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GPS in Partnership with 911

Hillary Mayfield — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:00:11 +0000

“This is 911. Please state your emergency.” Familiar words to every American, but if you have ever actually had to make a call to 911, you know the urgency of wanting responders to get to you as soon as possible. GPS technology, based on actual satellite longitude and latitude coordinates, has made getting emergency vehicles to a scene easier and more efficient. However, that GPS data must be linked to 911 address records.

In Wilkes County, North Carolina, commissioners agreed in 2009 to implement a GPS-based 911 addressing system, such as was made the universal standard in 1995, throughout its cities; however, officials hit a snag when they discovered that 300 roads in the county had no name connected to 911 records. GPS coordinates were established for existing addresses in 2010, but what to do with those 300 roads poses a problem for the county. The system that commissioners and emergency personnel hoped would be up and running in 2012 may not be used at all.

Although the commission had already signed a $145,000 contract with Kimball to establish the GPS coordinates for the county, officials believe the benefits of connecting them to the 911 address system would be far too costly. They argue that because the state requires each road to be named through individual public hearings and because there is a $30,000-$40,000 cost for providing new road signs, the GPS-based 911 addressing system is not justified.

Advocates of the system argue that the ability to get to a precise location in less time more than pays for the system. Also, the system would be funded by a 911 surcharge of $0.80 placed on each wireless and land line user; telecommunications providers collect the fees and send them on to the county for distribution. Since over one-third of all 911 calls are from wireless callers and since the FCC already mandates that wireless carriers provide coordinates of latitude and longitude for wireless calls coming into the 911 call centers, it seems logical to link GPS technology to 911 address records. Lack of this technology not only hinders emergency officials, but it also keeps emergency services from utilizing certain software applications that are designed to be used in conjunction with the GPS-based system.

With more than 240 million 911 calls a year, using modern GPS technology to aid emergency personnel only makes sense. EMS, police, and fire departments all need a trustworthy system in place to do their job effectively. If they are hindered by wrong directions or lack of an address, lives could be lost. Who can put a price on a life saved?

Emergency Staff in Rhode Island Uses GPS to Save Woman

Admin — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 16:00:31 +0000

GPS technology in Rhode Island moved beyond sheer novelty and saved a life this past week when emergency staff used GPS technology to save a lost woman. The woman, from Tiverton, Rhode Island, was lost in the middle of swampland. According to Little Compton Police Chief Sidney Wordell, the woman, 42, was “on the verge of not being able to survive.”

She called 911 (although she does not remember this), and the GPS chip embedded in her cell phone told emergency services exactly where she was. One of the 911 communicators working that night passed on her coordinates to first responders. A satellite image of her GPS coordinates indicated that she was near a dam.

It is likely that, had the GPS tracking technology not been available or working, this woman would not have survived. Fire chief Richard Petrin said, “Without the technology, it’s a needle in a haystack.”

The Rescue
When the first responders were looking for the woman, they continually called 911 so that their GPS coordinates would be sent to the emergency communicators. Each time the screen was refreshed by the first responders, the dots of the woman’s coordinates and the first responders’ GPS tracking coordinates moved closer and closer together, indicating that the woman and the first responder were moving closer and closer together.

The woman was eventually found near the edge of a swampy pond, where she was drifting into and out of consciousness. She was wet when the rescue team found her, and her body temperature was only 84º Fahrenheit (29º Celsius).

This rescue situation was a clear win for GPS tracking in Rhode Island. The woman is alive and is currently recovering at Rhode Island Hospital.

Article Written by Greg Minton

GPS Tracker Saves Lives in Hospitals

RMT GPS News — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:43:35 +0000

By Greg Bartlett

Many hospitals in America have become sprawling complexes full of medical professionals, patients, and transportable equipment. With this sprawl, it can be difficult to keep track of the locations of all patients, movable equipment, and personnel. Even with careful records, patients could be moved to the wrong room, or worse, leaving medical personnel wondering where they went, and spending tremendous amounts of time looking for the people they are supposed to care for. No patient ever has to be lost in the hospital again, thanks to GPS tracker technology.

