Public safety tech firm RapidSOS has inked a deal with home security firm Arlo Technologies that gives emergency dispatchers “real-time visual confirmation of incidents through video verification,” according to the statement announcing the partnership.
That could not only quicken emergency responses and make them safer for police, fire and medical personnel but reduce false alarms, according to the statement. Dispatchers can look at live footage from Arlo home security cameras before deciding to alert first responders.
RapidSOS tech, meanwhile, can help fill in such details of the emergency as location profiles, gate codes and residence information.
“We are excited to see Arlo connecting millions of users directly to 911,” said Michael Martin, CEO of RapidSOS, in the statement. “When 911 receives an emergency call, accurate information is critical. By combining Arlo’s video verification with RapidSOS’ AI-assisted connection to public safety, first responders get the complete picture.”
The deal reflects the ongoing, nationwide push to provide emergency call centers with more real-time information from multiple sources, not just calls — a push that is also driving gov tech business deals.
Police departments also are combining video and artificial intelligence tools with high-definition camera systems and license-plate tracking, further pushing the frontier of public safety technology.
As well, this deal reflects the desire of police, especially, to have access to more video tools, a need that is helping to drive tech buying decisions in even some of the smallest departments in the country.
About a year ago, RapidSOS partnered on a commercial fire alert service with Hexagon, a company that sells software, sensors and autonomous tech for industrial, city, defense, government and other areas.
That deal was announced after RapidSOS closed a $150 million funding round, further underscoring the attractiveness of public safety tech to investors.
