Overview

Getting Started

IamResponding Overview

IamResponding is an end-to-end emergency response platform for first responders, allowing for enhanced situational awareness by placing critical incident data directly into the hands of responders in the field.

IamResponding provides tools for a faster and safer response, including:

  • Mobile dispatch alerts via CAD and audio feed
  • Real time 911 caller location via an integration with RapidSOS
  • Real time responder & apparatus tracking
  • Access to hydrants and other critical mapping data.

Learn more about IamResponding here

Summary

In most instances, IamResponding currently receives CAD incident notifications via SMTP (email), which is then used to trigger notifications to end users (push notifications, toggle dashboards, etc). The current flow of CAD data using SMTP to IaR has several challenges (security in transit CAD-IaR, lack of real-time/versioned data, limited data structure, and also data quality).

As a solution, we recommend that our ECC partners migrate to the IaR CAD Incidents API, which is a preferred method of delivery when sending data from CAD to IamResponding.

Benefits of CAD Incidents API

  • Enhanced Security: HTTP POST (TLS 1.2) offers an improvement in data security during transit when compared to SMTP.

  • Structured Data: Unstructured SMTP formats makes data parsing challenging. The IaR CAD Incidents API allows for well-structured data, enhancing data quality, and allowing responders access to overall greater situational awareness.

  • Eliminating Character Limits: SMTP character limits can omit crucial details. Utilizing the IaR CAD Incidents API removes these limits, ensuring complete information transfer in real-time from CAD to IaR.

  • Improved Integration with RapidSOS: Currently, some ECCs/agencies are unable to utilize the RapidSOS integration (real-time 911 caller location) due to limitations of CAD being able to provide 911 caller number. This is resolved with the API when the 911 caller number is included in the structured data being sent to IaR

  • Real-time Data: Typically, IamResponding receives the initial dispatch from the ECC, but does not display versioned/new data as the incident progresses. While the initial notification is great for sending incident data to responders upon dispatch, the data can quickly become outdated and incorrect, creating a challenge for responders when there are significant changes to an incident. For example, address/call type change, unit statuses, comments and more. We have studied numerous incidents comparing the initial dispatch to the narrative just seconds into an incident, and have found that real-time data would have a positive impact for the majority of responders.

*Real-time CAD data is a planned release in IaR for Q2 2024