In a major disaster, emergency responders come from multiple agencies both locally as well as surrounding states and can include National Guard, Coast Guard and utility companies.
The problem is that each responder agency has disparate communication tools on different networks, channels, frequencies, encryption keys, etc…and they are unfamiliar with the each others procedures, capabilities, etc…
LifeRing software overcomes this problem by providing an intuitive, simple-to-use app that loads on any PC, Android or iOS device and enables real-time, situational-awareness between all users to create Common Operational Picture (COP) of the mapped area and the precise location of all responders.
LifeRing provides an on-the-go, ad hoc network to be set up for all responders to join and immediately become part of a single responder group sharing and providing voice and data communications between them.
LifeRing resolves different communication types (LTE cellular, First Responder P25 radios, and even handheld satellite and military radios). Furthermore, LifeRing establishes a common AES 256 bit encryption key between all users so that all can PTT between each other, chat, message, whiteboard, etc… enabling a disaster-wide private secure communications.
Cellular and Military radios are digitally interfaced with First Responder P25 / DMR radios using LifeRing’s RNDIS Interface (see our July August Newsletter) and are now also able to PTT between each other using LifeRing’s RGU (Radio Gateway Unit).
LifeRing was most recently used during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma to monitor First Responders from the Huntsville, AL EOC (Emergency Operations Center) as they travelled to the affected areas of Beaumont, Texas to deliver supplies. For more information see https://www.agisinc.com/FIRST-RESPONDER-WHITE-PAPER.pdf.