police to rescue two young kids in a stolen car, and locate an 82-year olf man who wondered away from home
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City of Seattle Fire Department improving firefighter, EMS responses
New communication system allows Seattle Fire Department to use new voice, video, and wireless by providing secure and fast switching between multiple networks
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Harris deploys public safety communications system in Virginia
Harris Corporation has received a $10 million contract from Pittsylvania County, Virginia, to deploy a public safety digital communications system based on P25 Phase 2 standards
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Wisconsin county has a new LMR system
In Rock County, Wisconsin, firefighters have been required manually to change radio channels as they moved from North to South because of two different frequencies in the region; Raytheon is helping to combine three disparate communications systems in the country into one; the result will be more efficient – and interoperable – first response communication system
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San Francisco earthquake planners developing pet-disaster response
San Francisco is preparing for the Big One in more ways than one: the latest addition to the city’s disaster preparedness plans is a legion of pet disaster responders, trained by city officials to rescue pet dogs, cats, rodents, birds, and reptiles in the event of a disaster, and transport them to one of 125 temporary shelters
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Handheld plasma flashlight rids skin of pathogens
Scientists develop a handheld, battery-powered plasma-producing device that can rid skin of bacteria in an instant; the device could be used in ambulance emergency calls, natural disaster sites, military combat operations, and many other instances where treatment is required in remote locations
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Mexico has an earthquake warning system, why not California?
Mexico has a functioning and apparently life-saving earthquake warning system in place; California’s system is stuck in a permanent test phase due primarily to lack of funding
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Robot jellyfish for underwater search and rescue
Researchers have built a robotic swimmer that mimics the motion of a jellyfish; the device will because for underwater search and rescue missions
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County experiments with new medical emergency dispatch protocol
In an effort to reduce costs and free up valuable resources, Kings County, Seattle is experimenting with a new 911 emergency call system that prioritizes emergency calls over nonemergency calls; under the new system, when residents call 911 with a serious medical emergency, the system will dispatch a fire truck or ambulance
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