Sonim and ACT | The App Association Take to Capitol Hill to Showcase First Responder Technology

Sonim Technologies, in partnership with ACT | The App Association, held an event on Capitol Hill entitled “The Future of First Responder Technology” to highlight how innovative hardware and software solutions are improving the effectiveness and efficiency for all public safety disciplines.

The event created awareness among decision makers on Capitol Hill regarding the importance of technology, interoperability and the role these solutions play in improving communications, productivity and the safety of first responders. With the rise of FirstNet, there has been a rush of innovation into the industry, but last week, Members of Congress and their staff got the opportunity to see first-hand how this technology is impacting day-to-day operations.

Four leading public safety officials from around the country described how technology like Sonim’s ultra-rugged XP7 handset, in concert with emerging software platforms are reshaping department norms in the form of operational efficiencies, including enhanced situational awareness and more robust forms of communication:

• Captain James Sarkos, the SWAT and Special Investigations Section Commander for Atlantic City Police Department, discussed how the department is using technology to improve effectiveness in combating serious crimes in the wake of unprecedented budget cuts.
• Shing Lin, the Chief Technology Officer for Harris County (TX) Sheriff’s Department, described how local first responders benefited from advanced communications solutions to improve their search and rescue efforts in the wake of historic flooding due to Hurricane Harvey.
• Scott Edson, the Executive Director for Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS), demonstrated how new in-vehicle technology has paved the way for improved situational awareness and fostered an environment for predictive policing.
• Mike Duyck, the Fire Chief and CEO for Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue in Tigard, Ore., discussed how information gathered from drone technology and other inputs are creating a more robust common operating picture for fire fighters as they battle structure fires, forest fires and other potential life-threatening emergencies.

“FirstNet has led to a multitude of advancements that are making first responders smarter, faster and safer,” said Bob Plaschke, CEO, Sonim Technologies. “However, the network is just step one; public safety needs solutions. From applications improving situational awareness, to solutions leveraging big data to better inform strategy and planning, all of this collective technology is vital to helping first responders reach their daily goal of saving lives.”

Attendees also had the opportunity to interact and see some of these technology solutions first hand. The companies showcasing their technology included:

• ShotSpotter (Leader in gun fire detection and alert)
• Mutualink (Interoperable communications solutions)
• Intrepid Networks (Situational awareness applications)
• HunchLab (Predictive policing and patrol management software)
• RapidSOS (Rich data link from any connected device to 911 and responders)
• DroneSense (Drone software platform for public safety)
• Intterra (Fire Department situational awareness and data analysis)
• PG Alert (Improved geo targeting of emergency broadcast alerts)
• Secured Communications (Secure messaging and collaboration application)
• TriTech (CAD, Mobility, RMS and Analytics Solutions)
• TRX Systems (GPS-denied personnel tracking and mapping solutions)

A key takeaway for attendees was that while technology is rapidly improving, these complex problems require continued collaboration and interoperability between companies to solve the ever changing challenges a first responder encounters daily.