New technology helps emergency responders replace faulty communication devices

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - According to a press release, a new company is changing the way emergency responders communicate.

Ethan Fitzgerald, media specialist at Flourish said, recently the Kingsbury County Sheriff’s Office along with EMA and the Lake Preston Fire Department added Tango Tango to their emergency communications arsenal.

Representatives of a company named Tango Tango say this is a major step forward in modernizing costly emergency communications equipment and will allow for better emergency planning, should mass response ever be warranted.

The average radio system for a first responder can cost anywhere between $3,500-$10,000. These radio systems oftentimes require a 3rd party, such as a 9-1-1 center to facilitate communication between radio networks when agencies work together.

Tango Tango integrates existing two-way encrypted radio networks straight to the phones of first responders. Tango Tango allows agencies to build ready-to-activate communication channels should a large-scale emergency require immediate collaboration.

Recently, teachers at Aransas Pass High School (TX) were notified of a student armed with a gun on campus. Over 100 officers from the Coastal Bend Region responded to help search for the student.

Aransas Pass Chief Eric Blanchard, who was outside guarding a door and managing public information for parents, used Tango Tango to communicate with fellow officers because he was on injured duty and didn’t have his police radio at the time. Assistant Chief Lynn Pearce depended on Tango Tango inside the high school to communicate because his radio could not penetrate the campus.

Police Network Manager David Offalter encountered equipment failure and used Tango Tango to dispatch over the radio system, ensuring the public safety response continued uninterrupted by equipment failure.

The Tango Tango technology includes the following features: Push-to-talk voice, GPS location services, Texting between agencies while enroute and on-scene, Radio monitoring, send out emergency alerts, and more. According to the press release, over 500 emergency departments have added Tango Tango to their communications arsenal.