Covia Labs, Inc. recently announced the launch of Alert & Respond, a new software platform that offers a cost-effective way for public safety to integrate consumer smartphones and commercially available devices into their operations. A designated administrator or multiple users can manage and utilize the resources of all devices on the platform. Alert & Respond lets public safety utilize all of the features of increasingly advanced, commercially available smartphones, including voice, video, compass, GPS, memory, storage and maps. It gives dispatchers, commanders and frontline first responders the media-rich integrated information they need in emergency situations to carry out efficient, highly coordinated responses that save lives while greatly reducing the likelihood of life-threatening situations. Capabilities of the system include National Incident Management System (NIMS) administration, push to talk functionality, message playback, talk-around capabilities when out of range of a cell tower, “Blue Force” tracking of the real-time location of personnel, text messaging, sharing of images, and GPS. All voice, text and images are geotagged with precise GPS locations and, along with Blue Force tracking of personnel and vehicles, are available to commanders during operations and after-action reviews.
