Visual 911+ App Earns FirstNet Listed Designation

SAN ANTONIO, August 29, 2019 (Newswire.com) - ​​​Following a rigorous review process, the Visual 911+ app is now FirstNet Listed and available via the FirstNet App Catalog.

FirstNet – America’s public safety communications platform – features the first-ever App Catalog geared to first responders. This gives FirstNet subscribers a dedicated location to find meaningful new solutions that have been specifically reviewed for use with FirstNet services. Before any mobile solution can be added to the FirstNet App Catalog, it must pass stringent tests for security, relevancy, data privacy and more.  

Achieving a FirstNet Listed designation means the Visual 911+ app is a vetted and trusted solution for public safety, meeting FirstNet app requirements. Additionally, FirstNet subscribers will benefit from the unmatched FirstNet reliability while using the Visual 911+ app.

“Situational awareness is critical for our first responders’ safety, performance and accountability,” said Juan Cienfuegos, Managing Member of Southwest Synergistic Solutions, LLC. “The Visual 911+ app can provide that critical insight, helping to guide the public safety response based on direct feedback from those in need following a large-scale emergency like a hurricane.”

Visual 911+ provides vital information about location and condition of disaster survivors. Those impacted by a disaster can use the app to communicate location, condition and group association to first responders, family and friends. That information gives first responders using the app more insight into those that may need rescues or emergency support. The goal: help first responders more quickly locate survivors while equipping them with critical details of a survivor’s status to best inform the type of response required.

Using the app, survivors can communicate the following details to first responders:

·       Location – This can be done visually using GPS on Google Maps, by email or through Twitter using designated hashtags. For example, survivors could use emergency hashtags like #SOSHARVEY or #SOSHOUSTON or emergency email addresses set-up by authorities to share their name, phone number, GPS location and alert status.

·       Condition – To help prioritize and inform response types, survivors can differentiate between needing rescue and needing rescue with medical assistance.

·       Group Association – Color-coding survivors with demographic information helps first responders better prepare for what may be needed.

o   Red represents children.

o   Green represents those with special needs.

o   Blue represents adults.

o   Yellow represents service animals and pets.

o   First responders can also designate their own color association to more easily share their location with other responders for awareness or should they require emergency assistance.

Visual 911+ can also be used as a first responder team check-in tool to share status and location with team leaders or at a central emergency management center via a preset emergency email address set-up for them to use.

Built with AT&T, in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority, FirstNet is bringing public safety a much-needed technology upgrade to help them connect to the critical information they need – every day and in every emergency.

“Only highly secure, high quality, public safety relevant applications are added to the FirstNet App Catalog. And we’re pleased that Visual 911+ is now Listed and available to FirstNet subscribers,” said Bob Sloan, chief operating officer, FirstNet Program at AT&T. “Visual 911+ brings public safety additional capabilities to enhance situational awareness, giving first responders a clear and actionable operating picture with locations and conditions of fellow responders and survivors to aid rescues and better guide needed support.”

“Through our work with first responders, we heard their need for innovative applications to assist with their lifesaving mission. FirstNet is helping to address these needs, and we are pleased to welcome Visual 911+ to the FirstNet App Catalog,” said Mark Golaszewski, executive director of Technology and Innovation, First Responder Network Authority.

To learn more about Visual 911+, go to www.everythingtactical.com. For more on FirstNet, check out FirstNet.com.

FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

About Southwest Synergistic Solutions, LLC

We develop, manufacturer, represent, and sell lifesaving products for our military and first responder community. Since starting our first collaboration with US Special Forces on the Everything/Tactical Light back since 2004, we have continued to develop and represent products that improve situational awareness, performance, safety, accountability, and current capabilities for our warfighters and first responders. Our products help save lives every day and are of the highest quality, reliability, and value.

As part of our goodwill efforts towards our first responders and community, we developed the free Visual 911+ app to help both responders and survivors communicate in various forms. First visually, by turning the phone, tablet, computer, smart watch, etc. screens into visual signaling devices to help first responders locate survivors or themselves faster, especially at night. Second by providing a way to email loved ones or rescue team members in case of any disaster via an email that includes the person’s name, phone number, alert status, and a link to Google maps showing the general GPS location of the Visual 911+ app user. Lastly, the Visual 911+ app provides a way to utilize Twitter to post the responder or survivors information, mentioned above, at any hashtag that has been set up to share information regarding any disaster. For example, #SOSHARVEY."

Contact Information

Juan Cienfuegos, [email protected], 956-645-5265

Source: Southwest Synergistic Solutions, LLC