Hospitals & GPS Tracking

Summerville Medical Center in Summerville, South Carolina recently began a pilot program in their ER Unit that could change the way that hospitals care for their patients. They give each incoming ER patient a wrist-mounted GPS tracker that the patient will wear for their entire stay at the hospital. The tracker sends out a constant signal, which hospital personnel can then track in real-time. Even if there is a clerical error, hospital personnel can instantly locate the exact position, including which floor that they are on, of any patient that is admitted into the hospital complex. With this GPS tracker system, doctors and nurses can save precious time finding a patient, if a patient has an in-hospital emergency, for example. Or, if a patient isn’t where they are supposed to be, nurses can instantly pinpoint them, send nurses to their location, and guide the patient back to where they belong.

This GPS tracking system is also used to track the locations of portable hospital equipment in real-time. A GPS tracker is also attached to every piece of equipment in the ER, including “crash carts.” With this tracking, ER personnel never have to waste precious time hunting for necessary life-saving equipment, they can press a couple of buttons, and the GPS tracking computer can instantaneously locate the real-time location of the equipment needed. When an ER patient’s life is on the line, seconds are as valuable as gold to the ER personnel. Reports already indicate that this technology saves each ER nurse an average of 15 minutes per shift. As such, this technology can save doctors and nurses those precious seconds, when a patient’s life is on the line, and ultimately, can save precious lives.

GPS tracker technology can be effectively used in hospitals to keep track of every patient and every piece of life-saving equipment. The Summerville Medical Center is living proof that a small investment in technology can be an enormous investment in saving lives.

GPS Systems Aid Rescue/Recovery Efforts in Haiti

RMT GPS News — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:46:28 +0000

By DONNA SANTI / guest columnist

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- Donna Santi is a creative writer for LandAirSea Systems, a Woodstock, IL-based manufacturer and distributor of expertly-engineered GPS tracking systems, software and accessories. For information about LandAirSea, visit www.landairsea.com. To contact the writer, email donna.santi@landairsea.com

As the tolls of dead and injured from the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti keep rising, aid workers are organizing in the impoverished Caribbean nation for the grim task of recovering bodies from the rubble.

GPS & Haiti Earthquake

A representative from the American Red Cross who arrived at Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti near the epicenter, said the disaster was worse than he had imagined. Those who perished could number in the hundreds of thousands. There is inadequate hospital space for all the injured. Thousands of homes are flattened, many of them dangerous, rickety shacks.

Officials are appealing for medical care, trained rescue teams and everyday items used for comfort and well-being like diapers, water, clothing, shoes and blankets.

The world’s first glimpses into the 7.0 magnitude devastation were in videos Haitians posted on Twitter and YouTube. Celebrities urged their Twitter fans to text donations from their mobile devices and $1 million was pledged to one nonprofit in just one day. It proves that technology is firmly entrenched in our lives. The worldwide grasp even extends to a small, underdeveloped country like Haiti.

So it is almost certain that GPS tracking systems will be among the tools in the cleanup. How will GPS tracking devices be used to put the toppled Caribbean nation back on its feet?

It is unlikely any GPS tracking devices are transmitting their location coordinates from under feet of concrete, metal and wood, serving as beacons to people in need of aid. Haiti is an impoverished nation. Natives of Haiti average about $2 a day in wages. The average citizen would not own a cell phone, let alone an independent GPS tracking device.

But GPS tracking is also a great tool for law enforcement and search and rescue teams during natural disasters because it can pinpoint locations of receivers within a couple of feet of accuracy. Those watching the recovery efforts probably will see or hear about GPS technology being used for its locating and mapping qualities. GPS tracking has become an important part of all kinds of emergency response missions, from directing emergency vehicles to finding bodies.

In the days immediately following a natural disaster of this magnitude, confusion usually ensues. Massive groups of volunteers might lack leadership. The same buildings might be searched over and over while others remain untouched. Bodies could be counted twice or more. Then there is the language barrier (most Haitians speak Creole).

