U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials said first responders now have access to the QuickRoute Mobile app, which aids with routing challenges.
“First responders now have a commercially-available navigational tool which takes into consideration their emergency vehicle specifications,” S&T Program Manager Kimberli Jones-Holt said. “QuickRoute calculates the best way for the responders to get to an emergency scene fast and safely.”
The effort, which officials said S&T funded for development via Azimuth1, LLC, started in March 2018, resulting in a routing app understanding the conditions and constraints emergency vehicle operators face while aiding efficient response. The app addresses more challenges than a typical GPS application, including narrow lanes, inclement weather, downed power lines, and other hazards.
The iOS version is currently available in the Apple store, with the civilian version available free of charge. Additionally, the emergency service vehicles version requires a special developer provided code and is available at a monthly cost of approximately $10.
Azimuth is inviting agencies nationwide to demo QuickRoute, in addition to the ECC component dispatchers use to send destinations directly to individual users, who can respond using the technology’s optimized vehicle routing protocols.