The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with Hexagon, a global software company, to enhance its 911 service using digital mapping technology. This is the first time this technology has been used in an area with a major ski resort.
New technology that enhances the information coming into the 911 command center will help the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office handle calls, emails and videos from people lost in remote areas or injured while skiing. It could help institutions stay ahead of the curve.
The sheriff’s office plans to implement mapping technology aimed at consolidating and prioritizing incoming information, making it “a kind of one-stop shopping” for dispatchers, said the department’s 911 division chief. said Brett Loeb.
“Thanks to new 911 technology, we can now get video feeds. We’re receiving text messages to 911. We’re receiving input from satellite devices. Satellite phones. We get all kinds of calls,” Loeb said. “Right now, there’s no really good solution that unifies everything and makes it easy for dispatchers to see.”
Technology from Hexagon, a global software company based in Sweden, is designed to put all the information in one place on one map for dispatchers, Loeb said. said.
Dispatchers now track information streamed to various screens. Loeb said the new mapping system allows the dispatcher to centralize everything into his one stream, which includes a table of all incoming calls and information about where first responders should be sent.
“You can actually see each call without having to close the map or look at another screen,” Loeb says. “It’s more efficient, more economical, and easier for dispatchers.”
The sheriff’s office expects the system to be operational in the first quarter of this year. Ben Ernst, Hexagon’s vice president and general manager of safety, infrastructure and geospatial division, said this is the first time the technology has been deployed in a ski resort area.
In announcing the partnership with the sheriff’s office, Hexagon noted that Pitkin County, home to the resort town of Aspen and four major ski areas, receives about 1.5 million tourists annually. The company said upgrades to the county’s computer-aided dispatch system will improve emergency response capabilities during events such as the X Games and music festivals.
“This technology is a digital map that allows call takers and dispatchers to immediately see where a call for service is coming from,” Ernst said.
Ernst added that in places with so many tourists, many people may call 911 without being familiar with the area and not knowing where they are. “Being able to locate them through technology is really important in terms of getting assets to them as quickly as possible.”
Loeb said the system could be very useful for rescues in remote areas or where there is no cell phone service. He said the technology includes an artificial intelligence component that can overlay weather and traffic information to determine the shortest route for responders.
“It’s kind of a virtual co-pilot,” Loeb said.
This technology is expected to cost the sheriff’s office less than $100,000 annually. Loeb said he hopes to see an increase in dispatcher retention, which has been difficult for 911 centers for some time.
“Anything that makes work easier can reduce stress and hopefully help people enjoy their jobs more and stay at work longer,” Loeb said.
He hopes Pitkin County’s experience with new technology will help other agencies.
“We call this a breakthrough into the rest of the industry,” Loeb said. “If it can help other centers, we’re all for it.”