How GPS Might Help in Haiti:

Vehicle tracking devices could be installed in all emergency response and volunteer mobile units for an emergency fleet management program. Rescue coordinators could easily identify and monitor all their vehicles at the same time on a digital map. The application could be accessed by others in the field via laptop computers.
GPS tracking and locating services can be used to map out the area of destruction and then divide it into a geographic grid so rescue efforts are maximized rather than duplicated.
Rescuers can be issued GPS-enabled handhelds. The volunteers could note and geotag search areas that must later be revisited. Rubble is rubble, unless each pile is distinguished by its own, unique GPS location coordinates. Helpers in the field could note the location of landmarks, human fatalities, physical hazards, etc. and they will be known to all by their latitude and longitude indexes. In 2001 during 9/11, GPS tracking was just coming into common use, yet it was invaluable for the Herculean task of identifying body parts and personal belongings in New York.
Special equipment and software could be created to integrate GPS with other technologies such infrared, night vision or heat-detecting cameras (or remote-controlled robots!) to infiltrate or get into the rubble where an average size human could not without considerable digging and effort.
Disaster relief sites such as first aid, water, emergency shelter and public address stations could be identified by GPS tracking and locating services and people could be accurately and quickly guided to those areas, regardless of their point of origin.
Rescuers trapped under a fresh structural collapse are more likely to be found if they are carrying GPS-equipped mobile devices.

Embrace Technology

As impersonal as technology might seem to some people, it could also be said that it has a unifying quality. It works on an international scale and makes the physical distances between us seem to disappear. Only in this modern age, with the Internet, text messaging, Twitter, YouTube, wireless cellular communications and Global Positioning System satellites, could disaster strike in a remote area of the world, and then help arrive within hours of that tragedy.

The Most Important Uses for GPS Tracking

RMT GPS News — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:03:44 +0000

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

They are invading our lives – GPS Tracking devices. In fact, you never know when you might be near one. GPS Tracking is being implemented faster than you can imagine in a variety of applications.

GPS Tracking Products

Here are the most popular uses for GPS Tracking devices.

Vehicle Tracking

Let us enumerate the ways these units are being used in vehicles: Automobile tracking, delivery tracking, heavy equipment tracking, boat tracking, semi-trailer tracking, even motorcycle tracking. Busses, taxi cabs, trains, planes are all prime candidates for GPS Tracking.

Personal Tracking

With battery powered GPS Tracking devices, you can track people where ever they go. The exception is underground in a cave. Some locations have interference that prevents signals from being transmitted to satellites that are circling the earth, but not too many. And, even if they are, they most likely will not remain out of the watchful eye of these orbiting monitors forever.

Consider the safety and security that these devices afford to those who choose to use them. Then, if the situation warrants, they can be separated from their owners for privacy reasons.

Business Tracking

Businesses are enjoying greater profits these days with the integration of these devices into their daily operations. By being able to track deliveries, location of assets and monitor customer service and expenses, businesses are much better with GPS Tracking on their side.

Public Tracking

We have mentioned public modes of transportation, but what of publically owned vehicles and their use? Trucks, tractors, and other items that are expensive can be kept under close watch and monitored for use. Public employees are watched for the time that they spend in these vehicles and the locations to which they travel. This helps keep expenses on fuel and maintenance low.

Police use of GPS Tracking is making huge in-roads in the tracking and prosecuting of criminals. All under the watchful eye of the court system to ensure that personal rights are not violated.

There are so many ways that GPS Tracking can benefit us, it is difficult to count them all but one thing is for sure – we are better off with them in use than not.

Rocking Mountain Tracking has the best line-up of GPS Tracking Device to meet any need. Take a look at their products and options for the best fit for you or your business. You will find knowledgeable sales persons in helping you get the best unit to meet your requirements.

Emergency Vehicles Benefit from GPS Tracking

RMT GPS News — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:15:39 +0000

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

So many business types are beginning to use GPS Tracking systems to track their vehicles that it is becoming difficult to follow each one. The latest application that is coming to attention is private ambulance companies that transport the medically infirmed and emergency victims.

Emergency Vehicles & GPS

In Europe and Great Britain, GPS Tracking systems are being employed to perform reporting functions. The first is being able to monitor when sirens and lights are activated to ensure that they are being used properly. The second is for ISO 9001, 1401, 1801 and 2701 compliance.

In major metropolitan areas, GPS Tracking provides a method for keeping track of emergency vehicles that are on active ‘runs.’ This helps dispatchers to use the closest units to an accident scene. With time often of the essence, this helps reduce arrivals to accident locations which can save lives.

Location Verification

GPS Tracking systems with real-time reporting give screen updates every two minutes in order to be able to follow the location of an emergency vehicle at all times, not just during emergency runs. This helps save on fuel and prevent unauthorized use as well.

Direction of Travel

Knowing where an ambulance is during a run will help dispatchers to be able to re-route based on the quickest route and other information such as traffic jams, etc.

