In the process of deciding what needs to be done by who and where, government personnel rely heavily on verbal communication, which leaves much room for human error and miscommunication. Multiple subjective descriptions of the same incident can lead to the spreading of inaccurate information and the inability for organizations as a whole to grasp the severity of the situation. All of this can cause delays in response time, increasing the potential for greater damage and loss.
There is an urgent need for first responders to find a more reliable, accurate and useful way to gain complete situational awareness that spurs effective action.