Control rooms  |   Broadband  |  2024-09-11

Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing to Revolutionize Emergency Response with Instant Access to Security Cameras

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

First-of-its-kind technology immediately delivers ‘eyes on the scene’ to 911 professionals empowering them to give precise details to first responders to accelerate and improve their response.

Eagle Eye Networks, the global leader in cloud video surveillance, yesterday launched Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing, a first-of-its-kind technology that gives Emergency Communication Center telecommunicators (911 professionals) instant access to security cameras during an emergency, empowering them to deliver critical incident information to first responders through a partnership with RapidSOS.

 “In a crisis when seconds count, a security camera can provide vital visual information—giving first responders the situational awareness they need to assess and thoughtfully approach a dangerous situation,”

said Dean Drako, Eagle Eye Networks CEO.

 RapidSOS is the intelligent safety platform that directly and securely links life-saving data from more than 540 million connected devices, apps, and sensors to over 16,000 911 and field responder agencies covering 99% of the U.S. population.

Today, security cameras are ubiquitous at schools and businesses, but 911 telecommunicators typically cannot access them in an emergency. With the introduction of Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing, 911 telecommunicators can now instantly access live video from one or multiple security cameras when a 911-triggered emergency occurs.

School leaders and public safety officials have lauded Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing as a groundbreaking technology that can quickly deliver important information when time is of the essence.

 Damon Grant, Co-principal of Oakland Unity Middle School, Oakland, Calif.

“The Eagle Eye Networks 911 Camera Sharing solution we’ve implemented gives first responders critical information in real-time to guide their response to an emergency in our school. The presence of this technology serves as a silent guardian, ready to act if needed, but a resource we hope we will never need.” 

 Justin Ihne, CEO, Plattsburgh YMCA, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

"It was an easy decision for us to add Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing as an extra layer of security that could help get services to our members as quickly as possible in the event of a medical or other emergency.”

 Chief Don DeLucca, Former President of the International Chiefs of Police

“Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing will be a game changer for active shootings, burglaries, alarms, and even medical and fire emergencies. We ask our field responders to manage millions of incidents a year with only the limited information that a distressed caller might be able to provide. Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing gives us a real-time view of exactly what is occurring at the scene of an emergency.”

 

This is how Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing works:

  • The school or business predetermines which cameras are shareable via Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing.
  • A 911 call triggers an alert that enables Emergency Communication Center telecommunicators to instantly view footage from cameras at or near the crime scene. Video may be available from multiple sources, including any businesses in close proximity to the crime scene.
  • The 911 telecommunicator can use the security cameras for situational awareness and to inform first responders.

Some of the first organizations to adopt Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing include schools and universities, retail outlets, facilities with lone workers, and businesses that may be unstaffed at certain hours of the day such as 24-hour gyms. Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing increases the value of any organization's security cameras and greatly enhances emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

Purpose-built for cloud and cybersecurity, the benefits of Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing include:

  • Predetermined camera access: Only the cameras that a business or school predetermines will be shared in an emergency
  • Privacy protection: Camera video is only accessible during a 911 emergency. The Emergency Communication Center cannot retrieve, save, or view video after the emergency
  • Password protection: There is no need to share individual IP addresses or NVR/DVR/camera logins with the Emergency Communication Center
  • Bank-level cybersecurity: Eagle Eye Networks cloud-based video surveillance platform employs the highest cybersecurity standards to ensure video data is encrypted and securely transmitted
  • Audit Log: Any video accessed by 911 telecommunicators is tracked in the Eagle Eye VMS Audit Log

 

Schools and businesses do not have to be current customers of Eagle Eye Networks to take advantage of this technology, as this feature is also available to non-Eagle Eye Cloud VMS customers as Eagle Eye 911 Public Safety Camera Sharing Complete. For existing customers, Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing is available for a small per-camera fee and/or is included in the Professional and Enterprise Editions of the Eagle Eye Cloud VMS. Initially, the 911 camera sharing products will only be available in the United States.

“First responders do extraordinary work managing hundreds of millions of 911 calls annually,” said RapidSOS CEO Michael Martin. “Now, responders can see directly from the location’s surveillance camera what is occurring at the scene of an alarm or a 911 call, verify the emergency and provide visual contextual information to field responders – transforming their ability to respond.”

“Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing is a product that reflects our commitment to enhancing public safety, and the founding principle of our company—making the world a safer place,” said Drako.