mobile-logo

Situational Awareness

May 6, 2017

Blueforce Adds Support for BodyTrak Non-Invasive Precision Physiological Monitoring and Comms Wearable

by Michael Helfrich
in CBRN, Distributed Sensing, Fusion, Heat, IoT, Occupational Safety, Sensors, Situational Awareness, Wearables

Blueforce customers live in a world where Command decisions drive mission success or mission failure, and where life and death is a function of actionable information getting to the right person at the right time. Most often, the perishability of tactical information is measured in minutes. A robustly networked operational environment coupled with the Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the game specific to real-time...

Read More
April 23, 2017

Beating the Heat: MEDWAR 2017 with BlueforceWBGT

by Michael Helfrich
in CBRN, Distributed Sensing, Emergency Notification, Heat, IoT, Lone Worker, Occupational Safety, Sensors, Situational Awareness, Surveillance, WBGT

Blueforce was proud to take part in MEDWAR 2017 SOUTHEAST as a guest of VCOM/Auburn. Exposure to extreme heat is a reality of any form of public safety/military training and unit preparation for operational missions, MEDWAR included. Many heat illnesses are preventable, and none should be fatal. Leaders must assess unit's missions and training requirements against the risk associated with operating in warm weather environments....

Read More

Beating the Heat: Preventing Heat-Related Illness with Blueforce

by Michael Helfrich
in Distributed Sensing, Emergency Notification, Heat, IoT, Occupational Safety, Sensors, Situational Awareness, WBGT

Thousands of workers fall victim to heat related injuries annually. Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion can occur quickly and early signs are often ignored as workers are focused on accomplishing their assigned tasks. These injuries can occur when work is being done outside and inside and are a major concern of EHS groups across a wide swath of industries. The fact is that heat related...

Read More
April 22, 2017

MEDWAR SOUTHEAST 2017: Decentralized Command and Control on a Single Pane of Glass View

by Michael Helfrich
in autonomous agents, Distributed Sensing, Emergency Notification, Fusion, IoT, K9, Recovery, Sensors, Situational Awareness

It was 2008 when we first heard it: "I've got multiple deployed teams, vehicles, scores of unattended ground sensors, K9's, and aviation platforms to manage during my incident or mission. And I also have scores of applications that I have to look across and assimilate to make a decision that impacts a small patch of the deployment area. It has become impossible." ...

Read More

MEDWAR Southeast 2017: Blueforce Tested

by Michael Helfrich
in BlueBeacon, CBRN, Emergency Notification, Fusion, IoT, Occupational Safety, Sensors, Situational Awareness, Wearables

What is your definition of a fun weekend?  How about - strains/sprains, dislocations, fractures, soft tissue wounds, lacerations, burns, punctures (with and without embedded objects), blisters, infection, frostbite/extremity immersion, and more? This is what MedWar SOUTHEAST is all about; Hundreds of first responders competing in the woods of Fort Gordon, Georgia. MedWAR teaches and tests wilderness medicine knowledge and skills.  The event uses scenarios and questions which...

Read More
March 27, 2017

Leveraging your Smartphone for “Man-Down” Detection Using Blueforce Tactical

by Michael Helfrich
in Emergency Notification, Hybrid Life Support, Occupational Safety, Recovery, Sensors, Situational Awareness

For years, firefighters have leveraged PASS devices (Personal Alert Safety System) which are also referred to as distress signal unit (DSU) when going into building fires or other dangerous IDLH environments The PASS device sounds a loud (95 decibel) audible alert to notify others in the area that the firefighter is in distress, usually triggered by a lack of motion by the firefighter for a...

Read More
July 30, 2016

Tactical Dashboard Video: Seeing is Believing

by Michael Helfrich
in CBRN, Distributed Sensing, Fusion, IoT, K9, Sensors, Situational Awareness, Surveillance, Uncategorized, Wearables

It's a great thing when imagery can "say" everything that needs to be said.  It speaks for itself.  A dashboard video used during a USG training event is embedded below.  The Blueforce Command Center dashboard in the video shows members of a tactical team breaching a building with support from a K9 unit and shows the following: Real-time Incident Map: Top left, shows all team members,...

Read More

OPS15 Dragon and Alpha Canis Training Event

by Michael Helfrich
in autonomous agents, BlueBeacon, CBRN, Distributed Sensing, Emergency Notification, Fusion, Intrinsically Safe, IoT, K9, Sensors, Situational Awareness, Surveillance, Uncategorized

Knowledge is power.  Successful tactical training is even better.  OPS15 and Alpha Canis will be hosting a 2-Day training event at their Southfield Training Facility and Blueforce will be there.  This dynamic training event will give participants from the public safety, military, and private sector an opportunity to share some ideas and knowledge on best practices from a diverse group of instructors relative to the...

Read More
July 16, 2016

ugsONE: New Blueforce Tactical Plugin that Turns the Smartphone into an Unattended Ground Sensor

by Michael Helfrich
in autonomous agents, CBRN, Distributed Sensing, Fusion, HAZLOC, IoT, Sensors, Situational Awareness, Surveillance, Uncategorized

Here at Blueforce, we think back just ten years ago and the state of personal computing at the time. We were fresh out of Iraq and post-9/11 and simple gamecam capabilities could run a DoD unit upwards of $80,000 a sensor. Military and emergency management groups alike have long been keen for sensors that can be left behind if need be. Ones that are inexpensive...

Read More
April 5, 2016

The Compelling “Total Cost of Ownership” of Personal Security Software for Mobile Workers

by Michael Helfrich
in BlueBeacon, Emergency Notification, Lone Worker, Occupational Safety, Situational Awareness, Uncategorized

It is most assuredly not our parent's world. We suddenly find ourselves in a new phase in the global threat environment which has implications to our critical infrastructure, our schools, and our businesses. Cybersecurity remains a concern, but our physical security in our personal and professional lives is now front and center. Recent attacks and attempted attacks internationally present a diverse and non-predictable threat environment. IT...

Read More