Critical Response Group and Intrado elevate emergency response and situational awareness

Looking to bring its critical incident mapping data into its new partner’s incident management solution, which is designed to enhance enterprise safety by helping users prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from any type of threat, Critical Response Group (CRG) has announced the integration of its technology within Intrado’s Safety Shield emergency communication services application, certified for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) public safety network in the US.

FirstNet is America’s nationwide high-speed broadband communications platform purpose-built for America’s first responders. By integrating CRG’s critical incident mapping data into the Safety Suite, the firms are confident that emergency responders will have the same shared visual representation of an incident scene, facilitating communication and accelerating response time.

Explaining the reasons for the integration, the firms said target users in schools and enterprises currently have a multi-layered security approach to protect students and staff. However, a critical component of this approach – the first layer of defence – involves having accurate, up-to-date emergency mapping data for first responders.

Through the partnership, Intrado customers in regions covered by CRG’s mapping – approximately 30,000 maps in the US – will gain access to the critical incident maps within the Safety Shield application. The integration enhances emergency preparedness and supports more effective incident management and resolution.

Intrado Safety Shield now integrates with CRG’s mapping data to allow organisations to use detailed, accurate maps during emergencies, providing crucial context, improving response times and ensuring precise situational awareness. This integration is designed to facilitate better coordination among emergency responders by offering a shared visual representation of the incident scene, essential for effective decision-making in critical situations.

Within Safety Shield, CRG’s maps can display the precise location data of Intrado’s beacons, which are activated when personnel deploy Intrado Wearable Panic Buttons. This is said to ensure that emergency responders and personnel can quickly locate and address incidents, significantly enhancing the safety and security of students and employees.

“This collaboration reaffirms our commitment to reducing response time and saving lives during emergency situations,” said CRG co-founder and CEO Mike Rodgers. “By integrating our detailed incident maps with Intrado’s emergency management tools, we are setting a new standard for situational awareness and operational efficiency during critical incidents. Our goal is to provide first responders and security teams with the precise information they need to make swift, informed decisions that can save lives.”

By integrating CRG’s critical incident mapping data with Safety Shield, Intrado is furthering its commitment to delivering unparalleled situational awareness and response capabilities, said Jaz Lin, head of product at Intrado, adding: “Working with CRG empowers our users with the precise mapping information they need to navigate emergencies swiftly and effectively.”

Matt Walsh, assistant vice-president of product management and development for the FirstNet Program at AT&T, said: “The more tools public safety has access to on their network, the more we can help them achieve their mission. This collaboration demonstrates the innovative strides being made to enhance campus safety and emergency response. By leveraging these cutting-edge solutions, organisations and first responders are better equipped to handle critical incidents swiftly and effectively.”