Volumes have been written about the importance of situational awareness (SA) in the context of aviation, military operations, law enforcement operations, and firefighter safety. Scientists, academics, and subject matter experts agree that high levels of SA support favorable outcomes and enhance the safety of all involved. In my experience as a Fire Officer, when we had high levels of SA, strategic and tactical decision making were enhanced, and incidents were resolved with little complication. In contrast, when SA was compromised by a lack of knowledge of of the occupancy, poor communications, or any other factor; incidents quickly became more complex and challenging to stabilize.

In this short clip, Battalion Chief Graham Groneman - Marin County Fire Department, recounts how using Tablet Command enhanced his Strike Team's SA and turned a potentially deadly situation into a positive outcome. Marin County is a relatively new Tablet Command customer, and the information provided through AVL integration to Tablet Command allowed the Strike Team leader to view the location of an Engine Company trapped mid slope, and direct it to a safety zone as a significant fire front moved through. This enhanced outcome validates the work that the Tablet Command team has been doing since our inception.

Tablet Command supports enhanced situational awareness by providing comprehensive incident information, accurate vehicle location data, and customizable GIS information in a simple and intuitive user interface. The Tablet Command user interface has been conceived and developed with the needs and safety of first responders as the first priority.

Van Riviere retired as a Battalion Chief from the Stockton Fire Department in 2014. Today, Van serves as the President and CEO of Tablet Command, Inc.