First Responders

In a 13-month pilot funded by a $265,000 state grant, the drones will be able to fly beyond the operator's line of sight to arrive at emergency scenes quickly and ahead of law enforcement officers.

The new system will add GIS mapping, text and video capability, and faster routing to help call centers respond more quickly and precisely. The county is the first in the state to begin the migration.

The deal comes as Versaterm acquires a drone technology supplier in the public safety space, part of a broader period of intense activity of large financing deals in the gov tech space.

A proposed federal policy would create a standardized path for drones to fly beyond sight for public safety, infrastructure and delivery. A 60-day comment period gives agencies a chance to weigh in on risks and benefits.

The fresh capital is yet another big investor bet on emergency response technology, including artificial intelligence. The round also underscores how public equity continues to emphasize the gov tech space.

The Canadian government technology supplier has bought DroneSense, which sells software for increasingly popular drone-as-first-responder programs. It’s the latest such move in the public safety space.

The proposed five-year contract with public safety software provider Mark43 would replace the computer-aided dispatch platforms used by the police and fire departments, and records management system for the police.

The fresh capital will go toward hiring, innovation with artificial intelligence, market expansion and other uses. The funding round follows another big capital raise from another public safety tech supplier.

The young Ohio company provides software that fire and EMS personnel use for a variety of tasks. According to Tyler, Emergency Networking tools already meet new federal reporting requirements.

Made by Palo Alto company Pivotal, the single-seat vehicle weighs 348 pounds and can be plugged into a wall to recharge. First responders see its potential for search and rescue, fire patrol and medical emergencies.

Proposed City Council legislation that would compel police to restore limited news media access to radio communications advanced to a second reading. Police leadership warned doing so could violate state and federal laws and policies.

A new Google and Muon-backed satellite wildfire detection system promises faster alerts and high-resolution fire imagery. But with false alarms already straining fire crews, its real impact may depend on trust.

System issues were behind intermittent disruptions to Next-Generation 911 earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency said in a preliminary report. A cyber attack is not believed to be behind it.

A five-city tech collaboration led by Virginia Beach, Va., will connect it with four neighbors through computer-aided dispatch. It will replace manual call transfers with real-time emergency data sharing across jurisdictions.

Los Angeles County leaders are considering a registry that would connect people with disabilities and seniors with emergency responders during disasters. Disability advocates say these registries offer a false sense of security.

The police drone program began in 2023, in response to thrill-seeking stunts that have lead to at least 16 deaths. In related news, the city has debuted a public safety alert tool on a popular app.

The 8,140-acre Turner Gulch Fire is currently the largest burning in Colorado, but the nearly 15,000-acre Deer Creek Fire in Utah crossed the state border Monday. Officials anticipate more dangerous fire activity ahead.

Training poses deadly risks for firefighters. Researchers are experimenting with new augmented and virtual reality technologies to allow first responders to learn life-saving skills without risking their own.