Shooter Detection Systems and Fusus announce partnership to enhance response capabilities to active shooter situations
ROWLEY, Mass., April 5, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), the security industry's leading gunshot detection provider today announced its integration with the Fusus Real-Time Crime Center in the Cloud (RTC3) platform. The Fusus system will utilize SDS gunshot detection alerts to trigger emergency alerts, activate cameras in the vicinity, and provide a common operation picture for responding law enforcement units. The integration was completed for the Georgia Institute of Technology to increase the situational awareness from their Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System installation in buildings on campus.
Active shooter incidents have become an increasingly prevalent problem, especially in the U.S., over the past decade. The pace of incidents is increasing, particularly at schools and workplaces, with almost 60% of all mass shootings happening at places of work. Schools are hardly safer given that since Columbine (1999) there have been 236 school shootings and 296 lives lost in American K12 schools and higher education institutions. In 2020, during the pandemic and nationwide facility shutdowns, mass shootings still managed to rise in number by nearly 50%. The first quarter of 2021 is closing on the heels of seven mass shootings in the span of a week, beginning with the Atlanta spa shootings that killed eight and ending with the ten victims killed inside King Sooper's grocery store in Boulder.
Given the broad range of locations where active shooter events take place, effectively responding to these incidents to reduce harm and save lives requires a high degree of situational awareness. Immediate access to live video feeds from inside buildings where a shooter is active is one of the most effective way to create that awareness and reduce emergency response times.
"A delayed response to an active shooter situation absolutely costs lives," said Chris Lindenau, CEO of Fusus. "In the case of Sandy Hook for instance, the Newtown police first entered the school 6 minutes after they arrived on the scene, and 5 minutes after the last shot was heard, and similar scenes played out during the Parkland massacre. This isn't to suggest that the first responders were slow to respond- they just lacked any situational awareness of the conditions inside the school. That's what we aim to change."
Built from sniper detection technology used by the U.S. military in conflicts around the globe, the SDS Guardian system solves the problem of delayed information. Combining proprietary acoustic gunshot detection algorithms and infrared sensors to detect gunshots in the indoor environment, this unique dual-mode technology detects gunshots while filtering out false alerts and automates the delivery of critical shot location information in real time, cutting through the life-threatening delays commonly associated with active shooter incidents.
By integrating gunfire alerts from the SDS Guardian system, Fusus now delivers an automated gunfire alert to FususONE users within seconds, activates internal and external cameras at the location, and delivers real-time video feeds both to the emergency operations center as well as to responding units via a mobile app. The geolocations of responding officers, vehicle locations, UAV video, access control and license plate readers are some of the other utilities that are combined in the Fusus system to create a live 360-degree view of an emergent situation. This is especially important for first-responders on the scene, to enable them to make informed decisions in a high-stress situation.
"Recent active shooter events over the past few weeks have emphasized the need for a safety net that reduces casualties and fatalities when these situations occur," said SDS CEO Christian Connors. "Delays are deadly, and to enable a timely response, 911 dispatchers need the ability to have eyes on the scene, especially in the case of soft-targets like schools, universities, business campuses, and nightlife districts. SDS' Guardian system is the only active shooter detection system that is DHS Safety Act Certified and can be relied on in these life threatening situations. The Fusus system complements our capabilities by tying all the pieces necessary for a rapid, integrated response."
The partnership between Shooter Detection Systems and Fusus brings together two proven and trusted technology platforms that have the potential to radically improve the response to active shooter incidents. The mutual-aid capabilities inherent in the Fusus platform also aids in better coordination between public safety personnel.
"Shooter Detection Systems is the ideal partner for Fusus due to their large customer base and the exceptional performance of their system. They are a critical component of the public safety ecosystem we are building," said Chris Lindenau, CEO, of Fusus. "This technological safety-net is testament to our company's commitment to keep our children, co-workers, friends, and first-responders safe."
