Rave Mobile Safety Launches CAD Data-Sharing Solution
- By Matt Jones
- February 01, 2022
Critical communication and collaboration platform provider Rave Mobile Safety recently announced the launch of Rave Aware, a new solution that aids data sharing among Computer Aided Dispatches (CADs). Rave Aware allows agencies across different jurisdictions who use different CAD platforms to share data, collaborate on responses and boost first responders’ response times and safety, according to a news release.
U.S. public safety agencies often need to share situational intelligence among themselves during a crisis. Rave conducted a public safety survey revealing increased informational transparency among different agencies and departments as one of the top changes that first responders and emergency professionals would like to see implemented. However, a news release notes that sharing CAD-incident data between agencies, jurisdictions or primary and secondary public safety answering points (PSAPs) can be difficult. Data definitions are different across different CAD systems; legacy systems may not support modern interfaces; and point-to-point CAD integrations can be both expensive and tenuous.
Rave Aware serves as a secure, cloud-based data aggregation platform allowing agencies to publish CAD incident data in real time. They can use their preferred format for aspects like rules-based processing, notifications and permission-based cross-agency sharing. This “hub-and-spoke model,” as the release puts it, can simplify integration and reduce costs by eliminating the need for point-to-point connections between different CAD systems.
“Public safety and emergency response have always been collaborative in nature. Think of how many emergencies require help from neighboring agencies, such as a multi-alarm fire,” said Todd Piett, CEO of Rave Mobile Safety. “Yet, it’s not uncommon for those additional responders to have limited insight into the situation they are responding to, or no idea of an ongoing incident just across a jurisdictional boundary. That’s why we developed Rave Aware—to give 9-1-1 dispatch, first responders and other emergency service agencies the situational awareness and information they need to respond more quickly, collaboratively and cohesively to critical incidents. When we increase the level of response coordination and data sharing to an emergency, everybody benefits—the caller, the responders and the community.”
Other benefits of the solution include reduced time transferring calls and data; best-in-class speed, delivery and reliability of notifications; support for alternate or expanded dispatch workflows like mental health or domestic violence incidents; and a lower total cost of ownership.
“We frequently rely on neighboring counties for mutual aid to help us respond to major high-priority incidents—especially those that impact multiple jurisdictions. It’s absolutely critical that everyone have access to the same data and be aware of events as they unfold,” said Jeff Miller, Chief of the Emergency Communications Division at the New Castle County (DE) Department of Public Safety. “Rave Aware gives us added real-time visibility so communities and agencies are better equipped to help each other in times of crisis. With this innovative solution, we are able to overcome the barriers of data siloes and disparate systems to quickly and effectively share incident data to ensure a rapid and coordinated response.”