Speed Driven

If an ambulance has its lights and sirens activated, it is apparent that it needs to reach its destination quickly. But how quickly? Is the driver placing others in danger because of risky driving and speeds? GPS Tracking reports on this data and it can then be compiled into a report to make sure that a driver is driving in an unsafe manner, even when on emergency runs.

Route taken

Did the ambulance take the quickest route to an intended destination? Was there a closer or better route that should have been considered? Re-routing does not mean second-guessing, but rather disseminating information that an ambulance driver might not have. It makes sense for more than one pair of eyes looks at the whole picture.

Ambulance and emergency equipment have a tough job to just get to the scene of an accident without having one themselves. It is imperative, now, that GPS Tracking systems become integrated within emergency departments. What are you waiting for?

Rocking Mountain Tracking has the best line-up of GPS Tracking Device to meet any need. Take a look at their products and options for the best fit for your business. You will find knowledgeable sales persons in helping you get the best unit to meet your requirements.

GPS Tracking Device or Cell Phone

RMT GPS News — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:22:38 +0000

By Greg Bartlett

With the development of GPS technology over the past decade, many people are seeing the great benefits of a GPS tracking device in everyday life. However, some people want to have the benefits in the easiest way possible.

GPS Tracking & Outdoors

People know that cutting corners does not work, but often they still try it anyway. This is true in the area of GPS tracking. Real time tracking systems may seem a bit pricy to people who are just getting into the world of GPS tracking. They might think that they could save a bit of cash and just use their cell phone instead. However, people cannot expect the GPS capabilities of their cell phone to be as effective as a real time GPS tracking device.

Diana Haley discovered this first hand. She was recently stranded for an entire night after she got lost hiking in a nature preserve in Wisconsin. Although she called 911, her cell phone battery was dying and her signal was poor. The police department tried in vain to locate her using the GPS tracking device on her cell phone.The woman was rescued the next morning, but it took a helicopter, an airplane, tracking dogs, and many people to locate her.

Although your cell phone might seem to be a more convenient and cheaper option than a real time GPS tracking device, it is certainly not the most accurate and reliable option.

Real time GPS trackers have the reputation of accuracy and reliability that a cell phone with GPS capabilities cannot touch. Cell phone GPS is dependent on the signal of the cell phone as well as the battery life, both of which are not very reliable. Also, cell phones cannot pinpoint the exact location of the signal, whereas a GPS tracking device can put you within a few feet of the signal.

Even the argument that a cell phone is more convenient is not as strong as it has been in the past. Every year, GPS trackers are getting smaller and lighter, but the battery life and strong, reliable signal are remaining consistent.

The moral of the story is that if you plan on relying on GPS tracking to rescue you from any sort of peril, you need to be putting your trust in a real time GPS tracking system instead of your cell phone. It may cost you a little bit more each month, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Forced Compliance with GPS Car Tracking Systems

RMT GPS News — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:02:16 +0000

By James Neely

In the realm of law enforcement, agencies tasked with enforcing laws on the books are faced with ever increasing case loads and fewer resources. The smart agency looks for ways to help in the obtaining of facts relative to on-going investigations.

One of the ways that this is possible, is with a GPS Tracking system. These affordable systems can mean the difference between obtaining an arrest warrant and having to wait for the next “right time” to see if more evidence is forthcoming.

Crime Prevention with GPS Tracking

Law enforcement use. GPS Tracking systems are being used more and more in the tracking of suspect vehicles to help establish the ‘where and when’ facts that will help the prosecution’s case against a perpetrator. Even though a search warrant is usually obtained in all of these cases, it has not yet been established that it is necessary.

Crime deterrent use. When people know that they are under surveillance, it changes their actions. It does not work for everyone, but it does for a majority of people. Just to know that you are being recorded should make you think twice about your actions.

Action verification system. If you say that you performed a task that can be verified by a GPS Tracking system, then it will be in your best interest to present factual information to substantiate the claim.
The evidentiary edge. With data from a GPS Tracking system, you legally use the data in support of your claim in a court of law. It is not pleasant to have to perform this task, but it will help keeping you from having to pay for damages for restitution caused by lack of compliance to known laws.

