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During any emergency, time is the most critical factor. Response times often determine outcomes, whether it’s saving a life, extinguishing a fire before it spreads, or de-escalating a dangerous situation. But to respond effectively, two pieces of information must be available immediately: what happened and, even more crucially, where it happened.
The First Step: Reporting the Emergency
Emergencies can be triggered through various mechanisms: a direct call to 911, the press of a panic button, an emergency mobile app, or an on-site alarm system. However, the call for help goes out, it must reach public safety officials immediately and without interference.
Thanks to Kari’s Law, any emergency call made from a multi-line telephone system must go directly to 911, without dialing an extra 9, without routing through a receptionist or security desk. The law also requires that someone on-site be notified that the call has occurred, adding a layer of situational awareness to local staff.
But once the call is placed, the next and far more complicated challenge emerges: finding the person in need.
The Location Problem: When a Street Address Isn’t Enough
If you call 911 from a house or small business, giving the address is often enough for responders to arrive on the scene and take over. However, the street address is only part of the story when an emergency occurs inside a sprawling office complex, high-rise building, university campus, or hospital.
Enter the RAY BAUM’S Act, which mandates that all 911 calls must provide a dispatchable location, not just an address, but specific, actionable information like floor number, room number, or section of the building. This ensures responders can reach the scene as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, older 911 systems were never designed for this level of detail. Traditional Enhanced 911 (E911) setups offer only a single data field, usually labeled “ADDRESS LINE 2,” with a maximum of 30 characters. Trying to cram Second Floor, West Wing, Room 2C231 near Elevator 3 into that space is like filing a novel in a fortune cookie. This limitation significantly delays response time. And in an emergency, delays are dangerous.
Beyond the Room Number: Critical Wayfinding Challenges
Even with good location data, there are many other logistical questions responders face the moment they arrive at the building:
- Which entrance is closest to the emergency?
- Is that entrance unlocked or accessible by keycard?
- If a stretcher or rescue gear is needed, will it fit through that entrance or the elevator?
- Are any known hazards (e.g., chemicals, electrical panels, hostile individuals) en route to the scene?
These details are rarely known ahead of time, and when they are, responders are left to figure them out on the fly. That means wasted time and increased risk to both victims and first responders.
Modern Solutions: How 911inform Bridges the Gap
This is where 911ihform’s patented emergency routing and Wayfinding system makes a profound difference. Unlike traditional systems, 911inform provides real-time interactive mapping and routing tools overlaying emergency locations on digital floor plans. These aren’t just static building layouts; they’re live, dynamic dashboards that direct first responders to the scene using the safest, fastest route possible.
Here’s how it works:
- When a 911 call is made, the system automatically correlates the call with internal building maps.
- Using advanced algorithms, it calculates the optimal route, factoring in known obstacles, hazards, and access points.
- If conditions change, such as a hallway being blocked or a threat appearing, the route is instantly recalculated and updated.
- The map is then pushed to any authorized device: mobile data terminals (MDTs), laptops, smartphones, tablets, and more.
This drastically reduces time spent wandering through hallways or waiting at locked doors. Instead, responders move with purpose, armed with the knowledge of where to go, how to get in, and what to avoid along the way.
Helping Everyone Find the Way Out
It’s not just about helping responders get in. The 911inform system also supports safe evacuation of building occupants, guiding them to the safest exits and predefined collection zones. Evacuation paths are also mapped in real time, adjusting dynamically if hazards block a route. This ensures everyone, occupants and emergency personnel alike, can respond appropriately without chaos or confusion.
A Common Operating Picture: Coordination Made Easy
One of the most powerful features of the system is the common operating picture it creates. All emergency assets within the building, such as AEDs, Stop the Bleed kits, fire extinguishers, and rescue tools, are marked with intuitive icons on the map. Both internal safety staff and external responders see the same real-time view, allowing them to communicate and act as a unified team.
The system is also ESRI-compliant, meaning layers of additional information (such as IoT sensor data, video feeds, or environmental readings) can be seamlessly integrated. Everything operates via a standard web browser, making access easy and immediate. More importantly, once the emergency concludes and browser sessions close, all cached data is Cleared, ensuring privacy and security for sensitive facility information.
Going Beyond Compliance: A Full Emergency Event Management Platform
Many solutions on the market today check the boxes for Kari’s Law, RAY BAUM’S Act, or Alyssa’s Law compliance. But checking boxes isn’t enough anymore. The reality is that complex facilities require more than a static compliance tool. They require a coordinated, intelligent platform that actively manages emergency events from start to finish. That’s why 911inform positions itself not as just a 911 enhancement, but as a true emergency event management solution.
With detailed location tracking, intelligent routing, live facility control, and cross-team coordination, 911inform doesn’t just answer the question, “Where’s the emergency?’ It answers the follow-up question that matters even more: How do we get there safely and fast?
Because in the end, when every second counts… Getting lost is not an option.
At 911inform, the focus is on simplifying the delivery of safety information through innovative new data presentation to the ECC and managing that data by the Enterprise. We are setting a brand-new standard for emergency response data by leveraging advanced technologies and a user-centric approach. As the industry evolves, the importance of actionable, productive data will only grow, underscoring the need for continuous innovation and improvement in this critical field.
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Thanks for spending time with me; I look forward to next time. Stay safe and take care.
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