As the demand for first-responder services increases, cities and counties are having a difficult time keeping pace because of the following problems:
Ongoing budget issues
Many first-responder organizations face difficult budget challenges as they strive to sustain service, and this is only expected to get worse going forward.
Dispatcher shortages
According to USA TODAY, recruiting and retaining dispatchers has become a national crisis. One of the biggest reasons: The tight labor market and dispatcher burnout, just to name a few. The result: Fewer dispatchers to take calls for help that can delay response especially during emergencies.
Incident-caller overload
When an incident occurs, dispatchers often get overwhelmed with calls resulting in some callers getting placed on hold. In other cases, callers may hear a recording or be transferred to another call center per The 911 Association (nena.org). The result: A delayed response which can result in loss of life and other costly problems, including potential liability exposure.
Timely information and safety
First responders don’t always have accurate and timely information about where help is needed at an incident scene. And, in the case of active-shooter situations, they don’t usually know where the shooter is. Instead, they usually have to spend time searching to locate and stop the shooter first before they can render aid to incident victims—time that can delay getting help to those who may be critically injured. The lack of situational-awareness information can also have an impact on responder safety—entering a building blind is the biggest risk responders face when they make their initial entry.
A much-needed no-cost solution
StreamQuik, a Southern-California company, has developed a simple emergency communications enterprise solution called QuikHelp™ that addresses each of the problems herein that can be accessed by first responders at no cost.
What QuikHelp does
QuikHelp makes it easy for schools, hospitals and businesses to send alerts for help to responders using their computers, tablets and smartphones without needing to install any hardware, software or apps and without having to enter a password or make a call. Initial alert information includes incident date, time, sender’s cell phone number, address, building ID on a GPS map, entrance location and in-building location detail such as on what floor and in what office/classroom help is needed.
Victims can also share information about what’s happening inside their building as the incident is unfolding, information that can be made available DIRECTLY to responders without having to first phone this information in to dispatchers when their phone lines may be overloaded with callers. This supplemental information can include shooter location, type of weapon and other details that can help responders stop incidents sooner while also reducing their risk. Incident photos can also be taken and shared with responders with the simple tap of a button without having to stop to attach each photo to an email or text message—photos that can be viewed by multiple parties at the same time. Live and recorded security-camera video can also be shared with responders.
How the QuikHelp program works
QuikHelp is marketed to local schools, hospitals and businesses who pay for the system. Once it’s purchased, QuikHelp gives customers the ability to share incident information with their local first responders with a simple click.
How responders can benefit
In addition to providing no-cost access, QuikHelp overcomes limitations of existing dispatch workflows that can hinder timely response. Moreover, because information can be shared with on-scene responders directly without them having to wait for a dispatch relay, the system also gives responders access to more timely information to enhance their safety and to speed response.
Dispatchers also benefit by being able to view alert information using an existing internet browser without needing to install any hardware, software or apps or change their existing workflows. Dispatchers can also leverage the alert sender’s cell phone number (see phone above) to initiate a callback or two-way text-messaging session with the alerting party.
Where to get more information
To learn more about starting a QuikHelp outreach program in your local area, call us at (949) 502-6741 or visit us at www.streamquik.com so that your city/county can benefit from QuikHelp without any impact on your budget.