Holding people accountable for their actions. Being able to affect the actions of many who have shown a propensity toward illegal activities is priceless. Especially in the day and age in which we live which is littered with the cases of those who have been caught and are now serving time for their actions.
These points all are relevant to the use and implementation of GPS car tracking devices in the methods that police agencies use in order to obtain evidence in committed and on-going crimes. There is certainly room for discussion as to the legality of use, but there is no question that the devices provide invaluable information that is used in making sure laws are not broken. Or if they are, then evidence can be quickly and easily obtained.

It is this kind of attitude towards compliance with laws and rules that makes for a better world in which to live.

Vehicle Tracking Systems And Dispatch Combine To Save Lives

RMT GPS News — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:00:47 +0000

By Greg Bartlett

Vehicle tracking using GPS technology can now be used to save many more lives in emergency situations. Ambulances, fire trucks, and even police cruisers equipped with GPS tracking devices whose signals are monitored by dispatchers can make the response times in emergencies much shorter than they used to be.

If emergency vehicles are being monitored by dispatchers with vehicle tracking systems, it is possible to send the unit closest to an emergency, provided that unit is not already responding to a call. This could mean that an ambulance that has just dropped a patient at a hospital and is on its way back to its station could be closer to a call than the one still at the station serving that area. In this case, dispatch should send the closest unit rather than the one in the station. This move could very well make the difference between life and death.

Vehicle tracking can also be used for fire dispatch as well. Even though fire districts are drawn out on maps of the city, there are times when one station is actually closer to a fire in another district than the station supposed to serve that area. Dispatchers who are aware of the actual locations of fire trucks can dispatch the nearer units and the station that normally covers the area at the same time.

Under previous systems, the station assigned to an area would be dispatched first, then it would be up to the ranking officer on scene to request assistance if needed. Use of vehicle tracking systems could be used to send the nearest units so that many houses that have been lost in the past could have been saved by a more timely arrival of emergency response units.

Police cruisers are also better dispatched when vehicle tracking systems are used. Like other emergency vehicles, police are often assigned specific areas for patrol. However, there are times when a unit may be on the far side of its coverage area when an emergency arises. If this happens, and another cruiser from a neighboring area is closer to the scene, dispatchers can send in the nearer vehicle to provide for better response time. Depending on the situation, this could save many lives as well.

Vehicle tracking systems that use GPS technology can be used with much success in the area of emergency dispatch to save more lives than was possible before the advent of GPS technology.

Equestrian Safety

RMT GPS News — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:00:44 +0000

By Harriette Halepis

Horses can make some of the best companions. Learning how to ride a horse means exploring your world at the whim of a semi-wild creature – what could be more exhilarating? While those that enjoy equestrian sports relish the thought of riding into the sunset, sometimes accidents can happen at the worst possible moments. When a person on horseback takes a tumble, the consequences are often more than slightly dire.

Clydesdale

Since most horses tend to be a great deal taller than most riders, falling from a horse can mean a lot of broken bones. In some cases it can even mean spinal injuries. If this type of accident occurs inside of a ring, then emergency aid can be applied right away. However, the rider that falls while exploring mountainous terrain or a rocky cliff might be in for a long wait. Even if other people know the path that a rider intends to take while out for a short ride, rescue help might not arrive for hours after the initial fall. In addition, many riders are actually dragged by a startled horse causing them to veer drastically from the path at hand. In this case, looking for a rider can take more than hours… it can take days.

Most injuries of this sort must be treated right away. Otherwise, minor injuries can turn into life threatening wounds. Up until this point, there was no way for a rescue team to locate a lost rider. Today, GPS technology exists, which makes finding someone a lot easier. Some GPS trackers come with panic buttons that can be pressed in case of an emergency. Others simply track the movements of a particular person, which can be very helpful if that person has not returned to their original destination at the expected time. Both trackers are lightweight, easily portable, and life-saving.

Should you fall off of a horse during a ride, it is best not to move at all. Do not try to get up, walk, or crawl in any direction if you think that you may have suffered major injuries. Most injuries must be kept immobile if they are to heal at all. Instead, stay where you have fallen, wait for help to arrive, and then try to explain to rescue workers the exact cause of your accident. If you happen to have a GPS tracker on you at the time of your fall, then you shouldn’t have to wait too long for help to arrive. Horseback riding can be a lot of fun, but it can also be dangerous. Make sure that you carry a GPS tracker with you on your next ride…you never know when you might fall from high.