Editorial: Police, fire departments embracing tech, and that's good for all of us
Here’s another good thing about Palm Beach: Its emergency services departments are unafraid to embrace change and innovation.
A case in point comes with last week’s news that the town’s police and fire-rescue departments have recently started using Prepared Live, a smartphone access software that allows callers to text and livestream images and geolocation information with the 911 Dispatch Center during emergencies.
"This technology will allow our 911 dispatch center and our first responders to obtain vital and timely information about emergency incidents and scenes that we’ve never had before," police spokesman Capt. Will Rothrock said. "Having that information will better prepare our responses and hopefully ensure better outcomes for any emergency in a manner that directly benefits the safety of our town."
We can see a definite upside to allowing livestreaming while talking to emergency personnel, because the technology also allows them to see what is happening. Palm Beachers expect top-shelf services from their first responders, and this is another addition that ensures residents will not be disappointed.
There are, of course, legitimate privacy concerns. It's important to note that callers get to choose whether to participate and that there are precautions built in. For example, access to the user’s phone, and its geolocation data and camera, stop completely once the caller ends the connection.
But overall, this looks like a good thing to us, and it follows a heartening trend of adaptation to the times.
The police department's shift toward electric vehicles as part of the island's Green Initiative and its high-tech training simulator are part of the trend. Meanwhile, fire-rescue's recent purchase of a Pierce Freightliner Encore Rescue Light and Air unit reflects a similar mission.
The Light and Air unit is a specialized vehicle that provides firefighters with additional light, self-contained breathing-apparatus air bottles, and other technical rescue equipment at the scene of an emergency. Officials have said this is not a vehicle for everyday use, but they are happy to have it in their arsenal for when they need it.
Of course, both departments still rely on low-tech measures, whether it's the see-something-say-something crime-prevention campaign from the police, or fire-rescue's home safety inspections to prevent falls.
However, the willingness of the town's emergency services to adopt new technology — often with assistance from the Palm Beach Police and Fire Foundation, which helped provide Prepared Live — reflects their commitment to being departments that truly serve the community at every level.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Editorial: Embracing tech is a smart move for emergency services
