An iPhone app developed at the
Northern Kentucky University Center for Applied Informatics has won a "Most Innovative Use of Technology" award from the state.
The app called
Fire Department won the award at the
2011 Best of Kentucky Technology Awards ceremony in Frankfort earlier this month. The mobile application was developed in collaboration with the San Ramon Valley (Calif.) Fire Department, which is using it to promote department transparency and encourage skilled Good Samaritans who may be near emergency scenes.
The free app is available on Apple's App Store, and an Android version is being developed, said Chris Rider, Senior Technology Architect at the Applied Informatics center.
App users can view fire and emergency medical service incidents in real time. They also can see response status and dispatched units on an interactive map. Users can be notified of emergencies in specific categories and listen to live emergency radio traffic. There's also a photo gallery of significant events.
The app is especially useful for fire departments that can notify CPR trained citizens near a person who needs emergency aid in a public place. The app will also show the nearest location of a portable defibrillator.
The CPR feature was developed after a real life event in San Ramon when paramedics were having lunch when an emergency event occurred nearby where their services were needed. Unfortunately, they didn't know about it at the time.
"Two trained paramedics could have walked over and increased this person's chances of survival. That's when it was decided to add a CPR ability to the app, so people can help out when possible," Rider said.
The San Francisco Fire Department is also planning to use the app.
This is just one of the projects NKU Center for Applied Informatics staff and students have developed for local and national businesses and organizations looking for innovation on a budget. The center specializes in affordable mobile and web technologies, IT solutions, professional development, emerging technology, project management and more.
"Our role is to reach out to the community and other businesses to solve business problems. We work with students apply the skills they learn in class to solve those problems," Rider said.
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Chris Rider, Senior Technology Architect the Applied Informatics center and NKU Communications
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