First Responders

Maryland and federal officials said they would rebuild Francis Scott Key Bridge yesterday as first responders continued to search for missing people. The immediate impact of the disaster is a tightening of the supply chain.

The city will explore using GPS technology from LYT to give green lights to emergency vehicles. The initiative, at a dozen intersections, will preserve its existing, optical-based system and compare their performance.

The tool aims to take the load off of understaffed 911 call centers by handling less critical tasks, like routing 311 calls and answering routine queries.

The new product could help police find evidence and access records more quickly, the company says. Veritone recently launched another AI-backed tool for digital evidence management as more agencies embrace artificial intelligence.

The group launched in 1996 and the 75 students now form Rice EMS—until recently—the only full-time student-run emergency medical service in Texas. The students are all state and nationally certified Emergency Medical Technicians.

Authorities believe a ship lost power and struck a support column of the bridge, sending the cars into the river and launching a search-and-rescue operation. Two construction workers who were on the bridge were rescued.

Firefighters are often the first responders on the scene but aren’t allowed to transport patients to the hospital and often have to wait up to 25 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, even with critically injured patients.

The GUIDES mobile app gives Long Beach Police access to services that can help a subject with substance abuse, homelessness and mental illness. It allows access to case information, and warrant and stay-away data.

The dispute appears to have been brewing through the second half of 2023, and erupted into bitter social media debates this month as well as a series of sharp exchanges at a town council meeting Monday.

DeWine issued a state of emergency Sunday for areas affected by storms, sending the National Guard to help with the cleanup after an EF-3 tornado with winds up to 155 mph killed three people.

The move follows the news that RapidSOS had closed a big funding round that involved BlackRock. Hexagon will help improve real-time data capabilities via which dispatchers and firefighters can more quickly respond to emergencies.

The goal is to "build a better and more up-to-date and fortified emergency operation center," which could help operations move more smoothly. Right now, the average age of the fire department’s buildings is 85 years old.

The Oklahoma National Guard will coordinate with the local public safety and emergency management agencies to provide McCurtain County first responders with additional HAZMAT response capabilities.

New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey said his agency’s body camera deployment has “made our community better.” Police officers at the city department have been using body cams since the summer of 2023.

The course is designed for people learning about weather for the first time and for experienced weather watchers and is intended to help residents understand how forecasts are created and how storms occur.

The Darke County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that they had received reports of injuries, entrapments and structural damage to homes, trailers and other structures after a suspected tornado moved through the county.

The Texas-based Raptor Technologies is teaming up with Alertus Technologies, which provides mass notification and emergency communication services, to connect wearable panic buttons to emergency notification systems.

The National Weather Service emphasizes the importance of acting quickly to stay safe during a tornado and being informed about tornado watches and warnings by staying connected to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio.