First Responders

As artificial intelligence gains ground among governments, firefighters and other first responders could soon depend much more upon the technology. As the market grows, various companies are gearing up in different ways.

The latest in a string of acquisitions for the Canadian public safety tech company reflects the push to upgrade emergency dispatch services as well as the hot M&A market for government technology.

When an elderly man with dementia wandered from his home in Pennsylvania, it had the makings of a long day for the police and fire department crews, but officials say a drone was instrumental in finding him quickly.

Cyber criminals could take advantage of natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes to wreak havoc on critical infrastructure, including transportation, emergency response, water systems and hospitals.

The fresh capital will help Comtech Telecommunications continue building its networks and upgrading emergency dispatch services. The investment coincides with the rising popularity of cloud-based dispatch tools.

A new radar system promises to improve weather predictions, providing additional warning time to prevent flooding and more accurate forecasts for heavy rainfall, down to a specific low-lying highway or neighborhood.

The Big Sky Fire Department, located in the community of Big Sky, Mont., is testing out Pano's AI wildfire detection technology to help increase fire visibility and improve response efforts.

The automated voice messaging system meant to alert fire stations to incoming emergency calls is not working properly. A 911 dispatcher is now dedicated to calling stations to make sure fire staff don’t miss emergency calls.

Developed by individuals with experience fighting fires, Tablet Command on the iPad uses GPS to give firefighters the coveted ability to have a bird's-eye view of all relevant equipment in a given area.

Nonprofit research group RTI International and the White Cross Fire Department have teamed up to pilot augmented reality technology for firetruck pump panel training. The goal is to create a blueprint for the industry.

Now residents can call for help via certain Amazon Alexa voice-activated devices in homes. The move comes as emergency dispatchers seek more detailed information from callers and as 911 technology improves nationwide.

The latest product from the growing government technology vendor reflects advances in connecting multiple agencies. RapidSOS says the tool could increase access to real-time data and speed up emergency responses.

As they responded to the terrorist attacks on 9/11, public safety professionals struggled to communicate with each other due to tech issues. Twenty years later, FirstNet exists to ensure this doesn't happen again.

The move combines two software providers for first responders, with technology that covers a wide range of tasks. The deal comes amid an ongoing wave of recent M&A activity in the government technology space.

The partnership with what3words could help more first responders better locate emergency callers, including in hard-to-define spots such as parks, parking lots and areas with poor mobile service.

The company, which delivers safety notifications to drivers about things such as the presence of an emergency vehicle, hasn't aggressively raised money from investors. But it's still managed to grow a lot.

A Texas startup has started selling drones and software designed to give police, fire and medical workers a better view of emergency scenes. The move comes amid a broader push to improve dispatch technology.

A company called Rescu says it can enable people to get quicker help in emergencies — and help governments improve 911 services. The tool joins other efforts at upgrading dispatch tech in this increasingly mobile age.